First Snowy Day

It is appropriate that our first snowy day of the season is occurring on December 1, the first meteorologic day of winter.  While we did receive a bit of snow a few nights ago, it was mixed with rain, producing little more than slushy roadways.

This winter storm moved into central Missouri about 8 AM and has dropped several inches so far; a check of the radar shows that most of the State is receiving snow though the system is gradually moving to the northeast, entering Iowa and Illinois.

Since our temperature has remained in the 20s F, a thin layer of ice has formed on the roads, creating a challenge for drivers in hilly areas.  Overall though, most of us appreciate the wintry weather, especially during the Holiday Season.  Besides, snowstorms bring beauty and tranquility: less noise, less activity and a good reason to just stay put (easy to say at my age). 

Frigid Sunshine in the Valley

Brilliant sunshine illuminated the wooded hills and valley fields along Lower Bonne Femme Creek this morning but a temperature of 22 degrees F, exacerbated by a steady west wind, kept wildlife mostly out of sight during my visit.

Indeed, along my three-mile course I encountered only a smattering of common songbirds and a lone, stoic, red-tailed hawk, perched in a dead tree.  Though I hoped to see migrant geese traveling south through the Missouri River Valley, none appeared in the deep blue sky.

Of course, my tour was well worth the effort, despite the weather and the dearth of wildlife.  I could have been home, enveloped in heated air while absorbing the latest atrocities of the Trump Administration.  I'll take a drive in the country anytime.

Trump's Response to Tragedy

The shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, DC, one of whom has now died, triggered a rapid and impulsive response from King Trump.  Unwilling to admit that the deployments were and are ill-advised, he has ordered up 500 more troops to further increase security.

Furthermore, having learned that the shooter was an Afghan native (who happened to assist U.S. troops in his own country), Trump initially ordered that the immigration of individuals from Afghanistan will be halted and has now put a stop to immigration from all "Third World countries."

In other words, the actions of a deranged killer have caused our King to increase the number of potential victims in the District of Columbia and to label all individuals from impoverished countries as high risk immigrants.  Of course, the white, American men who tried to assassinate Trump and who killed Charlie Kirk, did not trigger such a widespread condemnation.  In the face of tragedy, racism is a convenient tool that can be used to provide cover for unwise policies.  

An Arctic Pinwheel

A deep atmospheric trough, currently dipping across the Great Lakes, is producing low windchills and lake-effect snows throughout that region.  Up to a foot of snow has accumulated in some areas and the final totals may be twice that amount, especially in the swaths of higher terrain.

More widespread are the gusty winds that are circulating around the central low, which now sits above northeastern Wisconsin.  Moving counterclockwise, they are pulling in additional moisture from the Mid-Atlantic region and raking the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest with Arctic air.

Here in central Missouri, despite the bright sunshine, the storm's northwest winds are producing afternoon high near 42 degrees F; of course, the wind-chill is at least 10 degrees below the air temperature.  A taste of winter just in time for our Thanksgiving feast!  Happy Holidays to all.

The Nature of Traitors

According to King Trump, those Democratic military veterans who reminded current service members that, per the U.S. Constitution, they cannot follow illegal orders, are traitors and may be subject to the death penalty; his Department of War is now investigating those veterans.  Of course, Trump has referred to other U.S. citizens as traitors whenever they oppose his policies or decrees; Marjorie Taylor Greene is the latest Congress member to receive that title and several others are under investigation by his Department of Justice.

But traitors are those who willingly ignore the Constitution and the rule of law, thereby endangering our Democracy. Examples include attempting to overturn a legal election, sending the military into American cities to confront protestors and killing non-combatants at sea without benefit of a trial.  Then there is the act of pardoning individuals who are tied to the political and/or financial welfare of the President and his family.  Finally, relentless lying to the American public might also be labeled as traitorous.

Indeed, King Trump is our Traitor-in-Chief, threatening our Constitution and the rights of his perceived enemies.  Those who blindly support him are traitors as well.

Winter Flocks

Many bird species gather in large flocks during the colder months to improve their search for food and to decrease their risk of predation.  Even non-birders likely note the massive flocks of starlings, blackbirds, robins and mourning doves that move across farmlands and sometimes invade our neighborhoods.

Other songbirds tend to gather in feeding groups for the same purposes.  These mixed flocks usually include chickadees, titmice, downy woodpeckers, blue jays, cardinals, nuthatches and a host of sparrows, juncos and finches.  Absent for periods of time, these groups suddenly turn up in our yards, scouring the trees and shrubs or swarming the feeders.

