New York

This roadtrip was a spontaneous attempt to catch a forecasted snowstorm and to grab some photographs of snowy landscapes and streets. While 5 inches or so fell the night I arrived, it unexpectedly rained for a couple of hours the following morning, resulting in slush. The temperature then dropped to 29 degrees as cold air was pulled down on the west side of the storm, with another inch or two of fresh snow falling on top. This made for hazardous hiking and resulted in the closure of one of the trails I had planned to hike. But I made the best of it and found a variety of photo subjects in and around Seneca and Cayuga Lakes.

While wildlife watching was not my priority, I did get my closest view ever of a Peregrine Falcon in the Taughannock Falls Gorge. It was close enough to see all of its distinctive markings as it repeatedly dove in and out of the canyon while sparring with some crows. When it came within ten yards of me two or three times, I also noticed the power of this bird. Peregrines are the fastest animal on earth and have been clocked at 240 mph in a dive. I could hear the air it moved as it banked hard, rolled, and changed directions in a way that seemed to defy both physics and the biology of a creature with a wingspan of over 3 feet. Additionally, I had close views of three Northern Harriers, and a red fox crossed a field about 20 yards from me on one hike.

I visited Cornell University in the messiest part of the storm, checked out the Ornithology Lab, and picked up a souvenir at the store by the Sapsucker Woods trails. When I was in elementary school, I had already decided I wanted to attend Cornell to study biological science and ornithology! I had this idea from my visits to the local library in Franklin Ohio, noting that all of the bird banding, research, and experts were sourced at Cornell University. I didn’t know anything about Ivy League schools at 9 years old, a fact that would remove Cornell from my shortlist of colleges when the time came. I had never actually seen the campus, so this was a special destination for me.

Nature

Nights

Streets and Sights

Moving Water