Sky Circles

While driving down the road the other day I, not surprisingly, looked up in the sky

And saw some circles.

Like the circle in the Yet Another Lunar Halo post, these circles are the result of water in the atmosphere, in this case contrails. Contrails of planes likely circling the Philadelphia airport.

This second image shows a pale Sundog, the bright spot in the upper center, to the right of the overexposed Sun. And the bright spot on the contrail circle, below the Sundog, is a fragment of the 22° Halo, the type of halo shown around the Moon.

It Is Balloon!

I had to take my car in for service today, to get the electronic system upgraded. The STARLINK system uses the 3G cellular network and that network is being retired.

But this post is not about car service issues that didn't exist when I got my first car. Which for the record was a Chevy Chevette that did not come with a radio. 

No, it is about what I saw as I was retuning the loaner car.

This:

It Is Balloon!

I would occasionally see these floating in the distance out my kitchen window when I lived in my condo. Now I occasionally see them form the other side when I'm out and about, although I've not seen them from our place ... yet. Maybe someday one will float over while I'm sitting out on the deck.

Pretty cool to see.

🎈 🎈 🎈 🎈 🎈

The title is from an episode of a TV show that I watched over and over as a kid, as it was shown over and over on channel 11, and I, and my siblings, would often watch TV when we got home from school. The show was F Troop. And this was the scene from the episode. I have no idea why this bit stuck in my memory. But it did.

Ducks on a Stream

Some more new neighbors, a bit further down the road.

Patty has noticed them one day on her way to work. A small flock of ducks on a very small stream.

While there are farms in the area it is not obvious where these might be from. 

Welcome to the neighborhood.

It's That Time

When homes across the country become ...

... light shows.

Like this place just done the road. Surrounded by trees, an oasis of light.

My favorite time of the year.

Share the Road

On the road to the Rancocas Creek Farm, albeit not on the way to pick up the farm share, I ran into these ducks.

Not exactly sure what species, although they are no doubt domestic.

Which is a bit obvious in the way they sit on the side of the road. As do the ducks which live just next door to us.

And these are new neighbors, as we travel this road quite often and had not seem them prior to this past two weeks.

I hope they find the area to their liking.

Frist World Problems

In the Almost Back post I discussed my travails with electronic versus lightning.

One problem I had was that for reasons that are still not clear, Apple thought my computer wasn't my computer, and that it was actually owned by a company, in that there was MDM (Mobile Device Management) software installed on it. 

Now why there would be Mobile Device Management software on a desktop computer never seemed to cross the mind of the 'genius' at the Apple store, they told me I needed to provide proof, such as a receipt, that the computer was mine.

There were several problems with this.

First, the receipt was on the hard drive of the computer that I did not have. Second, Apple keeps eighteen months of purchase history online and available to customers; I bought this computer nineteen months prior to the incident. Third, I had no connectivity at my place to contact Apple support (recall my modem and router were also fried) and thus to contact them I needed to venture out to where a signal could be had.

So I did. And while I was on the phone with an Apple support rep, one who tried very hard to be helpful, for over an hour (!!!) I was getting more and more frustrated at this whole Catch-22 situation, this appeared in the sky out my car windshield.

And while on hold for the n-teenth time I snapped this image. And calmed down a bit.

Eventually the rep told me that she was unable to get a receipt, but that she had ordered one on my behalf from somewhere else inside Apple, and cautions that it might take several days to arrive (It arrived that evening). 

And it turned out I didn't need it anyway. Some other 'genius' at the Apple store (a super genius perhaps?) figured out that the MDM issue was all a mistake. 

All that stress and frustration for nothing. 

I really needed that vacation ...

Fire!

The New Jersey Pinelands Commission has been running a series of weekly webinars, Thursdays at 10 AM. And one of the benefits of working form home is that I can schedule my day so that I can watch them.

Last Thursday's presentation was entitled, "Pine Barrens Weather and Its Effect on NJ's Microclimate" (that's a link which will take you to a recording of the presentation). And as part of the presentation there was this table (emphasis added):

We live in the 7th most dangerous county, based on previous natural disasters, in the US. Fires and hurricanes being the main culprits. 

So it was with some trepidation while driving back from a quick errand last Sunday that I saw smoke in the direction of our place. Fire in the Pines I thought to myself. I'd seen such before. Surely this was well in the distance.

But as I neared home it became apparent that this fire was close. Very close. 

