Autumn Townsend’s Solitaire – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I found quite a few birds yesterday in far northern Utah and of all the photos I took this autumn Townsend’s Solitaire was my favorite. It isn’t a great photo because it has many flaws including the fact that most of the solitaire is hidden from view by the leaves and branches of a Fragrant Sumac but this image speaks to me.
I see the hint of fall colors in the leaves of the sumac, the out of focus leaves lend a dreamy quality to the frame, and I adore these soft gray colored solitaires. That is enough for me. This photo makes me feel happy, excited for fall, and cooler days to come. Summer here was a hot, smoky mess and I am delighted to see it leave. Autumn is a season of changes.
Salt Lake City 10 day forecast
The ten day forecast isn’t the best for bird photography because of clouds but the prospect of having some rain is a relief. We are still in extreme drought conditions here and every drop of precipitation helps. Even more exciting is that in this forecast there are possible snow showers on the 13th of October. It probably won’t snow down here in the valley because the forecasts are often wrong but hopefully it will snow in the higher elevations of the Wasatch Mountains and just the thought of seeing snow covered peaks when I step outside thrills me.
Simple pleasures.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Townsend’s Solitaire photos plus facts and information about this species.
Hi Mia. I’m not sure which app or website is in your screen shot above, but might I suggest trying http://www.weather.gov/slc? This allows a look at the weather in the greater SLC area, and you can put your zip code (or where you’re headed) in for a more specific forecast. As much as we’d like them to be, meteorologists aren’t prophets or oracles. They are utilizing technology, scientific knowledge, and experience to best predict what weather is most likely to occur. It’s easy to say “they’re always/often/too often wrong” when that is honestly more perception than reality. Sorry if this sounds a bit direct, but my husband is a meterorolgist, and you’d be amazed at the comments people make – often to his face! – when they learn what he does for a living. “How does it feel to be wrong all the time and still get paid?” “How are you an essential employee?” Things like that. In understanding more about this field of science, it’s pretty amazing to learn all that goes into observing and forecasting weather and who relies on their skills on a daily basis. Airplanes don’t fly without meteorologists providing forecasts for wind, temperatures, etc., for example. So while I know, as we all do, that it can be frustrating to expect rain when you need it and not get it or to prepare for a foot of snow and only get sleet or to anticipate a sunny day to then have clouds, trust me when I tell you that almost no one is more disappointed in a forecast that doesn’t pan out as expected than the people whose job it is to create it.
Thanks for reading.
Very nice find. I need to go up that way soon. Today is a bit hot for me, looking forward to 60-70 degree
range.
Hooray for rain – and for this subtle charmer.
Here in Oz I am ALWAYS glad to see summer leave the building.