This morning, May 18th, I woke up to see this sight out front of my building, fresh snow. Last Winter, Anchorage had the all time record for the most snowfall. This late Spring snowfall, added to the early Autumn snowfall, makes it the record for longest snowy season. Both Winters have also been exceptionally cold. If it were not for the evidence of rapidly receding glaciers, I would be very skeptical about global warming.
This Spring has been very cold, no green yet. Migratory passerines like swallows and warblers are especially hard hit There is a big die off of songbirds going on right now. It's all very sad.
The young owners of these bicycles will probably be playing indoors today.
There are usually mountains visible behind these houses out of my back window. Brooding storm clouds have blotted them out.
On Wednesday I went to Goose Creek with Dan Holayter to check on his cabin. The road to the cabin was either too muddy, or still too covered with snow to drive in. Notice the puddles of water in the road. We kept on sinking into the wet mess. A vehicle would have become hopelessly stuck in an instant in this muck. We had to walk in.
The snow was melted in the areas more exposed to the sun. Notice the pile of Moose poop in the foreground. I did'nt notice it when I shot this photo.
We made it to the cabin. It survived the Winter well, no break ins or wind damage.
Goose Creek was running high, as expected for this time of year. Fishing was okay for trout. No salmon yet.
I made it to Spenard Crossing earlier to see this mystery bird. Any guesses as to what it might be?
Does this angle make it any easier to identify?
This photo of the male and female together should make it easy to tell what they are.
Just like the similar goldeneyes, Buffleheads will soon start nesting in tree cavities.
I made time this morning to work on my latest painting, Harlequin Ducks and a Black Oystercatcher. I have almost zero enthusiasm for this one. I also worry that the female in the center will not show up enough against the rock behind it. I may end up turning it into a rock if I cannot make it stand out better.
On Monday of this week, I was informed by Gary that he sold two of my paintings out of the Sea Lion Gallery in Homer. One was a Sea Otter painting, this one I believe.
The other painting was a Tufted Puffin painting. This one I believe. It is called, Highrise Housing. It's good to see that my art career still limps along, even if my passion for painting lags far behind.
3 comments:
In the Pyriness also still in a similar situation like Anchorage,despite of his near situation of the mediterranean environtment,it looks like a northern country; like for example:northern Scandinavia,this winter and spring,the total amount of snowfall its arround 15 meters of deep,this is the record of snowfall since more of 50 years.In the forest its full of bodyes of dead deers, fallow deers and roe deers,due to the difficulties for reach the dryed grass under this gross snow covery.
It is awe inspiring to see the power of weather Marc. So beautiful and sometimes scary. Too bad about all of the dead deer.
Congrats on selling the paintings.... the Tufted Puffins look great.
Climate change must be really taking its unseen toll of wild creatures worldwide. Too awful to contemplate.
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