Bald Eagle Photos, Day 2 at Squaw Creek

I'm freaking pooped, I spent 9 hours in my car and 6 of those out at Squaw Creek again today, it feels like a long chase day in late February already. There had to have been 4 times as many today than on Saturday...pictures don't do justice of what it's like to be there. Dean Cosgrove and Mike Hollingshead were out there again today on this beautiful, mild, mid 60's temp day. I think I got a bit of a sun burn as well.

Here are a few photos from today and one on Monday of a bald eagle near Gardner Lake. More on Friday as I have a crapload to process.......

Dustin Wilcox has some sweet photos here and Mike Hollingshead has some new ones on his front page.

Snow Geese Photos at Squaw Creek

My father, who is an assistant D.A. in Topeka, Kansas is currently doing a murder trial with a man named Darwin Law. I figured a few people reading this might "Chuck"le at that one. His unparalleled trial conviction ratio will likely land him a successful prosecution during the week sometime. The senseless murder was all over $20 worth of crack cocaine. That's Topuka for you.

Mike Hollingshead has been telling me about the insane amount of snow geese at Squaw Creek recently, so I met up with him on Saturday to snap some photos in the freezing cold with a strong NW wind. I'll likely be heading out there again on Wednesday to see if I can't shoot a few more. Below are a few photos. Mike has been there for the past few days and has some incredible photos on his front page here.

A rare picture of Mike in action lol:

Latest Chases, New Photography Website

First, I just thought I'd mention that after reading Devin's adoption papers for a kitten she adopted back in August, I was very saddened to know that our cat Humphrey had spent 13 weeks in the Animal Shelter before someone (she) finally (and I'm sooooooo glad) adopted him. I never used to like cats whatsoever until Humphrey was brought home. He is a very loving cat and I can see the gratitude in his eyes every day that he was taken out of there and put into a loving home. If I had the means/power I would adopt all of those poor animals at the shelter. Below is a photo of him.



Second, Andy Fischer and I ventured last Monday for a chance at some tornadoes the NAM was hinting at (and teased us) for extreme Northeast Kansas and below was pretty much all we saw. The RUC picked up on what the GFS had thought the night before.



Earlier that morning, a squall line moved through Olathe, and this was the backside of it as it did. I experienced no more than 50 mph winds at 9:26 a.m.




Then on Tuesday, I left work early (early as in 2 p.m.) and Scott Currens, Darin and I chased garbage that was tornado-warned all up until we got on it of course. We let the gust front hit us in Coffeyville then called it a day. An EF-4 tornado hit the town of Lone Grove, OK after dark claiming the lives of several victims. Kudos to those who were reporting the tornado shortly before it hit.

The first photo below is what happens to convection when it runs into a stable atmosphere.





Last but not least, a good friend Mike Parker has a new website for his photography and wedding shoots that he does. Darin designed the awesome website for him, and we both will be assisting him in wedding shoots in the very near future.

Halos, Sundogs and Chasing Tomorrow

Darin, his girlfriend and I went out looking for bald eagles at Lake Perry and Lake Clinton, and ended up seeing the same as Jim (Darin took some shots of a lone Great Blue Herron). The sunset was spectacular, the weather was perfect and a lone sundog reemerged.

I'll most likely be chasing tomorrow...early...in anticipation for a cold-core low setup...don't have much time to post now, but tornadoes are very possible.

Gladstone Missouri Spotter Talk 2009, Storm Chasing on Sunday - Wednesday?

Reed Timmer and Chris Chittick of TornadoVideos.Net ( TVN ) were in town last Thursday presenting some of their videos and trailers from the Discovery Channel show, "Storm Chasers." Derek Shaffer and I got there about 5 minutes till 7 when it started and briefly chatted with Reed and Chris before hand. Nearly 275 people showed up to a usual 50-75 AT BEST spotter talk! Derek Deroche started the NWS talk off and Reed did his presentation till about 10 p.m. This was my very first "spotter talk!" LOL. I'd rather be at one of these, than Uncle Chuck's upcoming talk at TESSA, "What Have We Learned Since 09 April 1979?" I'd guess those who know me, know that I could think of about 100 things to say what we've learned about him since that date. :) The annual "Darwinism" speech on the "Xtreme chasers" to ground-worshipping, North Texas spotters seems highly likely.

Anywho, Jon and Shawna Davies showed up towards the end and we chatted for a bit. I hope to see them both again soon, and am currently reading another excellent paper entitled, "Three Strong Tornado Events in 2008 associated with Boundary Intersections and Narrow Instability Axes near 700-mb Lows" which you can view online here.

After the talk, Reed and Chris were talking with everyone who wanted to and we met up afterwards at Perkin's and discussed a lot of major plans for this upcoming season. More on that in the future as things become more clear.

Here are a few pictures:











There seems to be several disturbances headed for a good chunk of the US which should yield more interesting weather in the following week and I'll likely be chasing and updating this more as things become more clear.