Northern Flicker

I accepted another position from my employer last June. The hours are better and I can pretty much set my own schedule, but the work site is on the other side of town and the walking situation isn't nearly as good. I have two choices now as to where to walk.

Brown's Woods, is a dense wooded area on the border between Des Moines and West Des Moines. There is a lot of wildlife there, but due to denseness of the woods the wildlife can be hard to see. You hear a lot of animals, but see very little. The trails there are also fairly primitive and they make no attempt to clear them. So, after we got a thick layer of ice there last December, I gave up. I might giver it another try in February after a good thaw.

My other choice is the Great Western Trail which runs through Des Moines. The area that I walk there is just south of the Des Moines Water Works which goes through the Des Moines Water Works. I normally turn around in the Water Works. I see a lot of geese during the summer and an occasional Blue Heron. Rose Breasted Grosbeaks are also common, but it is harder to get an image of them there. It is actully more road then trail, but I take what I can get This time of year I rarely see any wildlife.

Today I got lucky though and saw a Northern Flicker, it is the Yellow Shafted variant. It was so busy eating some berries, I was able to get about a half dozen images of which the following was the best.

More Chess

1. d4 (0:00) d5 (0:00)

He opened with d4 and I am going to go into the Tarrasch.

2. e3 (0:02) e6 (0:01)
3. Bd3 (0:03) c5 (0:01)
4. c3 (0:02) Nc6 (0:04)
5. Nd2 (0:04) Nf6 (0:03)
6. f4 (0:03)



Thats is risky. The e3 pawn will become weak later in the game, Right now I can't get at it. He is probably planning an all out attack against my King side.

6. ... Be7 (0:06)
7. Ngf3 (0:01) O-O (0:04)
8. Ne5 (0:03) Qc7 (0:05)
9. O-O (0:06) c4 (0:24)
10. Bc2 (0:11) b5 (0:03)
11. Rf3 (0:07) b4 (0:03)
12. Rh3 (0:18) h6 (0:13)



His Rook will neeed assistance, right now my knight is preventing his Queen from coming in.

13. Qf3 (0:18) Rb8 (0:07)
14. Ba4 (0:41) Bb7 (0:13)
15. g4 (0:20) Nd7 (0:15)
16. Nxc6 (0:37) Bxc6 (0:03)
17. Bc2 (0:11) f6 (0:03)
18. Qg3 (0:16) e5 (0:15)



My position was getting cramped, I am pushing pawns to give myself a little more mobility.
19. fxe5 (0:20) fxe5 (0:03)
20. dxe5 (0:51) Nxe5 (0:03)
21. Nf3 (0:22) Bd6 (0:05)
22. Nxe5 (0:22) Bxe5 (0:03)


Ok. I have opened up the f file giving my rook full mobility. He hasn't fought me for it. Now he is becoming cramped.

23. Qe1 (0:14) Rbe8 (0:14)
24. Bd2 (0:22) d4 (0:02)


I am trying to set a little trap here. If e3 takes d4, Bishop then takes h2 check with a discovered attack on the Queen. But he sees it and moves the Queen out of the way. Which allows me to trade pawns and force his Bishop back to e1 or c1.

25. Qd1 (0:32) dxc3 (0:08)
26. bxc3 (0:09) bxc3 (0:04)
27. Be1 (0:12) Qf7 (0:49)


Queen to f7 threatens mate.

28. Bh4 (0:53) Rd8 (0:23)

If his Bishop takes my rook, Queen f2 is check mate.

29. Qe2 (0:09) Rd2 (0:09)



Rook to d2 was a very strong move. I can win the Queen now and there is very little he can do about it.
If he steps out of the way, I can mate him.


30. Qe1 (0:39) Rg2+ (0:05)

He offered me a draw at this point. It is mate next move. My response: Nyet! He then resigned

King to h1 is forced, then Rook to g3 is check Mate (discovered check mate with the Bishop.) Why win a Queen when you can win the King.

A Quickie

White out ranks me by about 100 points, but my rating has been in the dumps.
Mostly because I will play when I am to tired.

1. Nf3 (0:00) d5 (0:00)
2. b3 (0:02) c5 (0:03)
3. e4 (0:01) d4 (0:03)
4. Bc4 (0:10) Nc6 (0:03)
5. a3 (0:09) e5 (0:02)


This is probably a line, but I don't know it. It looks strange to me.
I am just trying to play sound center developing moves.

6. Qe2 (0:11) Be7 (0:13)
7. O-O (0:10) Nf6 (0:03)
8. Ng5 (0:04) O-O (0:04)

Go ahead and trade two pieces for a rook!

9. f4 (0:01) exf4 (0:06)

Probably a mistake on my part. Should have made him take and I retake with
a well placed night.

10. Rxf4 (0:03) Ne5 (0:03)
11. Rxf6 (0:31)


Wow, that has to be unsound!

11. ... Bxf6 (0:06)
12. Nxf7 (0:28)

Throwing good money after bad. Or, in for a penny, in for a pound.

12. ... Nxf7 (0:06)
13. d3 (0:06)

Pushing e5 would be better. But even so, I can give back some of
my profit.

13. ... Kh8 (0:08)

I have broke the pin.
14. Qh5 (0:06) Ne5 (0:14)

He puts a double hit on my knight and I just move it out.

15. Bd5 (0:07)

At this point I realize his Queen is looking awfully helpless.

15. Bg4 (0:17)


And White resigns, because his Queen is trapped.

Ice Jam

For the last few months I have been walking in Browns Woods, West Des Moines IA. for my lunch break. Well about two weeks ago the top layer of snow melted off leaving a thick layer of ice on the trail. I decided not to try walking on that since the risks exceeded the benifits. So, I tryed going back to Great Western Trail, which leads into Des Moines Water Works Park. When I went down there though, I saw the access was closed. The sign said water over the road.

We had had a couple of really warm days which allowed the Raccoon River to partially melt causing a ice jam to occur. So for the last couple of weeks I haven't been able to walk on my lunch break (bummer!) Well yesterday they opened the trail access to the Great Western Trail back up and I went down to look, unfortunatly I forgot my camera. Well today I brought it.



This was my first image overlooking the Raccoon River. According to my best estimate, the river is between 75 - 100 yards wide.



These are the blocks of ice strewn along the road. I assume the City had to use heavy equipment to clear the road of these blocks of ice.

That is my shoe up against a block of ice to show how thick they are. My shoe measures 12.5 inches long.

More images just showing how much ice is really here.




Images using a nearby car to show the physical size of it all.

The following two images showing broken trees in the river.


I really liked the broken tree trunk pointing straight up.

And finally a shot taken from a bridge crossing the river.

Checkmate with a Pawn!!!

1. d4 (0:00)

Ok, agianst d4 I usually play the Tarrasch.

d5 (0:00)


2. e3 (0:01) e6 (0:01)
3. Bd3 (0:01) c5 (0:02)
4. c3 (0:01) c4 (0:02)
5. Bc2 (0:01) Nc6 (0:04)
6. a3 (0:01)

Nf6 (0:03)
7. f4 (0:02)

f4 just leaves an ugly pawn formation.

Be7 (0:03)
8. Nf3 (0:01) O-O (0:03)
9. O-O (0:01) Nd7 (0:24)

Clearing the way to push pawns and destroy his center.


10. Qe2 (0:01) f6 (0:02)
11. Nbd2 (0:01) e5 (0:05)
12. fxe5 (0:14) fxe5 (0:02)
13. e4 (0:03) dxe4 (0:05)
14. Qxe4 (0:05) Nf6 (0:11)
15. Qe2 (0:15) exd4 (0:04)
16. Qxc4+ (0:05)

Oops, forgot about that.

17. Nxd4 (0:01) Nxd4 (0:11)
18. cxd4 (0:02) Qd5 (0:39)

I am not so bad, He's a pawn up but it is an isolani
and my pieces are better developed.

