Cleveland Lighthouse Becomes an Ice Castle – Again!

In December 2010, the Cleveland Harbor West lighthouse was encased in ice due to high winds, big waves, and bitter cold. (I wrote about that event on my blog at this link: ”Cleveland Lighthouse Becomes an Ice Castle “.)

The weather conditions were similar this year – maybe not as bitterly cold – and the lighthouse froze over again. Wanting another chance to photograph it, we headed to the Lake Erie shore on the west harbor of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio. While the coating of ice on the lighthouse did not appear as thick as it was in 2010, and there was no ice at all on Lake Erie today, it was still a beautiful sight. The color of the icy lighthouse seemed to change with the amount of sunlight; as a small cloud passed overhead, the ice coating became a dull gray. In the bright light, it looked very white, with just hints of a cream color. Despite the sun, it was very cold and very windy, making it hard to take a quiet video. I thought I’d share it anyway, along with some photos, including one of the old Coast Guard Station which stands nearby.

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Big Winds, Big Waves on Lake Erie

There were high wind warnings in northeast Ohio yesterday, and when the winds blow big, I like to watch the waves churn on Lake Erie. We visited Mentor Headlands State Park, where the winds were much stronger than those just a few miles inland. The waves did not disappoint. The wind at the time was roughly 35-40 mph sustained, with gusts to 50. (Some areas reported gusts of 60 mph.)  As the crashing waves hit the wind,  they exploded in huge sprays of water.  We walked the dunes trail, and while the wind was stiff heading east, when we turned west to head back to our car, it was so strong it was very difficult to walk. But it was worth it to catch some of those waves! Here are a few photos.

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Red-Shouldered Hawks Are Back In Action

We’ve had red-shouldered hawks visit our yard, nesting close by,  for decades. Last year, we watched as a pair raised a brood of two. This year, a pair - maybe the same one from last year -  has been spending quite a bit of time in our yard over the last few days. I was able to get several photos today, and was fortunate that the pair perched in my back yard so close together that I could get them in one frame. Here are a few photos from today’s action; hopefully they’ll have another brood this year.

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