Sunday, January 27, 2013

Survival in the -40's, and -50's at The Vermilon River, Canada.

 I used survival in the headline so I could dispose of ,right away in fact, all the comments on Boomer's and my bravery at going out in this cold. First, Boomer and the birds shown are by natural selection built for it. Nature gave me a brain, so I dress for it, and if the going is tough, we just go more, but not as far. There's no need to translate from C to F because at these temperatures, they're the same. The pink skies were all taken after the post of last week when we had all sorts of different weather in a short span of time including a taste of spring. But true to the red sky adage, nature laid in an arctic air mass that sat for most of the week. Temperatures dropped to the -40's in the day, and the-50's at night. At one time,(in my life time), these temperatures would have been normal for here over January, February, March with some warming towards mid or the end of April.

Boom and I woke to a foggy sky, but none like most of you have experienced. The fog photos are gathered below in one area and show the sun rising. At these temperatures,the cold is wringing the moisture out of the air,but freezing the droplets instantly.They then fall to the ground as little ice crystals. Normally in the winter my parka collar is coated in frost from my breath, just as Boomer's muzzle is frosted. On these walks my collar was coated, but so was my parka overall with tiny frozen ice crystals; so, was Boom's guard fur. You can feel the cold drying your skin and lips, which gives you a  tingling feeling. But you have to be careful of exposed skin as the tingling can turn to a numb feeling, followed by a small white dot, a sign of frostbite.

If the conditions were stormy, the storm would be less intense because the air is dry. The reverse heavily, saturated air, would intensify the storm conditions. Dave Phillips, a federal Government climatologist  reported on the CBC the other day that the average temperature used here for comparison purposes, was being readjusted up by 3.4 degrees C. This average temperature increase means more evaporation, or a more humid air. Over large bodies of water, oceans, or even the Great lakes, storms will intensify, and you can therefore expect to see more violent storms like the one that hit New York and New Jersey worldwide. But other conditions occur also. For instance, with warming temperatures water in the Boreal forest evaporates faster setting up the enabling conditions for wildfire. So scientists here in Canada have estimated 50 percent of the Boreal forest will have been burnt over by 2075.
 


Please don't comment about what bad people we are. Do something about it!!! Are you going to feel it.? You bet. Here's just a few areas: rising  insurance rates, higher disaster costs to Governments already broke ,higher building costs to meet changing conditions, rising cost of water,now a more rare commodity,and higher food costs as parts of the continent dry up to name just a few ways.

A post to I'd Rather Be Birdin'Our World Tuesday, WBW. Click any photo to see the slideshow.


Front view of Starling in non-breeding plumage.

A coy Startling

Mourning Dove.

Its all mine.

I see you.

A very formal Redpoll





Just a note to Sallie: I used the word Convocation because the doves in the previous post looked so formidable. It's not the correct collective noun as far as I know.
Redpoll in bright sunshine.

These Redpolls are in the foggy -40 weather, but remember they're arctic birds. So it's a piece of cake for them .











More bright sunshine and Redpolls
Frosty snow on the branch

Pink skies previous to the temperature drop.



This is the fog we awoke to. In the next sequences you'll see the sun rise giving an orange and then a yellow tinge to the sky.

Orange light.

Sun above the trees.

Sun still rising.

Still rising

Still rising.

Side view Starling

Redpolls

Dove

More Redpolls

Pink skies

Redpoll

Redpolls in sunshine

More Pink skies.

Mourning Dove.

Redpoll in -40's.See the frost on him

64 comments:

  1. like the back shots of the doves - well and the front shot, too. beautiful. glad you can stay warm up there.

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  2. Super duper series of photos, words that explain so well, love the changing colours, and " it's all mine" perfect timing.I look forward to your posts so much, waiting to see the birds and scenery captured so well. Greetings from Jean

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  3. Great Post Gary

    Incredible temperatures for sure, and some wonderful winter sunshine too. Just love Redpolls.... Dave

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  4. stunning photos of the birds! what beautiful skies too!
    perhaps if I'd been born where you are, I could tolerate the frigid air better. my youngest refers to my age (almost 73) when I complain that I just can't seem to get warm enough to be comfortable. maybe he's right.

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  5. Chilling yet beautiful. Awesome skies and birds, Gary.

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  6. Thanks for yor explanation and commentary about waht you see up there Gary - food for deep thought indeed. I just wonder how you manipulate a camera in those conditions?

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  7. Wow and here we were complaining how cold it was in New Jersey. We have nothing on you. Stay warm and give Boomer a warm hug from me.

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  8. I'm thinking like Phil here, with the extreme cold, how does the camera operate? Normally?
    Beautiful images, but way, WAY too cold for my old bones. Frost on Boomer's muzzle...whoa. But he was bred for this foul weather and extreme cold, right?

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  9. Whatever the temperatures were and the your countrys situation, still your pictures ate are fantastic:)

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  10. Glad I live in Florida! The snow shots are beautiful and I love those tree scenes.

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  11. Hi Gary

    Brrrrr! You had some beautiful shots of the Redpolls I loved the light and shadows against the blue grey sky. We have had some humid (for us) weather last week. Now we are supposed to be near 0 today minus 17 tomorrow. It must be winter.

    All the best to Boomer.
    Guy

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  12. Wonderful captures as always! Love the snowy shots and, of course, the birds as always! Hope you and Boom have a great week, Gary!

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  13. We have had some VERY cold minus temps in Breckenridge this winter, but all last week it was like spring and snow began to melt rapidly. Since our town depends on ski resort business, that's not good news. Your photos are stunning - you capture bird portraits so well.

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  14. Thanks for sharing your great photos

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  15. A gorgeous range of characters! Adore the pose of the little red poll and the starling!

