Monday, November 12, 2012

Day 316: November 12th - Shades of gray


Overcast, breezy and temps in the mid 50s

       When I awoke this morning, it was to the forecast on the radio calling for a nice fall day with sunny skies and temperatures reaching 65 degrees.  I dressed accordingly, grabbed my Nikon and headed out to Mine Road for some autumnal birding.  As I hit the door, I realized that this was not the nice fall day I had been promised by WHUD.  Rather, it was gloomy, damp, and cool.  Back into the house for a fleece and then back to the RAV4.  I changed the speed of the ISO on the camera to compensate for the overcast conditions and hoped for the best.

       I stopped at Brooks Lake to check in on any fowl that might be on the water. I was disappointed to find nary a single duck and only three swans.  Two were on the far side of the lake while the third seemed to prefer dry land this morning.  As I photographed the swan, I made note how in this cloudy condition, even the brilliant white plumage of the swan seemed muted (no pun intended). 

         As I headed back to the car, a pair of crows flew by and one landed in a nearby snag.  This bird’s dark silhouette seemed very appropriate for this day as I snapped the image against the gray sky.



       Out on Mine Road, the only thing audible was the rustling of the remaining leaves on the trees.  No sign of any flying birds of any size, shape, or color.  The scene was eerily subdued and the only sign of any color at all was in the golden hue of the grasses lying low to the ground.  


Perhaps it was simply that my senses had become so attuned to the deep emerald tones of the New Zealand countryside that everything back here in the throes of pre-winter fall seem so bland.  Tomorrow, rain is predicted, but the following day, bright sunny skies and brisk temps may bring me back to an appreciation of the true beauty of New York autumnal weather.

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