Lightning At Sunset

A strong line of thunderstorms moved through the area last night at sunset, bringing some heavy rains, big winds, and lots of lightning. I captured one lightning bolt that shot out from the edge of the storm as it moved into the area, the surrounding sky glowing orange from the setting sun. Here’s the photo.

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Supermoon – The Morning After

It was slightly cloudy/hazy here yesterday when the “supermoon” was rising/setting, so I was unable to get a good photo. But this morning, the sky was clearer and I got a photo of the moon setting over the treetops. The moon picked up a pinkish hue from the rising sun (and possibly a light haze). Here’s a photo.

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Least Sandpipers Rest; Red-Winged Blackbirds Flood Wake Robin Trail

I’m finally getting caught up on photos that I took earlier in the month. I visited Wake Robin Trail in Mentor Ohio a few weeks ago, and arrived on a day that was filled with red-winged blackbirds. They were everywhere, sitting on the dry cattails that lined the trail. Most of the Mentor Marsh is filled with invasive phragmites - tall grasses that love brackish water. The area lining the trail has been cleared and replanted with things like cattails, grasses, and wildflowers that were native to the area before the phragmites took over. This has encouraged more unusual birds to stop by during migration. (It's a long story about how the water turned brackish, which made perfect conditions for the phragmites to thrive.) The trail is an excellent area for birding, especially during migration. I think I arrived on the day that all the red-winged blackbirds came home. But amidst all of those red wings, I did catch a pair of least sandpipers hanging out in some shallow water. Here are a few photos.  (Click on any image for a larger view.)

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A Robin With A Mouthful

Over the years, we’ve had several robins who have nested very close to the house, in some cases where we can see the eggs hatch right outside a window. This year, we had a robin who seemed to be very protective of the area near our garage, but we never could see a nest. I did manage to catch the robin perched on the peak of the garage roof, with a mouthful of bugs/worms in its mouth, apparently waiting patiently until I cleared the area to get to the nest. Here are two photos. (Click on any image for a larger view.)

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Mentor Headlands Lighthouse, Freighter Enters Fairport Harbor

Yesterday, we visited Mentor Headlands State Park to walk the dunes and do some bird watching. We saw a few Ruddy Ducks and also a few Buffleheads. Unfortunately, the ducks were a little too far out of reach for a decent photo. Most of the smaller birds seemed to be hiding, taking cover from the very brisk winds. While we walked, a barge and tug (Pathfinder/Dorothy Ann)  were entering Fairport Harbor. Here are a few photos (click on any image for a larger view).

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The Belt of Venus at Mentor Headlands

No, the Belt of Venus is not a fashion accessory. It’s an atmospheric phenomenon that you’ve probably seen but never gave it much thought. The Belt of Venus can make its appearance right before sunrise or right after sunset, and usually is best seen when the viewer has a good view of the sky down to the horizon. Slightly above the horizon, the sky develops a dusty pink-colored layer, with a dark bluish layer between the pink layer and the horizon. The bluish layer at the horizon is the earth’s shadow,  which is appearing as the sun sets. 

When my husband and I were watching for Comet Pan-Starrs at Mentor Headlands State Park last week, I took many photos of the sunset while we waited. I also turned my back to the sunset and photographed the Fairport Harbor West lighthouse at Headlands, which was positioned directly opposite the sunset. The Belt of Venus was clearly visible. Here are a few photos – if you think you’ve never seen this phenomenon before, maybe these photos will jog your memory or help you to spot it in the future. (Click on any image for a larger view.)

 

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No Comet, But A Beautiful, Icy Sunset Instead

It was the first clear sky evening that we’ve had in several days. We decided to go to Mentor Headlands State Park to see if we could see Comet Pan-Starrs, which was supposed to be visible in the western sky after sunset, very low on the horizon. Unfortunately, there were clouds close to the horizon which seemed to block any view of the comet. We waited for about an hour after sunset (in bitter cold temperatures, by the way) and no comet could be seen. We decided to leave the beach when the howling of several coyotes were heard, and a little too close for comfort. Still, we were treated to a gorgeous sunset and dusk, with a colorful sky and waves of bluish ice on Lake Erie. Here are a few photos.

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