Filmed an hour after high tide. The marsh at the EP Lighthouse was entirely flooded and the water in the cove was abutting the road, which had become only a narrow strip between both.
More wild wave clips from the February 2nd Nor’easter
Good Harbor wildly beautiful waves
Gloucester’s February 2nd Nor’easter brought rain, high winds, and area flooding. Both Nautilus Road and Atlantic Road were temporarily closed at high tide due to over wash. The waves along the back shore were tremendous!!
The Wicked Tuna fleet continued filming yesterday early evening as the storm departed.
Wicked Tuna shooting FV Hot Tuna and FV Bad Fish at Gloucester Harbor
Hurricane Teddy delivered wild waves and flooding along Gloucester’s shoreline edges.The GHB parking lot was completely flooded, the high water mark was up to the very base of the dunes, but the footbridge came through with flying colors (last I checked and thanks to Gloucester’s awesome DPW).
Photos from Good Harbor Beach, the Back Shore, Brace Cove, and Eastern Point.
“And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.” – Oscar Wilde
Called the Worm Moon because the ground begins to soften and earthworms reappear, inviting Robins to our gardens. Among many names, March’s Full Moon is also called the Sleepy Moon, Sap Moon, Crust Moon, Lenten Moon, and Crow Moon.
Photos of the full Super Worm Moon rising and setting.
Gloucester Harbor
Between the twin masts of the Schooner Adventure
Good Harbor Beach
Backshore
The Lobster Trap Tree in snowfall.
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Photos from Saturday evening’s tree lighting event, including several of Traci Thayne Corbett, Art Haven’s director, and her super helpers Lily and Cee Cee. Traci is the person who helps the kids in creating all the fabulous hand painted buoys that adorn the tree.
Traci, Lily, and Cee Cee
Tremendous thanks and huge shout outs to David Brooks, Shawn Henry, Traci Corbett, Warren Waugh, Cape Ann Art Haven, Three Lantern Marine Fishing, Great Marsh Brewing Co, Gloucester Fire Department, the City of Gloucester, and to all the great people volunteering their time and money towards continuing this fabulous and uniquely Gloucester tradition <3
David Brooks, also known as Spider Man, securing the star atop the tree.
At sunset this evening, the skies cleared for a bit and one could see the snowstorm departing in an easterly direction, while more squalls were beginning to blow ashore from the west. The nearly half-Moon was rising over the marsh through the clouds. Swells along the backshore were larger than average, but nothing nearly as dramatic as the waves during a nor’easter. Perhaps the waves were bigger on the other side of the Island.
Although I didn’t get a snapshot, the small flock of Wild Turkeys was leaping about at the base of a bird feeder, hungrily looking for food. Which was actually pretty funny because grace is decidedly not a characteristic shared with these large-bottom birds. I wished I had a handful to give them.
Last night’s Hunter’s Moon rising through the clouds.
Thanks so much to my friend Heidi Wakeman who texted to let me know there was what she thought a trio of Black Skimmers down the creek at Good Harbor Beach. I raced over and sure enough there were three Black Skimmers, as well as several Laughing Gulls, resting on the creek edge, along with a flock of gulls.
You could tell they were weary and wind tossed so we observed from the far side of the creek so as not to disturb the little travelers. Heidi and I enjoyed watching for a bit. A Great Blue Heron briefly flew on the scene, joining a mixed gathering of herons and egrets. Heidi stayed awhile longer and got to see them fly and skim-feeding.
Black Skimmers are called as such because they have a unique-to-their species method of foraging. Their lower mandible is longer than the upper, which allows them to skim the surface for small fish.
Southern Massachusetts is at the very northern range of the Black Skimmers breeding range. I imagine they have been blown off course by Humberto’s wildy winds.
Black Skimmers are not all that Hurricane Humberto delivered to our shores. The surf was tremendous Friday afternoon, with long lovely rolling waves that towered and crashed ashore. The late day softening light and a fine mist from the heavy amounts of moisture in the air lent an atmospheric light to all.
Here are some photos I took of Black Skimmers two years ago at Cape May while documenting the Monarch migration along the southern New Jersey coast. Just as do Monarchs, Skimmers gather in great numbers at Cape May in late summer and early autumn, waiting for the right conditions to cross the Delaware Bay.
All these fine folks came out to cheer on and welcome Jamie!
Fantastic-in-every-way turnout for Jamie McDonald! Thanks to Sherree Zizak for the fabulous welcoming reception at Beauport, to Mayor Sefatia, Joey, and Pat for getting the word out, for hosts and hostesses, Kerry from the Cape Ann Chamber, and to all who gave Jamie, his family, and friends a Gloucester Welcome.
