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  • Watching huge flocks of Snow Geese swirl down from the sky, amid a cacophony of honking, is a little like standing inside a snow globe. These loud, white-and-black geese can cover the ground in a snowy blanket as they eat their way across fallow cornfields or wetlands. Among them, you might see a dark form with a white head?a color variant called the ?Blue Goose.? Snow Geese have skyrocketed in numbers and are now among the most abundant waterfowl on the continent. <br />
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The Snow Goose, also known as the Blue Goose, is a North American species of goose. Its name derives from the typically white plumage. The genus of this bird is disputed. Snow Geese don't like to travel without the company of another couple dozen geese and can form flocks of several hundred thousand. Family groups forage together on wintering grounds, digging up roots and tubers from muddy fields and marshes. In flight, they are steady on the wing with even wingbeats.
    Snow Geese Over New Melle.jpg
  • The Snow Goose has two color plumage morphs, white (snow) or gray/blue (blue), thus the common description as snows and blues. White-morph birds are white except for black wing tips, but blue-morph geese have bluish-grey plumage replacing the white except on the head, neck and tail tip. The immature blue phase is drab or slate-gray with little to no white on the head, neck, or belly.<br />
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Outside of the nesting season, they usually feed in flocks. In winter, snow geese feed on left-over grain in fields. They migrate in large flocks, often visiting traditional stopover habitats in spectacular numbers. Snow Geese often travel and feed alongside Greater White-fronted Geese; in contrast, the two tend to avoid travelling and feeding alongside Canada Geese, which are often heavier birds.<br />
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The breeding population of the Lesser Snow Goose exceeds 5 million birds, an increase of more than 300 percent since the mid-1970s. The population is increasing at a rate of more than 5 percent per year. Non-breeding geese (juveniles or adults that fail to nest successfully) are not included in this estimate, so the total number of geese is even higher. Lesser Snow Goose population indices are the highest they have been since population records have been kept, and evidence suggests that large breeding populations are spreading to previously untouched sections of the Hudson Bay coastline.
    Snow Goose Flight.jpg
  • Snow Geese Waddle Through The Snow in New Melle
    New Melle Snow Geese.jpg
  • March 1st on a snowy afternoon the husband and I decided to head out and see what kind of photos we could capture while it was still snowing.  ..We came across 2 fields along Hwy D in New Melle, Missouri were hundreds of what I believe to be Snow Geese were making themselves at home.  I took this shot as I thought it was unique and interesting. They are beautiful.
    new_melle_snow_geese.jpg
  • Close to 10 inches of snow await you on Jacob Lane
    339A3930.jpg
  • It would be great to have the snow stick around until Christmas!
    339A3918.jpg
  • A snow covered tree extends towards the falling flakes
    339A3944.jpg
  • The familiar woody cone is the female cone, which produces seeds. The male cones, which produce pollen, are usually herbaceous and much less conspicuous even at full maturity. The name 'cone' derives from the fact that the shape in some species resembles a geometric cone. The individual plates of a cone are known as scales.<br />
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The male cone (microstrobilus or pollen cone) is structurally similar across all conifers, differing only in small ways (mostly in scale arrangement) from species to species. Extending out from a central axis are microsporophylls (modified leaves). Under each microsporophyll is one or several microsporangia (pollen sacs).<br />
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The female cone (megastrobilus, seed cone, or ovulate cone) contains ovules which, when fertilized by pollen, become seeds. The female cone structure varies more markedly between the different conifer families, and is often crucial for the identification of many species of conifers.
    March Snow Cones.jpg
  • A Flock Of Snow Geese Fly Through Wentzville Skies on a cold March Morning
    Crowded New Melle Skies.jpg
  • Loving all the winter white, just wish this day had something better than gray skies as a backdrop
    339A3955.jpg
  • A Male Northern Cardinals perched on a white feeder in the midst of a cold winter snow storm. The vibrant Cardinal red contrast against the chilly blues and white snow. The Northern Cardinal is a North American bird in the genus Cardinalis, it is also known colloquially as the redbird or common cardinal.<br />
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The Northern Cardinal or "Redbird" is probably one of most popular visitors to backyard bird feeders. Its range extends over most of the eastern USA, parts of extreme southeastern Canada, and south through Mexico to Belize. It has also been introduced to Hawaii. Its variable call, a loud "cheer cheer cheer" or "purty purty purty," is sung by both sexes and can be heard year round. Cardinals are nonmigratory, but some movement does occur in the later summer and fall.<br />
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The male Northern Cardinal is perhaps responsible for getting more people to open up a field guide than any other bird. They're a perfect combination of familiarity, conspicuousness, and style: a shade of red you can't take your eyes off. Even the brown females sport a sharp crest and warm red accents. Cardinals don't migrate and they don't molt into a dull plumage, so they're still breathtaking in winter's snowy backyards. In summer, their sweet whistles are one of the first sounds of the morning.
    Chilly Cardinal Blues.jpg
  • A Tufted Titmouse Grabs A Snack In The Snow
    Titmouse Flurries.jpg
  • A Nuthatch tries to stay warm while perched in a bare winter tree during a snow storm
    Nuthatch Flurries.jpg
  • A Male Downy Woodpecker In The Snow
    Snowy Winter Downy.jpg
  • A Dark-Eyed Junco Enjoying Some Flurries As The Snow Piles Up Around The Fallen Tree
    Winter Junco On Stump.jpg
  • The snow is gone and all that's left is ice, ice and more iec.
    339A4113.jpg
  • The Cardinal is probably one of the most recognizable and popular backyard birds because of its brilliant red color and crested head. It is a great bird to admire year-round. The color contrast of the brilliant red against fresh white snow really is a high point during the winter months. Early settlers were said to have named this bird after the Cardinals of the Catholic Church who wore red robes.<br />
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Both sexes are accomplished songsters and may be heard at any time of year. Cardinals will mate for life and remain together throughout the entire year. That's why you will usually see a male and female together at your feeding station.<br />
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Male and female Cardinals both sing. Songs are loud, beautiful whistled phrases. Some songs you may hear sound like "whoit whoit whoit" and "whacheer whacheer." These songs are used in forming territories and in courtship. Male and female cardinals use "chirps" as contact calls and alarms. They also have many visual displays such as "tail-flicks" to signal alarm. The crest may be raised and lowered. Strongly territorial, males will fight other males, along with their own reflection in windows!
    Chubby Winter Redbird.jpg
  • A Black-Capped Chickadee in the snow
    Winter Black-Capped Chickadee.jpg
  • A Tufted Titmouse Perches To Enjoy The Snow Flurries
    Snowy Winter Titmouse.jpg
  • Snow falls at the entrance to the Nichole Parc subdivision in Wentzville, Missouri
    339A4009.jpg
  • A cold Male Junco bird gland on a dormant winter bush covered with snow, sunflower seed in his beak
    Snowy Male Junco.jpg
  • A Winter Wonderland framed by snow covered branches on a cold snowy day
    339A3921.jpg
  • Snow falls in winter 2013 on this lovely home in New Melle, Missouri
    339A3961.jpg
  • 9 Inches Of White blanket everything in sight, let it snow!
    339A3934.jpg
  • A Female Dark-Eyed Junco Foraging For Food in the Snow During A Cold Blue Winter Day.<br />
<br />
Females and juvenile birds are generally paler and show a greater mixture of brown in the plumage. Generally, there is less white on the outer tail feathers in juvenile and female birds. There is, however, much individual variation.<br />
<br />
The Dark-eyed Junco is the best-known species of the juncos, a genus of small grayish American sparrows. This bird is common across much of temperate North America and in summer ranges far into the Arctic. Dark-eyed Juncos are neat, even flashy little sparrows that flit about forest floors of the western mountains and Canada, then flood the rest of North America for winter. They're easy to recognize by their crisp (though extremely variable) markings and the bright white tail feathers they habitually flash in flight. One of the most abundant forest birds of North America, you'll see juncos on woodland walks as well as in flocks at your feeders or on the ground beneath them. <br />
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Juncos are the "snowbirds" of the middle latitudes. Over most of the eastern United States, they appear as winter sets in and then retreat northward each spring. Some juncos in the Appalachian Mountains remain there all year round, breeding at the higher elevations. These residents have shorter wings than the migrants that join them each winter. Longer wings are better suited to flying long distances, a pattern commonly noted among other studies of migratory vs. resident species.