All of these roaming winter flocks attract the attention of predators and draw in rare loners as well, further enhancing the spectacle for birders.  While we look forward to the spring and fall migrations for their pure diversity of species, it is winter that delivers the numbers. 

Living in our Future

Throughout our lives, we humans wonder about our future.  By the time we enter high school, our focus is on whether we will go to college and what career we might pursue.  A bit later on, we wonder who we will marry, if we will have children and where we will live.

In middle age, we shift our concerns to the future welfare of our children, our grandchildren and our parents.  Of course, the latter often have health problems by that time and we worry about their future needs, including their potential care requirements.

Once we are old ourselves, the mysteries of our life have been solved except, of course, the timing and cause of our own death.  We are now living in our future but, in many ways, it is now easier to live in the present.  Though we might often think of our past, we know it is beyond our control and, eventually, come to terms with any regrets we might harbor.  Focusing on the present is necessary, healthy and comforting.

See also: Living in the Present 

Cut-Off Lows

The series of Pacific storms that have brought flooding rains to Southern California have been produced by "cut-off lows," not energized and driven by the jet stream.  As a result, they have meandered eastward, devoid of powerful winds or strong thunderstorms.

Currently, one of these storms is centered over Kansas and its counterclockwise winds are pulling up moisture from the Gulf of Mexico.  A band of steady rain stretches across Missouri, eastern Kansas and eastern Nebraska, a welcome development for this drought-plagued region.

Meanwhile, another cut-off low is spinning off Southern California, sweeping more rain into that water-logged area.  Unless and until an atmospheric trough drops southward to boost its energy, it will likely arrive here by mid week.  We'll take whatever moisture it brings. 

A Duckless Floodplain

An 88-mile segment of Interstate 29, between Mound City, Missouri, and Council Bluffs, Iowa, runs across the broad, flat floodplain of the Missouri River.  This ecosystem is a mosaic of crop fields, lakes, wetlands, canals, tributaries and riparian woodlands.  Red-tailed hawks are usually common along the highway, the massive nests of bald eagles are evident in some of the larger trees and waterfowl are often abundant on the open waters or flying overhead, especially during seasonal migrations.  Indeed, Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge, renowned for its spectacular flocks of migrant snow geese, is just south of Mound City.

So, having driven this road in both directions over the past few days, I was shocked not to observe a single duck or goose.  Only adding to my personal impatience with the tardy waterfowl migration, their complete absence on the floodplain was disturbing..

Perhaps this observation merely reflects relatively warm conditions across northern latitudes, yet another sign of climate change.  Maybe the waterfowl were concentrated closer to the river on the west side of the floodplain.  But those of us concerned about our unrelenting assault on the health of natural ecosystems cannot shake the conviction that we humans are slowly degrading the planet.

God and Uncertainty

It seems to me that our personal concept of God is a product of our culture, our family dynamics, our education, our life experience and our capacity to remain objective.  Early man associated various gods with most natural phenomena; since then, as our species has evolved, our collective and personal view of God has become more refined.

Nevertheless, among modern human beings, there is a wide variety of beliefs, from a strict devotion to historical Scripture to atheism.  The less we understand about the nature of our Universe, which may be due to the circumstances of our life or due to choices that we have made, the easier it is to retain a simplistic view of God.

In the end, regardless of ingrained beliefs and the level of our education, it is our determination and willingness to be objective that most influences our belief in a divine being.  Were it left to the individual, this would be sufficient; unfortunately, devoutly religious groups in human society too often want to impose their beliefs on the rest of us.

See also:  Man and Religion 

Maduro channels Lennon

As King Trump ponders whether or not he will attack Venezuela, President Maduro and his supporters sang and swayed to John Lennon's Imagine.  Released in 1971, during the Vietnam War, its lyrics ask why we cannot celebrate humanity without divisive attention to wealth, religion, race and nationality.

Coming from a dictator like Maduro, the words are certainly disingenuous and, of course, one doubts Trump is even familiar with the song.  Since he is fond of dictators, one actually wonders why Trump is taking aim at Venezuela to begin with; starting another war certainly won't help his campaign to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

The entire scenario, if it were not so serious, might be fodder for a Woody Allen movie.  Unfortunately, two incompetent, power-hungry men just may engage in a conflict that leads to the deaths of many innocent civilians and soldiers.  It's time for the Republicans to imagine a better course for America and derail Trump's impulsive "leadership." 

Raking on a Summer Day

The leaf-covered lawns and acorn-coated driveway indicated it is autumn but the sunny, warm weather made it feel like summer.  So we took advantage of the unseasonably mild conditions to get a start on our annual attempt to keep up with Mother Nature.

