The Snowy Owls of Duxbury Beach

Posted on January 3, 2015January 3, 2015 by Dusty Roads

I’ve been hearing stories of snowy owls on Duxbury beach for years. I’ve seen photos from my fellow photographers to prove it. I’ve even tried to find them myself.

The Snowy Owls of Duxbury Beach are only seasonal visitors so you need to know where and when to look. Something I have only the vaguest notion of but let me start from the top.

The regal Snowy Owl is one of the few birds that can get even non-birders to come out for a look. This largest (by weight) North American owl shows up irregularly in winter to hunt in windswept fields or dunes, a pale shape with catlike yellow eyes. They spend summers far north of the Arctic Circle hunting lemmings, ptarmigan, and other prey in 24-hour daylight. In years of lemming population booms they can raise double or triple the usual number of young.

According to a Nat Geo program the birds that migrate south are usually the first year youngsters. Fully mature birds stay in the arctic all year long.

Mass Audubon is working to protect snowy owls. Norman Smith, Director of Mass Audubon’s Blue Hills Trailside Museum, has been studying them since 1981. As part of his research, he attaches bands and transmitters to snowy owls at Logan Airport, and then tracks their travels. He releases these trapped and banded owls at Duxbury Beach. So we end up with 2 populations in the winter, the ones that come down to visit on their own and the released owls from the airport.

Why stop at an airport with all it’s noise and activity? As snowy owls migrate north and south, they look for stopping places that resemble their home, the Arctic tundra. To them, the land around Logan Airport fits the bill. It’s low and flat, with short scruffy plants and grasses, and there’s an abundance of small mammals and birds to eat.

Logan airport has the largest known concentration of snowy owls in the Northeast.

The airport owls help by scaring away other birds that might endanger aircraft. Unfortunately, they are large enough to pose a threat themselves. To protect both birds and jets, Smith safely captures and relocates snowy owls each year.

This year I have outfitted myself with uber -warm clothing and a new camera and lenses. Today I booked a day trip with the Audubon Society. Sadly it is a bird watcher’s trip so I was told there won’t be time or spaces for lots of camera gear. I should plan to “Shoot” from the van.

With that in mind I’ll leave the tripod behind this trip and hope I’ll learn the best ways of locating these beautiful birds so I can round up some friends that are photographers and make a return visit with that much more knowledge.

In Search of Next Year’s Christmas Card

Posted on December 28, 2014December 28, 2014 by Dusty Roads

Yes, you read that right. Christmas is barely past and I’ve turned my thoughts to next year already. Truth be known I started thinking about next year’s card as soon as I cracked open the boxes of decorations. You see the images I use for my Christmas Cards are always taken in the previous season. If I waited, I’d never get the new cards made and in the mail on time.

So far this year I just haven’t gotten a picture that gives me a “WOW” factor.

I heard that the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, MA was including photos with Santa’s Reindeer as part of their Zoo Lights celebration and that caught my attention.

I debated with myself if it was worth a trip because I’d have to drive through Boston at night to get there. The price of admission wasn’t too much, only $7.00 and tickets could be ordered on line.

I debated all December but didn’t break down until yesterday. I made a last minute decision, printed a ticket and headed out.

It was unseasonably warm and I thought that being a Saturday maybe, just maybe, the traffic wouldn’t be too bad. Wrong. 🙁 Traffic through Boston does not take the weekend off.

Once there I was told the parking lot was filled to capacity but to cruise around and maybe I’d get lucky. At least the parking was free and eventually I did find a space. I noted the location by the wolf at the end of aisle.

Santa’s Castle was gorgeous but it was roped off and apparently closed. Santa must be resting up from his long ride.

I couldn’t get over the people trying to see the animals in the dark. Silly people. After asking a few people I finally got directed to the Reindeer Encounter. A $5.00 donation was requested for the opportunity to take your picture with your own camera with the Reindeer. A bench was in front of the reindeer (caribou) enclosure and two handlers stood in the enclosure with the animal.

I waited in the long line. The way it snaked around did not let me get a good look at the lighting until it was my turn. I made some quick guesswork on camera settings, paid my $5.00 and stepped into the lights. The handlers got the animal to raise his head and I snapped away.

After my moment I retreated to another bench to check the result. The ones with the faster shutter speed were too dark

and the ones when I switched to aperture priority were properly exposed but the shutter speed was too slow and I got camera shake.

With nothing usable I put the camera on the tripod and got back on line to try again. The line had grown and was now huge, snaking around the enclosure. As I debated if I really wanted to stand in line that long there was a break in the brush around the enclosure. The reindeer was lying down now and looked like it was about to go to sleep.

