Spring started on March 1st if one is to go by meteorological cycles. It will arrive on March 19th of this year if we are going by astronomical cycles. What I can tell you is that Spring Melt 2024 is well underway.
Most of the ice has gone. The areas that typically receive shade still have some ice left, as the sun is still low to the horizon at this time of year in my part of Western Canada. You can see that the south side of my back alley still has ice, whereas the northern side, which receives more sun, has already melted and is drying. It lends a Jekyll and Hyde feel to this time of year.
As to the streets themselves, there is still some ice left on the south side of each street whereas those living on the north side are already raking the leaves from their lawns. Nobody trusts that winter has quite left yet, though.
Most homes on our street still have a snow shovel out on the front step, and this includes ours. We know there are probably a couple of blasts of snow left from the receding winter. Indeed, the forecast calls for a 20 cm dump this coming Wednesday.
Everything is still brown and drab looking, meaning that it is a good time of year to shoot in black and white. We’re not going to have much in the way of greenery for another month, and that’s only if we get some rain. My province is caught in one of the worst drought cycles anyone can remember and the spring and summer could be brown as well. I hope not for the sake of my sanity.
Alberta, 2024-03-16
Alberta, 2024-03-16
Nearly all of the ice has vanished from the irrigation canals in town. You’ll find a bit left in shady spots like under Tom Sadler Bridge. The sloughs themselves are still iced over, but the edges are slowly opening up as you can see from the top image in the group above and the two images below.
Strathmore, Alberta, 2024-03-16 (Drone)
Alberta, 2024-03-16 (Drone)
Some of the birds have returned, but not all. We’re probably still a month away from the ducks and geese returning in force, and the more exotic birds like grebes have yet to make an appearance.
This offset pond in Gray Park is probably the best place in town for birders to find and shoot grebes with a long lens, but it remains covered with ice and empty of our feathery friends. Soon, though. In the meantime, it’s nice to go for a walk with the Missus in a light jacket and feel the warmth that has returned to the sun while we wait for this year’s melt to finish.
All but two images in this entry were created using a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 prosumer grade digital camera. The others were made with my failing DJI Mini 2 drone and are so noted in the caption.
