Close

From My Window

Photographs taken with a compact camera journaling everyday life in Central Massachusetts and beyond.

All Posts by jmankowsky

I live in Central Massachusetts in the United States--a wonderful area for nature, art and culture. Using a compact camera, I celebrate daily life found here in a variety of local landscapes throughout the changing seasons.

Glorious Oriole

Baltimore Orioles visit my backyard for a short time each year in early May. This acrobatic guest made the most of my hummingbird feeder, cleverly swinging and balancing so he could take a drink.

Tricks With Sticks

The persistent and ingenious house wren who returns to our yard each year always finds a way to create a new nest for the next generation.

Getting An Early Start on a New England Garden

This week I’ve put recycled plastic, milk cartons and egg containers to good use as seedling containers. This variety of flowers, vegetables and herb seedlings will be planted outdoors as soon as the weather co-operates!

Eastern Wild Turkey

Once nearly extinct in New England, Eastern wild turkeys have made a remarkable comeback. This turkey was wandering the field at the Wachusett Meadow Audubon this week.

A full grown turkey has between 5000 and 6000 feathers on its body arranged in unique patterns called feather tracts. These feathers can exhibit shades of green, red, gold, black and even bronze.

Turtle Time

Painted Turtles, the most widespread turtle of North America, bask in the warm Spring Sun at Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Pond.

On the Lookout

The Northern Mockingbird, House Sparrow and Red-Winged Blackbird keep a watchful eye over the barn area at Wachusett Meadow Audubon.

Step and Stretch

As yet, only one pair of Canada Geese have settled in for the season at Wachusett Meadow. Those feet are made for walking, not just swimming! No upper body yoga class needed for them, either.

Springtime Pond and Meadow

Along with the arrival of the stately Canada Geese each Spring at Wachusett Meadow, I look forward to the quiet presence of the brilliantly iridescent male Mallard and the subtly colored female Mallard with her surprising blue spot. I especially enjoy the spunky Hooded Mergansers, the male flaunting his bold stripes, and both male and female sporting their punk hairdos.

Apartments and Condos For Rent

Wachusett Meadow’s Wildlife Pond is home to beavers year-round, as well as an array of seasonal guests such as Wood Ducks that roost in boxes above the water. Great Blue Herons nest in the tops of dead trees, and Canada Geese cruise both the waterway and the land. Let the Summer rentals begin!

Sheep Shearing Season

Each April, the Wachusett Meadow Audubon holds a Sheep and Wool Festival Day.
Sheep wool at this time of year is luxurious, with a variety of colors, textures and patterns. Included here are my color and black and white photos, taken before the shearing, which seek to emphasize the beautiful natural material of these engaging creatures.

Bird Portraits

Digitally enhanced photos from even a simple point-and-shoot camera can appear like paintings. In addition to trying to achieve good photographs, I also enjoy creating transformed images of my favorite birds.

Grackle Greetings

The grackles have returned just in time for the Spring Equinox sunlight to make their feathers glow with multi-colors. In contrast, when in the shade, they can look as dark as a crow.

Daylight Savings

There are many early indicators of a seasonal shift from Winter to Spring at Wachusett Meadow Farm in New England — an increase in snowshoe travel, strong shadows and patterns, running streams, melting snow patches on stone walls, diminishing icicles, sheep wool thick enough for shearing and diverse creatures sunbathing and feeding.

%d bloggers like this: