Dry Slot

Parting Shots

Posted by: Bogon, 12:52 AM GMT on Februar 25, 2010

Those of you who regularly follow developments in these pages know that I have been touting the pending arrival of Spring, who recently bestowed a lovely weekend. Well, today Winter launched a counterattack. He's not yet willing to cede the territory.

I suppose I could quote Yogi Berra and say that it's déjà vu all over again. Skies are gray, our high temperature is only a few degrees above freezing, and there's snow in the forecast. But it's not the same. Winter no longer gets everything his own way.

Today at lunchtime swirling flurries filled the air. They didn't stick. This afternoon temperatures rose despite an advancing cold front. The precipitation reverted to rain. Now local radar tells me that the dry slot behind the rain draws near.

Looks like we may have dodged one of winter's parting shots. This is only a skirmish, though. The long range forecast warns we should brace for another attack early next week. Meanwhile, farther up the Atlantic coast and into New England today's storm will be gathering momentum. That area of the country remains under winter's gelid dominion.

Snow on Branches

This blog entry comes to you late this week, and for that I apologize. Part of my excuse is that my wife and I entertained house guests last weekend. Mainly it's the fault of your bird-brained interlocutor. Remember the robin? Here are some of the other birds that have been on my mind lately.

Great Auk

This bird has been extinct since about 1840. Obviously I can't provide a photo, so here's the next best thing, a painting by John James Audubon.

A few hundred years ago the Great Auk lived all across the cold northern Atlantic Ocean from Europe to North America. In Welsh this bird was called pingwen. The large flightless black and white birds of Antarctica were named penguins for their resemblance to the Great Auk.

Alas, the Great Auk was doomed by its feathers, which made good stuffing for bedding, and by its meat and eggs, which were eminently edible. You and I will never know, however, because our forefathers preempted any chance we might have had to find out for ourselves.

Shoebill Stork

This creature inhabits the swamps of tropical east Africa, where there may be as few as five thousand individuals remaining. With its blue-gray plumage and calm demeanor, the bird possesses great dignity. The shoebill is tall enough to meet your inspection with his own piercing gaze, eye to eye. "Who are you?", he seems to say, and that query calls into question your entire existence. The usual answer, a name, won't suffice. The bird cares nothing for names.

Who am I? How shall I reply?

Shoebill Stork

Hoatzin

This is my favorite. I guess it's because they look so goofy with that topknot.

It's a most peculiar bird. Taxonomists can't decide how to classify the hoatzin. (That's pronounced "what's in" as in "What's in a name?") It's the only species in its genus and family. The hoatzin lives on plants, which it ferments in its crop like a ruminant. That process accounts for the hoatzin's nickname, stinkbird.

Newborn hoatzin chicks have claws on their wings like their ancient ancestor, Archaeopteryx. When threatened by a predator, the chick jumps out of its nest, which is typically constructed over a river. Then, when the coast is clear, it uses its legs and foreclaws to clamber back up the tree.

Unlike the other birds in this list, the hoatzin has a relatively healthy population. It does not compete with humans for habitat. It is seldom hunted. It doesn't have anything we want.

Image Credits:
All bird images are served from Wikipedia.
Great Auk - the Audubon painting is in the public domain.
Shoebill Stork - photo by Tom Tarrant.
Look here for more shoebill pix.
Hoatzin - photo by Ricardo Sanchez.
Here are some more hoatzin pictures.

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Updated: 01:29 PM GMT on Marts 03, 2010

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Creeping Insurgence

Posted by: Bogon, 11:03 PM GMT on Februar 12, 2010

This week has belonged to winter. Winter owns us. Weather Underground's model page shows Burlington well north of the 5400 thickness line, and there are no signs of change in the offing. Today there's a snowstorm passing by to our south. Those of you who live in New England must be getting used to that by now, but here in North Carolina it feels a little strange. I mean, when it comes to snow, usually we are the south. We're lucky if we get a little bit.

Looks like we'll be lucky to get a little bit this time, too. The storm's path has been mostly zonal up to now, following I-20 east from Dallas. The jet stream map suggests the storm might get a northerly nudge as it nears the Atlantic coastline, and the NAM model indicates that we may get sideswiped as it passes offshore. The National Weather Service out of Raleigh offers a middling chance that we could wake up to a white world once again in the morning.

It certainly looks like snow. All day the sky has been obscured by a high translucent overcast. The temperature hovers near freezing. Winter's dominion seems incontrovertible...

Gumball Rally

...yet everywhere I look there are signs of rising insurrection!

Daffodils

The first indications are subtle. It begins as a low-profile underground movement. But turn around, and another element joins the rebellion.

Iris

Soon the signs are unmistakable. There's something going on here.

Swelling Buds

Uniformed couriers openly spread the word.

Singing from the Rooftops

Spring is coming! Get ready!

n00bs

Updated: 09:38 AM GMT on Februar 16, 2010

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Slush

Posted by: Bogon, 06:25 AM GMT on Februar 06, 2010

When we first peeked through the curtain this morning (Friday) my wife and I beheld a white world outside the window. That's the second time in a week now. This time it was only half an inch, it was slush rather than snow, and it mostly melted before the day was ended. Still, we're thinking this sort of grungy weather is outwearing its welcome.

The cold rain has stopped for the time being. The surface low passed to our east fetching dry air in its wake. Yet the outlook calls for another round of winter mix tomorrow as an upper level low entrains over our area. Behind it comes colder air and wraparound precipitation, which could result in more snow. We still have scattered patches of last week's snow decorating our yard.

The kicker is that yet another storm, this one accompanied by an arctic cold shot, is scheduled to arrive Tuesday evening. Are we having fun yet? I, for one, am about ready for a week or two of warm and dry.

Cold and Wet

Of course, by the time July rolls around, I'll probably be wishing I had some of this weather bottled and ready to uncork for relief from the summer heat. There's no pleasing some people.

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Updated: 09:29 AM GMT on Februar 16, 2010

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