Perihelion

Early January

Earth is closest to the Sun.

This afternoon it looked as though the Sun dipped into Fishers Island Sound.

No Swan Song Here

Last year I kept a close eye on the lone swan residing near the Big Club. Month after month I rode my bike past the pond expecting to see double.

  It is said that swans do mate for life and I admit I was hopeful I would some day see a partner for this bird. I kept waiting and the swan kept wading. Then in October just before Hurricane Sandy, another Mute swan flew in.

I spotted the couple this afternoon. Maybe this year a stork will arrive with cygnets (baby swans) …..

Nature’s Own

New Year’s Eve Ball

From the bow of the Fishers Island ferry I can see the moon rising.

Reminiscent of Time’s Square.

Yule Tides

Winter arrived last night with tidal surges pulled and pushed by a nearly full moon.

This morning’s beach scapes haven’t looked so clean swept since Hurricane Sandy.

Quite a bit of on again, off again movement-even the 7:45 ferry didn’t arrive till after noontime.

At Dock beach high tide attempted to right a wrong turn.

At South Beach low tide attempted to look lovely-and did.

Joy to the World

And Heaven and Nature sing…

Gifting

This week the thought of gifting the Island came to me-literally.

Fort Wright generously gifted History from its Quarter Master Dept.

Race Point presented me with Gratitude reminding me never to look a gift horse in the mouth.

The waves off South Beach laughingly sprayed me with their Humor and left coal for my stocking.

And the priceless gift of Peace and Comfort somehow washed ashore during Hurricane Sandy.

Weather Permitting

And it has been.

Permitting full sunshine despite shorter passage of daylight

Permitting calm seas for safer passage of marine vessels

This morning though weather permits whipping rains and wuthering winds : E 25 G37mph

 

Rock Steady

  Last week on Chocomount I took a photo of one of my favorite childhood picnic spots. The big rock that stands as a sentinel  looking out over the old Thelma Pheobe ship wreck , the big rock that has graciously hosted decades of BBQ’s , that same rock that many of us Islanders have built our memories around and upon.

Since I monitor the beaches weekly, it might be interesting to take a few snap shots these months-observe how this particular site is recovering after Hurricane Sandy and also document tidal and seasonal change of the beachscape visually.

  Today I will set my focus on “Picnic Rock”.

It’s tough to imagine next July and August-I cant quite picture (yet) towels and beach chairs lined up in the warm sands but time will tell and we shall see.

Lichen Life

I like Lichens-simply for the color which I liken to my favorite old well worn, tough to find sea glass.
The delicate formation of the Lichen appears when a fungus partners with a green algae and a growing relationship develops.

Tough enough to thrive in an extreme environment such as the north side of a tree on a wind swept island, the Lichen also has a fragility that helps scientists to assess the effects of air pollution.

I have noted healthy looking Lichens on land and clean Knotted Wrack at sea at Armstrong’s “Hooverness” this December.

P.S. The Wile E. Coyote fooled me along with any Canada goose thinking to land for a rest!

Wool Socks & Woolly Bears

Legend has it that the wider the bristly brown band on a Woolly Caterpillar-the milder the winter forecast. Despite its name, this “Isabella” tiger moth in its larval phase was found seen creeping along South beach.

I counted 155 Harbor seals yesterday on and around the Hungry Point haul out. Low tide allowed for a closer peek at their velvet looking pelage (fur)