michaelstephenwills

[michaelstephenwills]

Up the Rim Trail

View On WordPress

#afternoon #April #Autumn #beauty in nature #Early Spring #Enfield Creek #Enfield Falls #Enfield Gorge #Environment #evergreen #fern #Finger Lakes Region #Fish Kill #frost #frozen #Gorge #Gorge Trail #hemlock tree (Tsuga canadensis) #hike #ice #Ithaca #Landscape #Late Devonian #Lush #moss #natural #Nature #New York #New York State #New York State Park

[michaelstephenwills]

Ascent

View On WordPress

#"Snow Flurries" #2014 #afternoon #Andrew Wyeth #April #beauty in nature #Early Spring #Enfield Creek #Enfield Falls #Enfield Gorge #Environment #evergreen #Finger Lakes Region #frost #frozen #Gorge #Gorge Trail #hemlock tree (Tsuga canadensis) #hike #ice #Ithaca #Landscape #myrtle #natural #Nature #New York #New York State #New York State Park #no people #Rim Trail

[michaelstephenwills]

Periwinkle

View On WordPress

#2014 #afternoon #amphibian #April #beauty in nature #common periwinkle #creeping myrtle #dogbane family #dwarf periwinkle #Early Spring #Enfield Creek #Enfield Falls #Enfield Gorge #Environment #evergreen #Finger Lakes Region #frost #frozen #Gorge #Gorge Trail #hike #ice #icicle #Ithaca #Landscape #lesser periwinkle #Lush #myrtle #natural #Nature

[michaelstephenwills]

Ephemeral

View On WordPress

#2014 #afternoon #amphibian #April #beauty in nature #Early Spring #Enfield Creek #Enfield Falls #Enfield Gorge #Environment #Ephemeral pool #evergreen #Finger Lakes Region #frost #frozen #Gorge #Gorge Trail #hike #ice #icicle #Ithaca #Landscape #Lush #natural #Nature #New York #New York State #New York State Park #no people #Rim Trail

[michaelstephenwills]

Gully vs. Ravine

View On WordPress

#2014 #afternoon #April #Autumn #beauty in nature #Cliff Stairs #copyright #Early Spring #Enfield Creek #Enfield Falls #Enfield Gorge #Environment #evergreen #Finger Lakes Region #frost #frozen #Gorge #Gorge Trail #gully #hemlock tree (Tsuga canadensis) #hike #ice #icicle #Ithaca #Landscape #Lush #moss #natural #Nature #New York

[michaelstephenwills]

Icicles!!

View On WordPress

#afternoon #April #Autumn #beauty in nature #Early Spring #Enfield Creek #Enfield Falls #Enfield Gorge #Environment #evergreen #fern #Finger Lakes Region #Fish Kill #frost #frozen #Gorge #Gorge Trail #hemlock tree (Tsuga canadensis) #hike #ice #icicle #Ithaca #Landscape #Late Devonian #Lush #Macro #moss #natural #Nature #New York

[michaelstephenwills]

Twilight Serenade: Experiencing the Eclipse Amidst Nature's Splendor

Standing within the serenity of the VanRiper Conservation Area, we had the rare privilege to witness a celestial marvel—the total solar eclipse. The coordinates, 42°43’8.62″N 76°45’30.41″W, marked not a unique vantage point on the southern edge of the total eclipse zone. Here, the total eclipse enveloped the sky for an awe-inspiring 50 seconds, a fleeting yet unforgettable spectacle that we were…

View On WordPress

#Apple IPhone 14 ProMax #astronomical wonders #biodiversity preservation #Canon 24mm f/1.4L II USM Lens #Canon 5d Mark IV #celestial events #cloud cover challenge #cosmic spectacle #eclipse 2024 #eclipse experience #eclipse photography #environmental awareness #Finger Lakes Region #natural beauty #Nature #nature connection #nature conservation #outdoor adventure #photography #Seneca County #solar eclipse viewing #total solar eclipse #Town of Aurora #Town of Romulus #twilight ambiance #VanRiper Conservation Area #Wells College #wildlife sanctuary