I knew that when I got the Beagle Club I'd have a nice view to the east, with a low horizon. And I'd be able to tell just how close. 

Less than a quarter mile as it turned out.

As when I got to the Beagle Club I saw this:

Fortunately a controlled burn.

But for a while there ...

Chukar

On our way home from the Franklin Parker Preserve and Shrike viewing, Patty yells out, "Bobwhite Quail!". *

She had spotted two birds along the side of the road. And while quail made the most sense they were not Bobwhite Quail. Rather they were Chukars.

Quick as I could I turned around and we returned to the spot. By then one had wandered off in to the woods. While Patty looked for the camera I snapped a couple of shots with my iPhone.

By the time the camera out of the daypack the second bird had too moved off into the woods. It is in the middle of the image above, at the base of the center background tree.

I got out of the car and quietly maneuvered to get a better angle.

Fortunately, the bird 'hid' and remained still while I fired away.

As this bird is usually found only at high elevations out west in the US, having been introduced from Asia (it is the national bird of Pakistan and Iraq), it is extremely likely these are released birds. Given that the South Park Semi-Wild area is just a bit down the road from where we say them I'd say it is pretty much certain these birds did not get here under their own power. Still, they were cool to see.

~~~~~~~~~~

* Earlier on the same ride home Patty had cried out, "That's Terry!", although it was not our friend Terry of recent notoriety in this blog. It was our other friend Terry. This Terry was out looking for Red Crossbills. It seems another friend and birder extraordinaire, Tom, had seem these birds his way home from Franklin Parker Preserve, last Sunday, after we, Patty, Terry, Tom, and yours truly, had been viewing the same Northern Shrike. Tom had spotted the Crossbills in a puddle on the the side of the road. 

The moral of the story is keep your eyes on the side of the road. And not on your phone.

Good birding.

Look Up In The Sky

And sometime you'll see clouds.

Cool looking clouds. Angry clouds.

We saw these as we drove home from our Hartshorne Woods hike.

Alas, by the time I got to a spot where I could pull over and get a good shot, the moment had passed.

I'll keep looking up. And taking pictures. And blogging.

Ghost

We went today to Whitesbog, to collect Patty's artwork from the gallery. And we decided to take the long way out, driving the dike roads between the bogs.

And we saw the ghost, the leucitic White-tailed Deer.

As you can see, a bit more than the tail is white.

Like the last time, I again had only my phone with which to take these pictures. Like Ahab, one day I'll get my prize, although in my case we'll all live happily ever after.

Arrival

In this post I noted that birds that have usually arrived in our corner of the planet by now had not.

One such bird is the Snow Goose. Large flocks of which can be seen in the sky and in the fields about our neighborhood.

This week they arrived.

This is just part of the flock I passed while on my way to work. One estimate had the flock at 10,000 individuals.

That's a lot of birds.

By the time I passed by many had flown to their morning feeding grounds.

These last two images are a mile or two apart, the flock having split up.

It is an amazing sight that these images don't come close to conveying. Here's a link to a video I took with my phone that gives some little sense of the spectacle. (I said little.)

I pulled over just to watch, the only car to do so. Do other people not notice? Not care? Worry about being late for work? (I'm lucky to have a job where I don't need to clock in.)

Conversely, what things am I missing that don't breach my attention threshold?

Kelvin-Helmholtz Cloud

Short lived, an accurate description for sure. Like many an atmospheric phenomena.

I initially noticed this cloud formation as I rounded the first turn on my way to work. By the time I got to a spot where I could get a clear image the formation had deteriorated some. Grrrr.

The Kelvin-Hemholtz Instability describes the disturbance caused by the difference in velocity between two fluids. Such as water and air. Or in this case, two different air masses.

The aspiration can be quite stunning, waves in the sky.

Keep looking up!

Brig

The last weekend before I reentered the workforce (very sad) we took a trip to the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, aka Brig.

Known for the large number of waterfowl and shore birds that congregate there, as can be seen in the image below, we looked forward to a fun day of birding.

Birdless Brig

Hmmm ...

One of the target species, which Patty had already dipped on, was the White Pelican, of which a several had been visiting. Spoiler alert, we did not find them.

We did see a Northern Raccoon out and about. Somewhat unusual behavior.

Finally some birds!

Snow Buntings, which Patty is blocking traffic to photograph.

After which we headed to the Smithville Inn where I enjoyed my new favorite beer in celebration.

A good day after all.

Why Did the Turkeys Cross the Road?