Serenaded by white-breasted nuthatches and Carolina wrens we relocated the acorns to our compost bin and began raking the leaves toward our shrub lines.  Since our sawtooth oaks have not yet dropped the majority of their leaves, we gave their locations a wide berth.  After all, our raking efforts have always been staged, even more so in recent years.

Though the recent and upcoming chill was and will be welcome, especially after our long, hot summer, a brief, mild interlude is always appreciated when outdoor chores are pending.  After a period of recovery, we'll resume our work next weekend. 

Southwest Deluge

Over the past week, a deep atmospheric trough off the West Coast directed heavy rain and high winds across Northern California, Oregon and Washington.  Then, its southern portion split away and strengthened off the coast of Southern California; this "cut-off low" is now sweeping torrential rain across San Diego, Los Angeles and the adjacent mountains.

Prolonged, heavy rain will be especially problematic in the burn scar areas, likely producing mudslides and landslides.  On the positive side, the Southern Sierra Nevada may receive up to three feet of snow, a welcome, early addition to the vital winter snow pack.

After pummeling Southern California, the storm is expected to move across western Arizona and southern Nevada before dumping significant snow in the mountains of Utah and Colorado.  Unfortunately, a second Pacific storm system may form in its wake, augmenting the potential for widespread flooding across the arid landscapes of the Desert Southwest.

A Spectacular Aurora Borealis

A G4 level geomagnetic storm produced one of the most spectacular and widespread Aurora borealis displays in decades over the past two nights.  Visible as far south as the Gulf Coast, the Northern Lights were captured on countless photos across Europe and North America.

                                                       Photo by Zach Folzenlogen, Colorado

 

Ruddys at Phillips Lake

Desperate for signs that the autumn waterfowl migration is finally underway, I was pleased to encounter a flock of nine ruddy ducks on Phillips Lake this morning.  Long one of my favorite duck species, these small, attractive birds were diving for their breakfast in the center of the lake, oblivious of the chilly air and gusty, southwest winds.

I would be remiss not to mention the three gadwall and a lone pied-billed grebe that shared the choppy waters and, to be absolutely complete, the single Canada goose that flew overhead.  Of more interest were at least 200 robins, now gathering in their large winter flocks, that filled many of the trees that surround the lake.

But the ruddys were the highlight of my visit.  Hopefully, they represent the vanguard of a spectacular, though belated, waterfowl migration season.

Riding the Winter Wind

Down in the Lower Bonne Femme Valley, south of Columbia, on this first wintry morning of the season, most of the birds were sheltering from the cold, gusty, northwest wind.  But there was one exception.

An immature bald eagle was cavorting in the clear, cold air, soaring over the Missouri River and its bordering floodplain.  Perhaps it was born in the State or simply took advantage of the strong tailwinds to travel south for the season.  In either case, he/she was unfazed by the wind chill that kept me in the warm confines of my pickup.

While common in Missouri throughout the year, bald eagles increase in number during the colder months, tracking the waterfowl flocks on which they feed (augmenting their diet of fish and carrion).  This morning's visitor may have arrived ahead of those migrants but, hopefully, they will soon appear. 

Waiting on the Cold Front

A potent cold front is forecast to drop through the eastern half of North America over the next few days.  We birders hope that it brings the first significant wave of migrant waterfowl this season.

Indeed, more than other groups of birds, most of which either don't migrate or move in response to the solar cycle, waterfowl head south when their natural food sources are depleted or when lakes, ponds and wetlands freeze over.  In that regard, their lives are more closely tied to the fickle nature of weather patterns (and thus to climate change) than most wildlife.

And unlike human snowbirds, who head south to escape winter, waterfowl will often stop short of their traditional wintering areas if relatively mild weather encourages them to do so.  Whether global warming eventually halts their seasonal migration altogether remains to be seen; availability of food rather than weather may become the determining factor. 

The Coot Cavalry

Arriving for the "birding window" at Eagle Bluffs yesterday afternoon, a friend and I encountered only five avian species, despite the renewed, watery landscape.  On our way south through the northern section of the floodplain, we saw massive flocks of red-winged blackbirds but only 30 mallards, 6 green-winged teal and a lone pied-billed grebe.  No waders, shorebirds or raptors were observed.

Once we turned around and headed back north, however, we came across a flock of 175 American coot that had emerged from the dense marsh and were parading across a lake.  After such a long period of man-induced drought a the refuge, their sudden appearance was emotionally rewarding.

Of course, in the past, that number would have been considered modest at best; thousands of coot would descend on Eagle Bluffs during the spring and fall migrations.  We certainly hope that yesterday's sighting was a sign of the recovery to come.