    Blue Christmas Junco.jpg
  • This blue jay was resting under a heat lamp on a cold and snowy winter day in my Missouri backyard. Having a pretty close vantage point I was able to get a dent amount of detail in the feathers of this lovely bird. A close look reveals the water droplets from the falling snow that has melted from the heat of the lamp.<br />
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The Blue Jay is a passerine bird in the family Corvidae, native to North America. It is resident through most of eastern and central United States and southern Canada, although western populations may be migratory.<br />
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This common, large songbird is familiar to many people, with its perky crest; blue, white, and black plumage; and noisy calls. Blue Jays are known for their intelligence and complex social systems with tight family bonds. Their fondness for acorns is credited with helping spread oak trees after the last glacial period.<br />
<br />
Blue Jays prefer tray feeders or hopper feeders on a post rather than hanging feeders, and they prefer peanuts, sunflower seeds, and suet. Planting oak trees will make acorns available for jays of the future. Blue Jays often take drinks from birdbaths.
    Winter Heat Blue Jay.jpg
  • Mr. Titmouse is just ignoring me today... chirping something about not being happy with his modeling contract...
    Titmouse Ignoring Me Snow.jpg
  • A chilly winter snowflake creation.
    Snow Flaked.jpg
  • Friday, March 1, 2013 was a beautiful snowy day so the husband and I decided to take a break from everything and head out to relax and see what kind out photos we could capture. ..This winter scenery was photographed along one of the lakes at the August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area in St. Charles County.
    busch_wildlife_winter_scenery.jpg
  • Blue Skies and Flakes Of White Blanket The Evergreen That Stands Tall With The Only Foliage Color Left As Winter Sets In.
    Snowy Tree.jpg
  • A tufted Titmouse strikes a pose on a bare breach on a chilly morning with flurries beginning to fall
    Frigid Morning Titmouse.jpg
  • A view from the front corner of the house, highlighting or snowy gazebo in the back
    339A3957.jpg
  • Not quite the 2-3 inches that was called for, but we'll take the 9!
    339A3925.jpg
  • Taken at the Friedens-Peace United Church of Christ. Friedens Peace United Church of Christ seeks to be a transformative community where following Christ finds expression in both word and deed.<br />
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Friedens (Peace) United Church of Christ was started by a group of residents who broke off from the St. Paul 's Lutheran Church . In 1858, there were two Lutheran Churches in New Melle - St. Peter's and St. Paul 's. St. Paul 's congregation joined the Missouri Synod. That same year the St. Peter's Congregation built a new church of native stone (the building that is now St. Paul 's). The two churches were originally united, but had split over doctrinal issues. In 1868, they reunited and became St. Paul 's Missouri Synod Lutheran Church .<br />
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Some members continued to be unhappy and according to St. Paul 's records, the dissent was over doctrine. The first records of Friedens begin in 1904. Some family names appear in both the St. Paul and Friedens (Peace) records. Included in both records were the families of Henry Schewede, John Nienheuser, Jacob Boehm, Ernst Brakensiek, and John Doermann. Fourteen voting members had a dream of starting a new church by accepting the doctrinal statement of the German Evangelical Church Society of the West. This new church would eventually become the Friedens (Peace) United Church of Christ we know today.<br />
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The first minister was Rev. Stroetker, resident Pastor of St. John's Church in Cappeln. This was the beginning of a long history of sharing a minister with St. John's . The first service was held in German on August 28, 1904 , in the Peniel Methodist Church on Schutzen Street (now part of a private residence).<br />
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The property on which Friedens church is located was purchased from John and Laura Koelling in 1905 for $2,400. The building on the property had been used as a grocery store/saloon. Ernest Sudbrock was chosen as carpenter to do the remodeling, along with a lot of volunteer help.
