Geekpriest: October 2009

Saturday, October 31, 2009

It was a gray day in Bellevue last Sunday, but the muted colors and the reflection of some Sandhill Cranes in the water were lovely. 25 October 2009. Bellevue, Michigan.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Not only is it not easy for one bird to land among a few thousand of its friends, it's really amazing to watch LOTS try to do it at the same time!. 25 October 2009. Bellevue, Michigan.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Coming in for a landing! Getting a 4-5' tall bird neatly settled in among a few thousand of its closest friends is not easy-- but it sure is fun to watch! 25 October 2009. Bellevue, Michigan.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Sandhill Cranes have a wingspan of 7 feet. It's hard to get a sense of this when there is nothing to compare them too, but they certainly are beautiful in flight. 25 October 2009. Bellevue, Michigan.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

As the Sandhill Cranes get closer, they make quite a racket. I didn't record any audio, but imagine 100 Canada geese on steroids, and that's about what one Sandhill Crane sounds like. 25 October 2009. Bellevue, Michigan.

Monday, October 26, 2009

It's the time of year that the Sandhill Cranes come in droves to an area north of Battle Creek, Michigan. We went out last night for the annual migration spectacle. It's hard to get a sense of just how many birds there are, but between 6 and 7 pm you can see hundreds of these "specks" on the horizon on at a time, ultimately resulting in thousands of 4 - 5' tall birds landing in Big Marsh Pond for the night. (Click to enlarge.) 25 October 2009. Bellevue, Michigan.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

I had a meeting in New York recently and as I always do, chose a window seat on the left side of the plane. It's not often that the view is this clear looking out over lower Manhattan, heading for LGA. New York, New York. 28 September 2009.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

I can't think of a better way to celebrate Fall than with truffles and our friend Pamela, from Aotearoa/New Zealand! John, the head chef at Zazio's in Kalamazoo shaved an ever-so-generous portion of tartufo bianco onto a simple pasta dish. If I close my eyes and think hard enough, I can remember the exquisite taste. Kalamazoo, Michigan. 8 October 2009.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

These ears of corn say "Fall" to me in a way similar to the maple trees. York, Maine. 26 September 2009.

Monday, October 12, 2009

I guess it's officially Fall. This maple was in full New England color a few weeks ago. York Harbor, Maine. 25 September 2009.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

I paid a visit to the York farmer's market on a cool autumn morning. The colors of flowers, fruits and vegetables were particularly delightful. And who knew there are so many different kinds of beets? York, Maine. 26 September 2009.