Moon shot - early May

                                                                   Photo by Barry Wallace

This photo was taken around 5 a.m., on Monday, May 5.   The full moon had appeared like this, above fir trees, for about four days in the south-western sky over Aurora, west of Butternut Ridge Trail.   It was a shimmering white each night, but as dawn approached it started to shimmer into a pale yellow as it sunk behind the earth's atmosphere.   The orange spot in the photo is a light atop a communications tower.   At the time of this photo, it was a cold 2 degrees with very light snow.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Starnge creature shows up in King Township...

Photo: Geoffrey Simpson 

A domestic sheep or a wild deer?

Geoffrey Simpson, of King Township, has posted the online photo above of a creature that showed up on his 'Trail Cam' camera, on his property recently.  Geoff solicited opinions as to what this creature might me.   So far, the response to his inquiry has suggested that the creature might possibly be a wild sheep (perhaps an an exotic pet escapee or livestock novelty), while another response says close examination of the video screenshots suggests a deer-like creature, with distinctive deer-like features ( such as structure, tail, coat and location).

Suggestions to Geoff include reporting of the sighting to York Region Animal Services or the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry for appropriate comment.

It seems one never knows what Mother Nature has up her sleeve.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Soaking up some rays...

 Pat - sunbathing end of April

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Above Aurora Delmanor's rooftop...

Photos by Barry Wallace

Contrails over Aurora

With clearer, sunnier skies over Aurora in April, contrails appear clearly in the the skies thousands of feet above regular jet aircraft travel.   The contrails are created by American Airforce B52s which, for decades, have constantly flown hundreds of miles back and forth across, up and down North America, including Canada (see Norad).   In this day and age, jet aircraft and transport planes,  other than air force planes, also create high-altitude contrails.

Contrails, short for "condensation trails", are linear, artificial high-altitude clouds composed of ice crystals formed by aircraft exhaust (water vapour) are exhaust particles (soot) freezing in extremely cold air.   They typically appear  at altitudes of 7,500 to 12,000 metres (25,000 to 40,000 ft.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Trees at Delmanor Rooftop Terrace in Aurora start spring budding...

 

Rooftop Terrace artwork

                     Swainson's Hawk flies over 6-storey Delmanor Rooftop Terrace

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Swainson's Hawk - Delemanor Retirement Residence - Rooftop terrace

Photo by Barry Wallace

Pictured above is one of six Swainson's Hawks currently being seen around and above Delmanor Retirement Resdience on Butternut Ridge Trail in south-west Aurora.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Early spring sunset...

                                                                       Photo by Barry Wallace

March 29th sunset photo

Looking westward from Butternut Ridge Trail in southwest Aurora.

'Goodbye to winter!'

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace