"The snow falls soft and unfathomable, drawing the world down to a whitened hush, forcing us (as few things do) to pause long enough to take stock of everything that we miss in our crazed pursuit to gain everything that we can."
― Craig D. Lounsbrough
Southern Wisconsin was buried under more than a foot of weekend snow, and the forecast promises even more. This morning's single-digit temperatures locked it all into a deep, brittle cold.
Over at Pheasant Branch Prairie, Sandhill Cranes were sailing out of the marsh toward nearby fields, probing for whatever food they can still reach. They really should move south, but they have a habit of staying here well into December.
A very tundra-like landscape ...
The 10-day forecast points to a run of bitter cold, the kind that quiets everything and settles the prairie into its true winter rhythm. Birdlife was sparse—just a handful of American Tree Sparrows and a couple of Kestrels hunting along the north end. A small group of Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspurs passed overhead, adding brief flashes of movement to an otherwise still landscape.
All images © 2025 Mike McDowell