I pushed into the little break and shot off a series of quick photos. I didn’t get what I wanted but maybe I’ll have better luck next year. The search for next year’s card photo continues…

Frozen – Town Green 2014

Posted on December 22, 2014December 22, 2014 by Dusty Roads

Taunton Green 2014

I made a trip over to the “Green” and used my new camera for the first real time. I’ve been snapping pics around the house but this was my first real photo excursion. Maybe it was me and that the camera is still a bit unfamiliar but I don’t think I really captured the beauty of the display this year. But I promised to share so here they are. The theme is Frozen loosely based on the Disney movie.

The big tree is crooked. I doubled checked and it wasn’t me it was the tree. 🙂

It’s Still the Christmas City

Posted on December 21, 2014December 21, 2014 by Dusty Roads

In this era of political correctness where formerly mainstream concepts have to take a “back seat” to the minority out of “sensitivity”, I am proud of my City of Taunton. Since December 1914, the city of Taunton has provided a large annual light display each December on Taunton Green, giving it the additional nickname of “Christmas City”.

Taunton Green 2010

Each year a banner proudly proclaims “The Christmas City” over the display in the center of town. The display includes angels (gasp), and a nativity scene, (What!), a menorah, and even Santa Claus and to the best of my knowledge there has not been any complaint. Everyone I know looks forward to the Lighting of the Green. Every year, no matter the theme, the paths are lined with lighted Christmas trees, and families stroll the lighted paths.

Taunton Green 2011

It’s beautiful. Soft music, Christmas Carols, is piped in playing in the background.

Taunton Green 2012

For the last several years, since I got interested in photography, I’ve made it a point to photograph the Green in all of it’s Festive Glory.

Taunton Green 2013

This is a time when Santa Claus is banned from school Christmas parties…oh sorry Holiday parties, and other towns change the name of the December School vacation from Christmas Vacation to Winter vacation. Everyone is so afraid to offend instead of fostering understanding, tolerance and mutual acceptance.

Christmas trees are a pagan symbol but they have been embraced as a symbol of Christmas, a melding of different faiths. Beautiful decorated fireplaces are a tradition in many homes but the Yule Log was borrowed from the Wiccan celebration of Yule before it became associated with December 25.

I am happy Taunton stands by its tradition and I hope it will continue for many years to come. I hope someday people of other faiths will not feel so threatened by a Christian holiday that they can embrace the festive beauty of the season and enjoy it too. You don’t have to be a Christian to appreciate the colorful lights and artistic displays.

Taunton Green 2014

I have no wish to offend my Jewish, Muslin, Buddhist and Wiccan friends or any other religion I may have missed but I will end this post in the spirit of the season.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

What about a Rail Vacation?

Posted on November 29, 2014November 29, 2014 by Dusty Roads

I’m just sitting here while the tile guy grouts the tiles. He has his radio on for music to work by. Good station. Music to sing along to 🙂 (Maggie May, City of New Orleans, etc. I never was any good with titles of songs)

The problem is I can’t get anything done with him in the kitchen. I can’t finish unpacking boxes so I can’t clean because the boxes are everywhere . The cats are enjoying them..the boxes that is.

I’d be embarrassed to take a nap so I am playing on the computer.

I have many , many errands to run but doesn’t look like he’s going to be done anytime soon. I guess I’ll be really busy tomorrow.

Having spare time online can be very expensive. I ordered some heavy winter clothes online. I hope they fit. I am justifying the purchase because I really need some warm outdoor clothes. I want to be warm if I go out looking for wildlife to photograph. A good example are the snowy owls of Duxbury Beach.

I’ve gone over there a couple of times only to be beat back by the cold wind off the ocean. Every winter the snowies migrate down from the Arctic. Some are just passing through but some stick around. The Snowies that detour to Logan Airport are trapped and released on Duxbury beach so usually it’s a good spot to find them. Most of my photographer friends have had success getting shots but I always let the cold get to me. Maybe now I’ll be able to stay warm long enough to get my shot.

Having just spent way too much money I moved on to other internet searches. When my AAA magazine arrived there was an article about Amtrak Vacations. Using the article as my guide I found the website and the brochure. Some of the trips sound like cruises on land! And they are priced accordingly still the idea intrigues me. Have any of you been on an Amtrak Vacation?

I found one that was pretty reasonably priced and had departure dates that would work with my schedule. Called “Riverwalk to the French Quarter”. 7 days for about $1200.00 per person. It starts in San Antonio where you tour the Alamo and get to visit the River walk. Then you board the train for the trip to New Orleans. So now I just have to be sure I have someone to share the trip with. I didn’t see any single rates.