Birding in Maine» Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday: Sunrise at Dixville Notch

John Briggs — Fri, 28 May 2010 14:20:06 +0000

Sunrise at Dixville Notch, NH | Click thumbnail for larger view

Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday: Snowy Birdhouse

John Briggs — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:24:28 +0000

Snow laden skies are my favorite. There is a unique beauty in snow falling from the sky. In its aftermath, the landscape is transformed into a work of art unknown to other seasons. The following image was captured last weekend in our backyard, near the edge of the cove.

Snow covered nest box - Bath, Maine | Click thumbnail for larger view

Skywatch Friday

Happy birding!

Sunrise Over Arrowsic Island

John Briggs — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:02:06 +0000

Sunrise Over Arrowsic Island - Bath, Maine | Click photo for larger view

Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday: The Presidentials

John Briggs — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:32:34 +0000

The Presidential Range is a mountain range located in the White Mountains of the state of New Hampshire, almost entirely in Coos County. The most notable summits of the range are named for prominent Americans, either public figures of the 18th and 19th centuries or Presidents.

Mt. Webster — after Daniel Webster
Mt. Jackson — after Charles Thomas Jackson (19th c. geologist)
Mt. Pierce — after Franklin Pierce (formerly Mt. Clinton — after DeWitt Clinton)
Mt. Eisenhower — after Dwight Eisenhower
Mt. Franklin — after Benjamin Franklin
Mt. Monroe — after James Monroe
Mt. Washington — after George Washington (a general at time of naming, and only later a president)
Mt. Clay — after Henry Clay (State changed name to Mt. Reagan after Ronald Reagan; U.S. government still recognizes Clay name)
Mt. Jefferson — after Thomas Jefferson
Mt. Sam Adams — after Samuel Adams
Mt. Adams — after John Adams
Mt. Quincy Adams — after John Quincy Adams
Mt. Madison — after James Madison

Quoted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: Presidential Range

These photos were taken during a recent trip up the Mount Washington Auto Road. Breath taking views, changing weather conditions (driving through clouds, temperature changes) and memories to last a lifetime. Stay tuned for a pictorial on our trip to the Presidential Range, including what it was like on the summit of the tallest mountain in the northeast USA.

Clicking a thumbnail will bring up a shadowbox with a larger view.

Mount Adams and Jefferson | From the Mount Washington Auto Road

Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday: Mount Washington

John Briggs — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:10:06 +0000

Mount Washington rises from the surrounding landscape | Click photo for larger view

Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at 6,288 ft (1,917 m). It is famous for its dangerously erratic weather, holding the record for the highest wind gust directly measured at the Earth’s surface, at 231 mph (372 km/h) on the afternoon of April 12, 1934. It was known as Agiocochook, or “home of the Great Spirit”, before European settlers arrived.

Photo was taken during a recent trip. The 6,288 foot peak was enshrouded in clouds when we arrived at the top. The weather at the observatory was much different than that in the valley from where the photo was taken. At the peak, the winds were sustained at 40 m.p.h. with gust up to 60 m.p.h. The temperature was 39° F. On the valley floor, the skies were mostly clear with light winds and a temperature of 70° F.

In a future post, I will have many more photos and a story of our trip to the summit. In the mean time, here is a link to the Mount Washington Observatory.

Skywatch Friday