19. Qxd5 (0:06) Nxd5 (0:02)
20. Nb3 (0:01) Bd7 (0:20)
21. Bd2 (0:02) b6 (0:08)
22. Bd3 (0:13) Bd6 (0:13)
23. Rxf8+ (0:04) Rxf8 (0:03)
24. Rf1 (0:03) Be6 (0:11)
25. Rxf8+ (0:03) Bxf8 (0:03)
26. Bc4 (0:13) Be7 (0:18)
27. Bxd5 (0:02)

He's trading a good B for a N, He will pay
for that

Bxd5 (0:03)
28. Nc1 (0:08) Bf6 (0:04)
29. Bc3 (0:01) a5 (0:21)
30. Nd3 (0:03) b5 (0:04)
31. Nf4 (0:07) b4 (0:13)
32. axb4 (0:02) axb4 (0:05)
33. Bxb4 (0:04)

Well there goes his Isolani and it creates another,
ok technically its a passed pawn.

Bxd4+ (0:02)
34. Kh1 (0:01) Bf7 (0:08)
35. Bc3 (0:02) Bb6 (0:04)

Notice how much area my bishops are covering.

36. Nd3 (0:03) Bc4 (0:03)
37. Nb4 (0:04) h5 (0:05)
38. Nc2 (0:09) Kh7 (0:04)
39. Ne1 (0:02) g5 (0:03)
40. Nf3 (0:01) g4 (0:11)
41. Ne5 (0:05) Bb3 (0:05)
42. Nd7 (0:05) Bf2 (0:09)
43. Nf6+ (0:05) Kg6 (0:03)
44. Ne4 (0:08) Be3 (0:05)
45. Ng3 (0:09) h4 (0:21)

Notice that by moving his knight around attacking willy-nilly,
I am advancing my pawns.



46. Ne2 (0:03) Kf5 (0:16)
47. g3 (0:01) h3 (0:13)

I totally missed that Be5 is check mate!

48. Nf4 (0:08)

Unfortunately now I see it, but now to get it I am going to
have to maneuver.

Ba4 (0:12)
49. Ng2 (0:51)

He wants me to take his knight with my pawn, which would
allow his K to get out of that corner.

Bc6 (0:06)

This pins the knight allowing me to take it at my leisure
50. Bd2 (0:15) hxg2# (0:10)

Checkmate with a pawn!!!

Mostly March & Early April

2008.03.06

15.01 Temperature 30 degrees and clear, walking on the Pioneer Walkway.
15.04 Creek is free of ice. It is very brown and dirty looking.
15.15 Image taken of a large chunk of ice in the river.

2008.03.09

13.49 Seeing geese in creek a hundred yards off or so.
13.52 Now that I am closer I can see about 20 geese, have taken an image.


13.58 Have gotten some images of ducks on the creek also.


2008.03.10

14.12 35 degrees and sunny. I am walking on the Des Moines River trail.
14.25 Only seen squirrels.
14.36 Image attempted of eagle overhead in flight (sorry its a little blurry, but it is the best
one like this I've gotten.)


2008.03.13

13.30 Walking on the Pioneer trail. Partly clear, 58 degrees.
13.32 First robin of the year seen, no image taken.
13.33 Eagle seen in flight, image attempted, but unsuccessful.
13.35 Image taken of a robin bathing in a crick.


13.39 Image taken of a sparrow sized bird. It is probably a warbler or some sort of fly catcher.

13.43 The ground surrounding the trail is very soggy, water standing in many places, but hasn't breached the trail. I suspect it is a near flooding situation.
13.45 Robins are all over the place now. They must have arrived in force in the last few days.
13.47 Image of what I suspect is a nuthatch. (Sorry the Nut-Hatch is slightly out of focus.)
14.01 Large chunks of ice on the other bank seen, images taken.


14.18 Image taken of a smallish woodpecker.

2008.03.14

13.41 Mid fifties today with a light breeze.
13.59 Seeing lots of robins and not much else.
14.01 Image of Hairy Woodpecker. After inspecting the images, the bottom one has two
woodpeckers in it.