    Winter Worship.jpg
  • Another lovely winter home framed by a jungle of white branches
    fritz.jpg
  • A White-Breasted Nuthatch grabs a safflower seed from a feeder
    Nuthatch Grabs Some Safflower.jpg
  • A somber lonely pond frozen over from a harsh Minnesota winter
    Branched Reprieve.jpg
  • A Red-Bellied Woodpecker On A Tree Trunk
    Red-Belly Snowing Trre Side.jpg
  • Blue skies and white flakes set this winter scene
    339A4004.jpg
  • A chilly winter view from the front of the house
    339A3913.jpg
  • Chilly days ahead at the corner of Francis St. and Jacob Lane
    339A3937.jpg
  • A cold male Northern Cardinal adds a splash of color to an otherwise dull gray winter afternoon in the woods
    A Splash of Winter Red.jpg
  • A Friendly red cardinal perches on a blue bar on my swing-set in search af some afternoon seed.
    Cardinal In The Rain.jpg
  • I took this photo of the snowfall the other night from our front porch.
    Snowy Twilight.jpg
  • A Tufted Titmouse Snags A Seed In The Winter Snowstorm
    Titmouse Winter Seed Mouth.jpg
  • A Junco out catching snowflakes on a cold winter afternoon
    Chilly Junco On Her Perch.jpg
  • Have a safe and Happy Holiday all, greetings from Patty's Driveway Lights.
    339A4092.jpg
  • Well, the view from the backyard is still a Winter Wonderland. If your wondering where that new nice contrasting black fence came from, it was Tri-County Fence & Deck!
    339A3902.jpg
  • Snowman stay warm with Casino Tequila during the winter and Christmas season.
    casino_tequila_keeps_me_warm.jpg
  • I just love the view from my back window on days like this!
    339A3905.jpg
  • Nestled behind the trees, this home has a quaint snowy feel from the curb
    339A3919.jpg
  • Winter Mail at 4632 Francis St.
    4632 Francis Mailbox.jpg
  • A slash of color peeks through the blanket of white
    339A3953.jpg
  • It's cold outside, so come on it!
    339A3951.jpg
  • Winter Mail at 4638 Francis St.
    339A3928.jpg
  • Well the Junco's are officially taking over the yard, so Winter must be in full effect
    Snowy Winter Junco.jpg
  • Mail at 4806 Brooke St.
    339A4007.jpg
  • A male Northern Cardinal flies through the winter storm dodging the tree branches in the woods laden with icicles. The skies were dull and grey with a bit of a purple tint, the air was brisk and chilly. The only signs of beauty and life was this bold red bird flying from tree to tree on this cold winter day in my Missouri back yard.
    Flight Of A Winter Cardinal.jpg
  • A male Norther Cardinal tries to balance on the side of my swing and hold on.
    Little Red Director.jpg
  • Blue Morph Snow Goose Walking in the snow
    Snow Goose Walk.jpg
  • Snow Goose Snuggle and Love In A Cold Snow Storm
    Snow Goose Love.jpg
  • A lonely Dark-eyed Junco Forages For Food In The Snow
    Lonely Junco In Snow.jpg
  • A Snow Goose Flaps it's Wings and directs the flock to follow
    Snow Goose Invasion.jpg
  • Well there has been no snow to speak of this winter, which really is aggravating. I so wanted at least one day of accumulation to take some winter scene photos. I like looking at different snow covered compositions from others and have been inspired to do some of my own. But, no luck in 2011... So I say forget it and let's move on, give me Spring already, and all the color and beauty that goes with it my lens can capture!
    Ode to Spring.jpg
  • IMG_9062.jpg
  • A Flock of snow geese congregate in a snowy field along Highway D
    Snowy Gooserz.jpg
  • A Purple Finch Perched On A Tree Limb During A Snow Storm
    Snowy Winter Purple Finch.jpg
  • A Purple Finch Perched On A Tree Limb During A Snow Storm
    Snowy Winter Purple Finch.jpg
  • Snow Squirrel.jpg