If you would like to donate to Jamie’s Superhero Fund to help sick kids go HERE.
The full Worm Moon descending aligned with City Hall this morning.
On my way to give a Monarch talk in Boston this morning I caught the full Worm Moon setting. It was gorgeous and the air was perfectly still, which would have been ideal for filming. I was trying to take some footage, but my tripod wasn’t cooperating. This was the last super moon of 2019 and is extra special because today’s full super moon also coincides with the vernal equinox (also my son’s birthday!). The last time this happened was in 1905, over one hundred years ago. The next time a super moon will be seen with the spring equinox is in the year 2044.
March’s full moon has many names including Crow Moon, Eagle Moon, Sugar Moon, Sap Moon, Crust Moon, and Lenten Moon. Don’t you prefer any of these other names over Worm Moon; I especially love Eagle Moon and Sugar Moon.
Hoping to capture the Supermoon, in all its huge glory, rising between the Twin Lights last night, but the sky was pink and hazy around the horizon line. Still, I think it’s good to have a record of a rarely occurring full moon on the first day of spring.
Thacher Island Twin Lights, waiting for the Moon to rise, North Light, left; South Light right.
As part of the programming for the Cape Ann Museum’s current exhibit “The Little House: Her Story,” a special program was presented by curators Martha Oaks, Michiyo Okabe, and Atsuko Tanaka to discuss the cultural collaboration behind the exhibit. Towards the end of the fascinating and oftentimes, humorous and deeply moving presentation, one member of the captivated audience asked, “what will happen to the Little House model.” Everyone was delighted to learn that the curators are gifting the Little House to the Cape Ann Museum!
Unfortunately, I could only stay for the first hour of the program, but I am sure Catherine Ryan, who would have loved to have attended the presentation (but is still under the weather with the terrible cold that is going around), will provide us with more details.
Snapshots from a brief tour around the back shore while out doing errands. With temperatures hovering at 5 degrees, Cape Ann was blanketed with a thick layer of impenetrable ice, snow squalls, and sea smoke.
Happy to see the temperatures are heading towards the forties after Tuesday!
A crazy person surfing at GHB
Super Blood Wolf Moon January 20, 2019
It was way too slippery for me last night to venture very far to photograph. The above photo was taken last night from my back door kitchen stoop and there were clouds swirling across the moon, but you can still see how beautiful.
There’s something very spectacular about these January full moons. The photos below were taken last January, during the first full moon of the month, which took place on the first, and during the Super Blood Wolf Moon Eclipse, which took place on the 31st.
Last night’s shifting sunset colors.
Covering storms back to back, I didn’t have time to post on both Good Morning Gloucester and on my blog. The following are links to storm posts from the region’s three March nor’easters, beginning on March 2nd.
Eastern Point
Shoreline, home, and garden have been hard hit by the third nor’easter to take place this March. The waves and spindrifts were magnificent, taking a short drive around the back shore this morning, but it was difficult to observe the further damage to coastline habitats.
Our beautiful Snowy Hedwig’s routine hasn’t much changed since she discovered the safety zone provided by hotel rooftops (safe from crows, that is). Hunting during the night, returning at dawn to the roof to various well-hidden niches, and then making her “entrance” at around sunset, she has adapted well to New England coastal living. After preening, pooping, and occasionally passing a pellet, she then scans the neighborhood. Hedwig bobs her head in an up and down motion a half dozen times, then flies east over the sea or west over the Arctic tundra-like golf course.
Snowy Owl Hedwig lifts her head in a bobbing motion to track prey.
Owls cannot move their eyes in the eye sockets. Instead, they employ several techniques to increase their range of sight. An owl can swivel its head a full 270 degrees. Additionally, owls bob their head up and down, a movement that aids in triangulating potential prey.
Dagger Sharp Talons.
Because the forceful impact of the Snowy Owl hitting its prey is so powerful, combined with the vise-like grip of its talons, the animal usually dies instantly.
Hedwig has so far survived three tremendously fierce storms during her stay in Gloucester. Last night, on the eve of the blizzard, she tried to take off several times towards the water. The wind current was strong, but she eventually flew successfully, heading in the direction of Thacher Island. Heres hoping she is waiting out the blizzard in one of her hideaways.
Folks are wondering how long will Hedwig stay. Most Snowies leave Massachusetts by April, although one was recorded at Logan Airport as late as July.