[michaelstephenwills]

The Hidden Songster of Ithaca: My Afternoon with a Gray Catbird

In my backyard, amidst the spruce trees that seem to touch the sky, I had a unique encounter with a little gray bird known as the Dumetella carolinensis, or more commonly, the Gray Catbird. I learned that “Dumetella” comes from the Latin word for “thorny thicket”, hinting at its penchant for skulking in dense underbrush, often hidden from sight. Its species name, “carolinensis”, pays homage to…

View On WordPress

#avian diet #backyard wildlife #bird #bird calls #bird enthusiasts #bird in foliage #bird mimicry #birdwatching #Catbird song #Dumetella carolinensis #Finger Lakes Region #fruit-eating birds #Gray Catbird #Grey Catbird #hidden songster #insectivorous birds #Ithaca #Mimidae family #Nature #nature photography #New York State #New York wildlife #Ornithology #photography #Slate-colored Mockingbird #songbird #Sony DSLR A-700 camera #Sony Lens DT 18-200 mm F3.5-6.3 #spruce tree #spruce tree habitat

[michaelstephenwills]

A Glimpse into Steamboat Landing, Ithaca, New York

View On WordPress

#20th-century commerce #Apple IPhone 14 ProMax #barren trees #Cayuga Lake #Cayuga Waterfront Trail #Christmas #community events #community hub #community tradition #December 12 #early commerce #environmental connection #festive wreaths #Finger Lakes Region #freight transport #future prospects #gathering place #geographic location #heritage preservation #historical legacy #Historical Significance #historical transformation #industrial history #IPhone 14 ProMax #Ithaca #Ithaca Farmers Market #March #Nature #nature connection #New York

[michaelstephenwills]

A Shoreline Spectacle: The Power and Grace of Military Aviation

View On WordPress

#2023 #2024 #aerial refueling #aero-dynamics #aerospace engineering #air force base #air superiority #aircraft engineering #aircraft landing #anti-submarine warfare #Apple IPhone 14 ProMax #Aviation #aviation technology #Boeing P-8 Poseidon #Brevard County #Cocoa Beach #flight video #Florida #Florida coastline #Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules #maritime patrol #military aircraft #military aviation #military might #Patrick Space Force Base #photography #propeller plane #search and rescue #Second Beach #Second Light Beach

[michaelstephenwills]

The Mallard Ducks of Early Spring

Introduction to Vernal Pools and Mallard Ducks The image provided offers a tranquil glimpse into the natural world, capturing two mallard ducks—a drake and a hen—as they forage for food in a vernal pool. Vernal pools are temporary bodies of water that provide critical habitat for a variety of wildlife during the early spring. Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), with their iconic coloration and…

View On WordPress

#adaptation #Apple IPhone 14 ProMax #aquatic invertebrates #biodiversity #breeding grounds #Cass Park #climate change #drake and hen mallards #Early Spring #ecological balance #ecological interconnectivity #ecosystem renewal #environmental health #feeding behavior #Finger Lakes Region #foraging ducks #habitat conservation #habitat protection #Ithaca #leafless trees #mallard ducks #melting snow #migratory patterns #natural cycles #natural resources preservation #Nature #Nature&039;s Rhythms #photography #seasonal change #spring rainfall

[michaelstephenwills]

Of Rocks and Seeps

View On WordPress

#afternoon #April #Autumn #beauty in nature #botany #Early Spring #Enfield Creek #Enfield Falls #Enfield Gorge #Environment #evergreen #fern #Finger Lakes Region #Fish Kill #frost #frozen #Gorge #Gorge Trail #hemlock tree (Tsuga canadensis) #hike #ice #Ithaca #Landscape #Late Devonian #Lush #moss #natural #Nature #New York #New York State

[michaelstephenwills]

