The first snow of last year fell exactly one year ago today; I took these pictures at about 7000 feet while in the field in eastern Nevada, fairly early in the morning. This year so far, there were only the vaguest hints of snow at the highest elevations, until two days ago when snow fell seriously at high elevations. I mean high, like above 9000 feet.
A hawk (or golden eagle?) checks out the first snow of last year.The locals have been saying that it will be an early winter - something having to do with the unusual number of hummingbirds, which they say have "come down" from the mountains. And whereas I saw hummingbirds here this year from about early or mid-August to mid-September, and didn't see any at all last year, this is the first time I've heard hummingbirds used as a predictor of winter weather.
3 comments:
I don't think it's an eagle -- their wings are more "plank" like, with flared primaries looking like "fingers" at the tips... Maybe a hawk, maybe a falcon... hard to tell at this angle. Cool bird, regardless.
im pulling for a winter that will be snow free and 50F until spring. is that so wrong?
Callan, I'm thinking it's probably a hawk (see next post).
GeologyJoe, I'm pulling for an early winter that doesn't snow until at least December. That is, I don't mind it being cold. 50F could be okay, but that might be too warm for me!
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