2008.03.15

13.43 Cloudy in the mid 30's. Its drying out a little, but rain is forecast over the next few days.
13.54 Image taken of what are probably Hairy Woodpeckers.
15.58 The trail near the creek, is mostly passable. Yesterday I had to inch my way on the ice bridge
on the edge of the trail but now it is mostly clear. The ice bridge was created when they plowed and then
the snow pack turned to ice.
14.00 Got an image of a male duck. I don't see the female though, but she has to be near by. Inspection of
the images revealed that the female was there, her camouflage was elegant. Look for orange, left of center and you will find a duck attached to it.


14.17 Tried to get an image of a small woodpecker, but I don't think I got it.
14.22 Tried to get an image of a pair of Rose Breasted Grosbeak.

2008.03.18

15.00 Walking on the River Trail I had a mink sighting and got several images of a cardinal.


2008.03.20

13.45 Walking on the Pioneer trail. Its clear and about 55 degrees.
14.02 Several images of a Rose Breasted Grosbeak.
14.07 I see the ducks that I last saw on the creek in a flooded area just to the east of the trail. Image not possible.
14.25 Several images taken of a ducks in the creek. I think they are Mallards.


2008.03.21

13.40 Its mostly clear today and about 45 degrees with a brisk wind of about 25 mph.
13.42 Image taken of a small sparrow sized bird (They turned out to be Goldfinches and blurry.)
Goldfinches are the State Bird of Iowa.
13.49 Image taken of what may be a meadowlark. (I believe they were Meadowlarks, but the images were poor.)
14.04 Image taken of a sparrow sized bird. I think it is a American Tree Sparrow.

14.09 More images of a sparrow sized bird. Why because I could. I am not sure what it is.


14.19 Saw a Rose Breasted Grosbeak, but unable to get image.
14.28 Saw a pair of eagles roosting on downed log, but they flew off before I could get the camera booted up.

2008.03.25

13.42 Its clear and about 55, but windy.
13.54 Image taken of a possible field hawk. Probable Red Tailed Hawk.



13.59 Eagle spotted in flight, no image attempted.
14.27 Images attempted of small sparrow sized birds, they are very very active.
I have not identified it.


2008.03.26

13.37 Several images taken of what may be a meadowlark.
13.56 Image taken of a cardinal.


14.00 Several images taken of goose on a sandbar in the creek.
14.09 Noticing trees are starting to bud out. Image taken of a tree bud.


14.00 Several images taken of goose on a sandbar in the creek.
14.09 Noticing trees are starting to bud out. Image taken of a tree bud.

2008.04.01

13.42 Upper 40's today and mostly cloudy.
14.08 Several images attempted of a probable Hairy Woodpecker.
14.10 Image taken of unidentified bird.
14.14 Image taken of a Rose Breasted Grosbeak.
14.40 Several images of some sort of hawk, estimated distance 100 meters.

2008.04.02

13.25 Sunny upper 50's.
13.44 Took an image of a robin, because I haven't seen anything else.
13.50 Several images of a deer taken.


13.58 Several images of an unidentified bird.
14.11 Blue jays spotted, but image unsuccessful.
14.14 Hairy Woodpecker image taken.
14.16 Images taken of deer.
14.27 Images attempted of what appears to be a hawk.

2008.04.07

13.35 Image taken of an unidentified bird.
13.45 Peepers(frogs) are loud, but I can't see any.
13.51 Image taken of a peeper(frog.)


13.56 Image taken of unidentified bird.
14.09 Images taken of geese in the creek.



2008.04.09

Walked, but forgot my voice recorder. Didn't walk on the 8th due to heavy rain.

The following image was taken on the 9th. I don't know for sure what it is, but I suspect some sort of fly catcher or a Warbler. And lastly I got another picture of a Peeper.

Febuary Walks

2008.02.05

13.42 Snowing, about 30 degrees. Over the next couple of days we are supposed to get about 6 - 9 inches.

13.57 Squirrel in a snow storm.

2008.02.06

13.43 About 6 inches on the ground and about 30 degrees F. in tempature.



14.07 Downy Woodpecker seen, unable to take image.

2008.02.08
14.27 About 50 degrees today. Deer seen at the edge of the woods.

14.37 Squirrels seen, no image taken.
14.38 Woodpecker seen, probably a male Hairy Woodpecker.

A bioligist that I know, who is into photography, pointed out that this is a very good photo (below.)