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  16. i can look at your bird photos and never tire of them.

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  17. I can't imagine going out in those temperatures, let alone taking photos. The pictures of the skies are the most impressive to me.

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  18. Beautiful scenes and photos. Great series! Have a happy week!

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  19. Simply gorgeous photos, gorgeous.

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  20. Loved the various colours of light very much and the fact, that even though having cold and snow, there are still bird songs to be heard. Please have a good Tuesday.

    daily athens photo

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  21. You always have excellent photos ~ Wow! ~ Nature's treasures for sure!

    ( A Creative Harbor) ^_^

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  22. Your posts always have such wonderful wildlife and scenery shots and I also like your narrative.

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  23. Brrr - that really is cold! I love freezing fog in winter because it creates such spectacular colours. Your shots are wonderful.

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  24. After a couple of days of beautiful snow thaw set in and now it rains.All skaters were disappointed.
    Have a great time in the snow!!

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  25. Great photos and marvelous wintry images.

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  26. Great photos and very interesting comments about the cold and how it affects you as you walk through the forests.

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  27. Imagens incrivelmente encantadoras...nunca me canso de observar pássaros e na neve só mesmo por imagens, visto que no Brasil p clima é muito tropical e quente. Um abraço!

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  28. Beautiful birds and nature photos!

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  29. You got stunning set of photos here! I could imagine you taking these photos while braving the freezing cold weather.

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  30. I really like your misty morning sunrise photos, but all of them are marvelous. I admire you and Boomer for your hardiness in cold weather, but I think I'll stay in when the temperatures get this low.

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  31. Great shots as always Gary. I love the starlings. They look so 'fluffy' this time of year. And that shot of the mourning dove, near the end of the post, is just stunning!

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  32. Absolutely beautiful! Canada is one country that I would love to experience.

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  33. You are indeed brave to go out in minus 40 degree weather, Gary, but i'm glad you did and took these amazing photos! It is always a marvel to me that birds and animals can survive in such frigid temperatures.

    I also enjoyed your commentary this week. After moving to the foothill region of central Colorado I can atest first hand that a drier climate makes the cold weather feel milder. New York is very humid and the cold weather felt more severe there.

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  34. I really enjoyed this post, Gary! You were indeed brave to go out in minus 40 weather but I'm glad you did to take these photos. I am amazed wildlife can survive in such friged temperatures. I also enjoyed your commentary this week. Since moving to Colorado where the air is drier, I can atest to the fact that dry air feels warmer than humid air.

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  35. It's plus 11 degrees here today Gary, and we had thunder and lightening...in January in Ontario. So many people consider global warming a myth.

    You photos are excellent as always. I love the redpolls, and I saw my first winter plumed starling yesterday in the yard.

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  36. The starling is such an interesting bird to see, but the mourning dove is elegant, and it's coloring subtle. Thanks for sharing, and hope for more sun for you!

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  37. I enjoyed reading your post on Sunday and looking at all your photos. Finally able to post here, internet connection was sparse at the hotel. Home now.

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  38. Great image series showing :) Hanne Bente

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  39. These are stunning photos, now I'm jealous :)

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  40. Hi there - good post. A national election was announced here today - and the opposition (who have a depressingly good chance of winning) are headed by a "reformed" climate change denier. We have a a carbon tax in place and there is a good chance it will be removed. This is what happens when people get into bed with mining companies and think that we all live in the 1950s!

    Cheers (and wish Australia good luck!) and thanks for posting to WBW.

    Stewart M - Melbourne

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  41. Super captures and commentary Gary. Have never been to a place with minus temperatures!! So can only admire guys like you!

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  42. the pink skies are so pretty
    thanks for your visit

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  43. "Freezing the droplets instantly" That is really something for one from the tropics.

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  44. Really great images here Gary. I particularly like your Redpolls inthe snow.

    Those temperatures are amazing - I bet the starlings wished they'd stayed in Europe!!

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  45. Gary - I always appreciate the updates from the north, as our northern Ontario cabin sits empty there for the winter when we can easily get away to it.
    I REALLY appreciate the information & message you provide in this post. "Do something about it!"
    Beautiful photos as always, and cheers to a fellow cold weather "survivor." People do seem to forget that most animals in these areas were made for these conditions.
    And I remember much colder, harsher winters in my days, too. I miss our "real" winters.

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  46. The starling looks like a bristly brush...what an optical illusion. This is a wonderful series of birds and landscape scenes. You all must have has a wonderful time. Gorgeous photography. genie

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  47. Lovely series, but the dove with the blue sky, wow!
    Greetings Pia

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  48. A lovely serie of photos!
    I love to study your post!
    Great photowork!

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  49. Nice winter pics. Beautiful birds!

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  50. I am almost commentless because you said you don't want to hear what I would normally say ;>). But it looks sooo beautiful! The pink skies and even the fog (which I am normally phobic about) are stunning. And of course I love the birds. I haven't looked at the slide show yet but I will.

    And if that isn't the word for a group of doves it should be!!

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  51. Wonderful shots! The redpolls are so sweet!

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  52. Very beautiful series of nature photos! I enjoyed them very much.

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  53. Sounds very cold, but you got some beautiful pictures of scenery and birds.

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  54. I’m amazed with simply beautiful nature and rich wildlife you showed as always.

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  55. Luckily those feathered friends are made for the weather. :)
    Wonderful series as always Gary!

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  56. Not sure what to say Gary.. we just have to keep trying to do things ourselves and educate others.

    Lovely pics. I like the redpolls in the snow the best.

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  57. great shots from the birds and wonderful sky colors! :)

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  58. You, Boomer and those birds are tougher than this gal. I think I would freeze solid!

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