Golden sunshine in a snowy setting.
1/4000, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in
After all the snow we got yesterday I needed to see something colorful and cheery in my white world so this morning you get a Western Meadowlark fluffed up in the cold and snow of Farmington Bay WMA. The photo, one of my favorites of the species, was taken in December of 2015. And yes, I’ve posted it before but long ago.
Yesterday’s storm was the second-biggest February snowstorm in Utah’s recorded history. Some northern Utah valleys got over two feet of snow with areas in the Salt Lake Valley ranging from 20″ to about a foot. Some of our mountains got nearly 3′ of new snow. At my house in Murray we got 16-18″, depending on where in my yard it was measured.
At 3:50 this morning I finally heard a snowplow go by and another one came by just now, at 4:17. That’s a good thing, even though the entrance to my driveway will be seriously plugged up. And of course, it’s trash day. So getting my trash can out there and keeping it out of the middle of the street will be an adventure.
Onward.
Ron
PS – For those of you living in warmer climates who may be wondering what it can be like for homeowners to deal with a snowstorm like this, there’s a videoclip in this KUTV news story that makes it all too clear. The clip was shot yesterday afternoon in Draper, in part of the Salt Lake Vally about 12 miles south of Murray where I live.
I fell in love with Meadowlarks as a very young girl. My grandparents had a homestead in far NW North Dakota where we would visit for two weeks each summer. My grandmother loved taking early morning walks down their long driveway between two rows of trees. I would go with her. Absolute quiet, and then the Meadowlark song, repeated over and over. I hear them at home in Colorado, too. My phone ring is a Meadowlark, it catches many by surprise. I learned that the song we know is made by the male warding off intruders.
Lovely photo.
Love that photo! Being from Nebraska I have a great fondness for Meadowlarks. After my father moved from there to Texas some years ago and lived in a (then) fairly open stretch south of Austin where Meadowlarks used to come through in large flocks, he would say they were bringing him tidings from the old country 🙂
PS: I am wondering if this will help in some way the water level in the lake ?
It should.
You’re getting Whacked and here in Rhode Island we have less than 5″ for a total of two minor storms this year. Waay under our yearly average.
On another note, I love to hear those Western Meadowlarks sing when I visit out there !!
Gary, in recent past years it’s always seemed to me that eastern states were getting slammed with snow while we were left high and dry. This year it appears to have flip-flopped.
Beautiful photo. I don’t see many meadowlarks in the bay area anymore, however that said this past year there have been several hanging out around egg island.
Thanks, April. I’ve been seeing them flocking up north recently.
A meadowlark is synonymous with sunshine in my book. This photo brought a smile to my winter weary face here in NW Montana. I feel like I can drink this in and it will carry me to warmer, brighter days. Thanks Ron!
Thanks, Julie. Having lived in nw MT for many years, I understand how you feel this time of year.
Puffy Meadowlark is a ray of sunshine on a gray day! No white stuff here, of course, but they’re talking “blizzard” conditions in some SoCal mountains, which is totally bizarre. Watched that video of Draper, reminding me why I don’t live in Laramie or Denver anymore! 🥶
Chris, I just read a news article saying LA and Ventura Counties will be under a blizzard warning this weekend. Could hardly believe it.
Saw some pictures the music camp manager took — blizzard, indeed. They are getting socked in at 6500 feet. I was hoping they’d be riding out the storm down in LA, but I guess not.
What an adorable fluff ball!! I miss having meadowlarks in my area. This one is a real treat and a nice break from your blizzard. And as for the snowplow’s leavings, no need to breach the mountain at the end of your driveway. Your trash can wait until next week! I am reluctant to mention that Greensboro NC will record a record breaking 80 degrees this afternoon. The record will be for the warmest day in February since keeping data began in 1892.
Crazy weather in a lot of places these days.
A beautiful and appropriate photo for this winter morning. Watched the broadcast link. Living in SoCal it’s hard to imagine what that must be like. At some point it’s got to feel a bit scary.
