First, a fast announcement that we’re once more providing as much as 5 $1,500 grants to graduate college students engaged on analysis associated to conservation within the Nice Plains. Learn extra concerning the Weaver Grant program right here.
Yesterday, I headed out to look at the dawn over my favourite frozen wetland on the Platte River Prairies. It was an exquisite, calm morning with temperatures within the low single digits (Fahrenheit). A brief-eared owl flew close to, patrolling the banks, a mouse of some type hopped away from my toes (not when the owl was close to), and small flocks of Canada geese periodically handed overhead.
I used to be on the wetland to benefit from a pair days’ price of chilly temperatures that I’d hoped had frozen the water sufficient to let me wander round on it with my digicam. Temperatures this week are alleged to be effectively above freezing, so I knew I had a brief window for ice and frost images. The ice was simply thick sufficient to carry my weight, however skinny sufficient to make ominous sounds beneath me. I primarily crawled or slid on my stomach to verify I didn’t fall via. (The water beneath me was solely a couple of foot deep, however nonetheless.)
As the daylight reached the vegetation close to the north fringe of the wetland, I spent just a little time photographing frosty crops. One specific scene caught my eye and jogged my memory of one thing I’m frightened most of you gained’t acknowledge. Have you ever ever seen little puppets with articulated legs and arms that dangle from the top of a stick? You may make them dance and transfer round by bouncing the stick or bouncing the floor beneath the puppet? I’m not speaking about marionettes – they’ve a number of lengthy strings. These are both immediately hooked up to the top of a stick or hooked up by a single quick chain or one thing.
Effectively, anyway, they exist and I believed the frosty flower of a bent rush regarded type of like one.
As I walked/slid across the wetland, I gravitated towards locations the place the ice was darker and lined with scattered hoar frost. The little patches of frost jogged my memory of herds of bison or wildebeests transferring throughout the plains. I loved photographing them each individually and in teams.
I used to be actually hoping for a bunch of ice bubbles, however didn’t discover many. There have been only some patches, right here and there. Between a lightweight snowfall and the hoar frost, there wasn’t as a lot clear ice as I’d hoped. I nonetheless managed to scratch my itch just a little.
Listed below are extra examples of what I photographed yesterday. I managed to remain on high of the ice all morning. My gloves and sleeves received just a little moist towards the top, however solely as a result of I used to be attempting to work close to the sting of some open water and there was just a little sloshing. Thanks to your concern.
This shall be a hotter week, however I hope for colder temperatures quickly. It’s winter, in any case. If we will’t have wildflowers and bugs, we must always no less than get frost, snow, and ice!