Three Views, Falls of the Old Mill

View On WordPress

#afternoon #April #Autumn #beauty in nature #cliff #Early Spring #Enfield Creek #Enfield Falls #Enfield Gorge #Environment #evergreen #fern #Finger Lakes Region #Fish Kill #frost #frozen #Gorge #Gorge Trail #hemlock tree (Tsuga canadensis) #hike #ice #Ithaca #Landscape #Late Devonian #Lush #moss #natural #Nature #New York #New York State

[michaelstephenwills]

Quaker Settlement Series 1

View On WordPress

#1813 #2019 #aunt #Autumn #Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM #Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III #Catherine A. Mattison #Finger Lakes Region #Jacksonville Road #John Mattison #Michael Stephen Wills #MichaelStephenWills.com #nephew #New York State #New York State Park #New York State Route 142 #New York State Routye 143 #November 6 #Perry City Road #photography #Quaker Settlement Cemetery #Quaker Settlement Church #Saint Mary of Assumption Cemetery #Sweetwater New Jersey #Taughannock State Park #Ulysses

[michaelstephenwills]

Reeds of Resilience: A Tale of Growth and Survival

On the southern shore of Cayuga Lake, where waters mirror the ever-changing sky, I found this common reed, Phragmites australis, a plant of unassuming grace yet profound influence. This tale unfolds at the broad boarders of earth and water, a refuge and kingdom to countless beings. Phragmites australis, a reed both simple and complex, begins its journey as a whisper in the mud. From the soft,…

View On WordPress

#2024 #adaptation #Apple IPhone 14 ProMax #biodiversity #Birding Trail #Cass Park #Cayuga Lake #Cayuga Waterfront Trail #Common reed #common reedgrass #ecosystem #environmental impact #Finger Lake Region #Finger Lakes Region #flora #giant reed #grass #hike #Inflorescence #invasive species #Ithaca #natural habitat #New York #New York State #panicles #Phragmites #Phragmites australis #Reed #Reed Grass #resilience

[michaelstephenwills]

Tuxedos on Tour: Three Majestic Mergansers

As you gaze upon these three fine feathered fellows, all members of the exclusive Common Merganser men’s club, they seem to glide upon the watery stage of Cayuga Lake with all the confidence of Broadway stars on opening night. They are the aquatic equivalent of a sharply dressed barbershop quartet, minus one, in their matching tuxedos, ready to sing the springtime serenade of their species. The…

View On WordPress

#Apple IPhone 14 ProMax #aquatic birds #avian visitors #bird photography #Birding Trail #birdwatching #breeding plumage #Cass Park #Cayuga Lake #Cayuga Waterfront Trail #Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) #Early Spring #feathered friends #Finger Lake Region #Finger Lakes Region #humor in nature #Ithaca #Ithaca charm #lake ecosystem #lakeshore observations #lakeside adventure #local attractions #loon behavior #male #migration #natural beauty #Nature #Nature Appreciation #nature&039;s spectacle #New York State

[michaelstephenwills]

Nesting Chronicles: The Life of A Cayuga Lake Osprey

As the first warm breezes of early spring touched the chilled waters at the south end of Cayuga Lake, a sense of anticipation stirred within me. I am a female osprey, and with my mate, I have traveled vast distances, leaving behind the southern wintering grounds to return to the place we have called home for seasons past. Two Osprey perched on the nest near the Birding Trail of Cass Park. Cayuga…

View On WordPress

#2024 spring #aerial skills #Apple IPhone 14 ProMax #aquatic hunting #avian life #avian species #bird behavior #bird community #bird lifecycle #bird migration #bird pair #Birding Trail #birdwatching #breeding season #Cass Park #Cayuga Lake #Cayuga Waterfront Trail #chick development #clutch incubation #diurnal #Early Spring #ecological journey #egg laying #environmental cycles #family bonding #female osprey #Finger Lake Region #Finger Lakes Region #Fish Hawk #fish-eating bird of prey