Evening Light, Pratt Farm

Is there anything more beautiful than the evening light in the forest?  Pratt Farm is a jewel of a place in Middleboro,  fantastic trails, lovely lakes, and if you go late in the day, you have it all to yourself.  I've taken so many photos like this, but when the light hits in a certain way, I shoot again.   And again. The walk becomes a motion through peace, through silence, through the light. And the darker it gets, the more radiant the light that is left.  I go looking for birds, and particularly owls, but wind up seeing so much more. But I still would love to discover an owl one of those evenings.

An  old rock wall, at the entrance

And, unexpectedly, a Hooded Merganser and mate

The trail around Stoney Brook Pond

The trail, covered by pine needles

And the quick glimpse, as you walk

 

a truly magical path

The Hood almost totally raised

and back down again

"Could I see that again?"

A little ice and snow left

Almost the complete circuit, the path crossing the dam

From the dam, full sun behind me

The wetlands facing the parking lot. 

Back to the wall, 90 minutes later

Just because it was beautiful (albeit cold and windy) I drove down to Duxbury Beach, and lo and behold, they had dumped dirt in all the potholes, and smoothed everything over, and the drive was extremely pleasant, as opposed to the week before which was a nightmare.
I saw 5 Snowy Owls, the most in one morning I have seen (photos of 4 follow, one flew to the ocean side and I missed), and then I drove north through Marshfield, Humarock, Damien Point, and Scituate, just enjoying the sunshine. 
The first shot is of Alex climbing Alex Mountain.

eE cut steps in the ice, and he climbed all by himself, and so we created a flag with his name and date.

Scituate, from Humarock

Same photo, different light;  I couldn't decide which one to eliminate.

This is from Damien's Point, Marshfield

Scituate Harbor from First Cliff

I am so ready for Spring! Where's the babes?

and, the first Skunk Cabbage, Massasoit State Park

Ancient stone wall, Massasoit State Park

The first of five for the day

Looking back from Saquish

No. 3

No. 4

No. 5

Owl Prowl with Oliver

Friday night, my 8 year old grandchild, Oliver, and I went on an Owl Prowl at Ipswich Wildlife Sanctuary.  No sightings of owls, but Oliver got to see a Woodcock, and we heard a Barred Owl.
I stayed over night at Ken and Erin's, (Ken is my oldest, they live in Groveland) and then we went out to Plum Island to try to make up for no Owls. 
We saw a Snowy right off the bat, Northern Harrier, a Bald Eagle quite a ways off, and finally, a very unique bird, a Luetistic Robin, which is a Robin with genetic alterations, including albinoism.
Oliver and I spotted it right outside of the Wildcat Swamp trail, and we asked a group of birders what we were looking at.  He told us the group was looking for the Luetistic, and when I showed him the photo I took, they were all very excited.
Here are photos

Oliver, with his Snowy Owl hat, ready to prowl

The stuffed collection at the Ipswich nature center, including a
Snowy, Screech-Owl, Barred and Great Horned

A male Wild Turkey, getting more and more attractive
"I'm walkin', yes indeed, I'm talkin...."

The tower at Plum Island

The frozen marshes

And here is the Luetistic Robin, not a very good photo, but definitely him.

A great sight, always.  He is about a half mile away.

Darker Snowy Owl

This morning Duxbury Beach was almost bearable, temperature-wise, and almost immediately, I has a Snowy Owl sitting on a post above the road.  I was the closest I have ever been to one of these incredibly beautiful creatures, and he refused to fly away.  He was one of the darkest-marked I have seen.  They will probably be gone in two weeks.  What a gift it has been to have so many in our area, probably a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Alex, 4, a budding nature photographer, taking a photo of "Lucky"

This one is from last week

This morning's owl

This may give an idea of how these birds stand out

White-winged Scoter

Surf Scoter with that fascinating bill

Northern Harrier



Red-tail Hawk