I don't know.

But did they have to do it ...

... on my driveway?

(And check out the reflection in the car hood.)

Fantastical

Patty and I were driving back from Whitesbog, on North Whitesbog Road between Routes 530 and 70, when a white deer crossed the road in front of us. I had but my iPhone and took these shots as it went into the woods and then behind my car. Alas, another car came up behind us, and the deer bolted deep into the woods.

It looks unreal, almost magical.

Almost as if it had been photoshopped in to the images.

Very, very cool.

Big Sky Country ...

... Southampton, NJ.

When I left the house on a quick trip to the store I was partly cloudy. This was the view driving home.

Interestingly, on Route 38, the highway a few miles north our place, it was pouring. I got soaked going to and from the car to the shop.

It was dry at our place. We would get a brief shower in the early evening. And we heard thunder throughout the day. But for the most part the rain went around us.

We could use some rain. Good chance we get some later in the week.

I should be careful what I wish for.

Crepuscular Rays

My dad turned 90 this month and on the way home from his birthday dinner celebration, cruising down the Pennsylvania Turnpike, I saw this:

Anti-Crepuscular Rays. Pointing the way home.

And then the Crepuscular Rays when we exited what was now the New Jersey Turnpike.

Keep looking up!

I'm Dreaming of a White ...

... Thanksgiving.

Especially after this leucistic Wild Turkey crossed my path the other day. And with this heat wave, 95° F plus for the past week, snow would be welcome!

Since there is some color, red, brown, and orange, this bird is leucistic and not albino.

But I wonder, would there still be dark meat?

Emergency Takeoff

Something else I saw while looking up in the sky on the Mallows Bay trip, a helicopter.

What's so unusual about a seeing helicopter in the sky you ask? Well, the only reason I noticed it is because it took off from the southbound lanes of I95 in Delaware, while I was next to it on the northbound lanes. I was so focused on the flashing lights ahead I never saw it until it was in the air.

And that's not something you see everyday.

And like the halo, I was the only one of our group to see it, as Patty was asleep in the passengers seat, and we were all scattered on highways, well on our way home.

Elk

Patty is always on the look out for things to do and one such thing was a visit to Elk Country in Pennsylvania to see, you guessed it, Elk.

She found a B&B for us to stay at, and picked a weekend in June to visit, so as to see the young Elk. And then I lost my job, so I wasn't constrained by PTO time limits. So we switched to a midweek trip, to avoid the crowds. And off we went.

We saw our first two Elk while driving up the road to the B&B. Munching away, completely unconcerned with the passing cars.

We stayed in a town named Benezette, or Benezett, there seems to be a difference of opinion as to the final "e" in the name. Regardless, the town is home to the Elk Country Visitor Center, depicted above, at which there were a number of short trails that lead to viewing areas. We attempted to walk them on the first evening, but were rained out. We returned and walked them the next day (in the afternoon as it rained all morning).

And we did see Elk there.

The images above and below show a mother and calf. The mother is clearly visible in both, the calf better seen in the image below, the brown under the large branch in the center.

Definitely BVD (Better View Desired).

And while we would not get a better view of these two than the one above (still not good), we would get better views of moms and calves. Much better.

This one was just inside the entrance to the Center. In both cases we were alerted to the presence of Elk by others who had spotted them and were looking.

There were a number of elk viewing areas in town and in the surrounding area, Including this one, within walking distance from our B&B.

And in the evening the Elk come to Winslow Hill to eat.

The black circles in this one's ears are tags.

And relax.

Seems they like to lie down in the tall grass, sometimes disappearing from view.

While chatting with the locals at the viewing area, we learned of a big male just down the road. So off we went.

We found him, albeit on private land. And he wandered out of view after only a few shots.

We saw him again, and a few of his pals, on our last morning there. At the same place as the first time.

Imagine having this fellow in your yard. I don't think our deer fence would be enough to keep him out.

We also saw him and his buddies in the parking area of one of the viewing areas our second morning. And just as were getting some good pictures some yahoo and his family drive up, and said yahoo gets our of the car drinking a Miller. Really, 8:00 am and you choose Miller? No way Miller is a breakfast beer (and it isn't a good beer any other time for that matter).

Of course, they scared off the Elk. Bozos.

We spent three very nice days in Elk Country and saw plenty of Elk. We are already planning a return visit, this time in the fall rutting season.