For us here in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, we can see a dusting of snow in the local foothills (about 2,000′ and above). We have not seen that in almost 15 years. More to come tomorrow. We are happy to see it.
“At some point it’s got to feel a bit scary”
Michael, when it gets really scary is when you have to shovel your roof off to keep it from collapsing. Thankfully we’re not there, yet. But it did happen about 20 years ago. Thankfully, back then I was younger and much more resilient.
Yep – haven’t had to do that for about 10 years now – our porch roof has a fairly shallow pitch and……
Beautiful shot. Love the Western Meadowlarks. We are supposed to start getting that snow later in the the day. Are you healed well enough to get that trash out in snow conditions like that? Be careful.
Thanks, Everett. Looks like our trash pickup has been postponed for a day but when I have to I’m sure I can do it.
The meadowlark is a nice antidote to the gray days here. We have similar temps but otherwise dry.
Perhaps the pols in SLC will seize the opportunity to help refill the GSL. I know, a snowballl’s chance.
Looks like no garbage pickup in Draper today, either
“Perhaps the pols in SLC will seize the opportunity to help refill the GSL”
Lyle, don’t hold your breath. Our legislature is already pulling slimy, sneaky stuff about management of the lake.
WOW– good old SLC in the winter–it looks like the “olden days” ( I can
–just barely, with family snapshots—remember the all-time winter of 1947
in SLC ). Now all I can think of are the animals who are probably soon to
be coming into the foothill suburbs in search of something to eat…..thank you
for that brilliant little golden vision at the top– a happy diversion !
Kris, our elk in the Wasatch are really struggling. Many of them appear to be starving. Really sad.
Good for the lake and other areas – other than that the pitts to deal with. Too bad some of it couldn’t have made it up THIS far. 😉 Beautiful Meadowlark. 🙂
MN getting hammered also.
We’re at -18 with -30 windchill – maybe 5″ of snow on the ground. Hoping those flying out of Seatac for San Diego today make it – storm related issues for Seatac yesterday.
Judy, I’m surprised you didn’t get more snow out of it. But when it’s that cold it often doesn’t include snow.
S and E got more – we’re in an “arid pocket”. Snowed all day BUT fine little stuff that was pretty dry…….
It’s also white here in North Central Massachusetts! Quiet and lovely.
Snow often is.
I LOVE it when birds are all poofed up!!!
I just want to hug that cute Meadowlawk.
Thanks for the smile!
R.C.
You’re welcome, Rene’.
That is a beautiful shot! I have not yet seen our lovely eastern meadowlark this year, but I can’t wait for the cheery 4- note song Spring of the Year.
Cannie, around here meadowlarks have been flocking up for a couple of weeks.
What a lovely pic Ron…both the bird and the snow.
Thanks, Rick
Such a pretty sunshine bird, Ron!! I’m also hoping this snow will help the water levels with spring time thaws!!
Thanks, Jo Ann. It should help a little with the lake but springtime flooding may be a problem. Thankfully, where I live my house is safe from flooding.
I haven’t gone out to measure, but I think there’s probably 18-20 inches here. My streets were plowed quite early yesterday, but my snow removal man didn’t get here (and I didn’t expect him to as I had told him I didn’t need to go anywhere yesterday). Wasatch Waste and Recycling announced they weren’t picking up garbage yesterday, so trash collection has been moved a day this week. Of course, in Murray, maybe your trash is collected by some other entity, I don’t know.
And the mail didn’t get delivered yesterday at my house.
But the power stayed on in spite of terrible winds most of the day yesterday.
Perhaps a return to normalcy today. . .?
P.S. Thanks for a very cheerful photo today!!
Sue, I didn’t lose power and my mail was delivered. The mailman kept his vehicle in the middle of the street and walked to each mailbox. Yes, our utilities here in Murray, including power, water, and trash pickup, are different. Murray has its own utilities and they’ve nearly always been very reliable. I’ll have to check and see if trash pickup is still on for today.
Just found this on the Murray website, posted yesterday:
“Due to the weather, garbage pickup will be cancelled for today and pushed back for everyone this week. We apologize for any inconvenience.