14.45 More woodpecker images taken, possibly the same species.

14.50 Eagle seen in flight, image attempted, but not successful.
2008.02.11

15.29 Its cold, about 5 degrees.
15.40 Eagles seen in trees. No image taken, too much brush in the way.
15.51 Another eagle spotted, a couple hundred yards away. Its flying close to the trees, no image attempted.

2008.02.12

14.21 Fifteen degrees and sunny, nothing seen yet.
15.00 Small woodpecker seen, image unsuccessful.

2008.02.20

15.25 Walking on the river trail, its about zero today. Nothing seen yet.
15.52 Geese seen in flight.

2008.02.22

14.56 Downy Woodpecker imaged (probably a female.) Its warm today and the trails are about two-thirds clear. This is the first time in weeks I've been able to walk down here without boots on.

14.57 Large hawk or eagle seen and imaged. It appears to have been in a fight.





2008.02.29

14.44 Snow from earlier in the week is almost gone. Its in the 40's today.
14.57 Hearing birds, but not seeing them. Ice in the river is melting, but no clear channel yet.
15.22 Image of squirrel taken, because I am not seeing anything else.

2008.03.01

14.52 About 40 today, lots of melting and I am having to work my way around it, mostly using ice bridges.
15.09 Geese imaged on the creek, the first of the year (there is over 20 of them.)


2008.03.04
15.46 I am on the river trail today, several images of a cardinal taken.

15.49 Several images of eagles taken, also seeing ducks in the river.
16.08 Image taken of an eagle in a tree. The tree is about 10 meters from me and the angle is up sharp.

January

January has been a cold snowy month. Very little astronomy was attempted since it was mostly cloudy.

2008.01.03

13.50 Squirrels seen, no image taken.
13.51 Two downy woodpeckers seen, image of one taken (In the snow.)





14.00 Soaring eagle seen, no image taken (Its very difficult to get a picture of birds in flight, due to the slow action on automatic digital cameras.)
14.45 Geese seen flying in the distance.
14.50 Three deer seen, probably all does. Got an image of one (Didn't turn out.)

2008.01.04

14.34 Image taken of some small birds, possibly sparrows (Didn't turn out.)
.

2008.01.10

14.55 Squirrels seen, no image taken.

2008.01.11

14.59 Only seen squirrels up to this point, one image taken.


15.31 Eagle seen, no image taken.

2008.01.15

15.27 Saw two deer, got an image of one. Then two other deer joined the first and then I got multiple images.

2008.01.16

13.54 Currently there is light snow, but a larger storm is brewing to the west. (We received about 4 inches of snow durring the night.) Not much moving around, saw a few squirrels.
14.21 Saw geese in flight, no images taken.

2008.01.17

15.24 There is fresh snow on the ground and it is cold (around 13 deg. Fareheit.) I have taken an image of a deer. When the deer fled I could see two white tails.
15.50 Several images taken of the frozen riverbed.


2008.01.21

14.26 Taken an image of a squirrel using its tail to protect itself from the falling snow with its tail. Saw a downy Woodpecker, but didn't get an image.


14.54 Now I have taken an image of a downy woodpecker.


15.10 Saw an eagle in flight, no image taken.

2008.01.22

13.37 Three does in the brush, image attempted, but it didn't turn out.
13.43 Seeing a lot of red squirrels, no images attampted.
13.45 Ok, I took a couple images of a squirrel.



2008.01.23

13.27 Light snow, no animals seen so far.
13.39 Saw two deer at a distance, no image attempted. They appear to be circling around me.
13.46 Took an image of a squirrel at fairly near range.


2008.01.25

15.49 Lots of geese on the Des Moines River.


Have seen three eagles that have landed in some trees. One is directly across
the river from me and the others are a few hundred yards up the river. Tried to take an image but they didn't turn out very good, but am posting the best one.


2008.01.28

14.14 Warm today, low 50's. The snow is melting and cricks are filling up.

15.05 Eagle spotted, several images attempted.

2008.01.30

14.38 Current tempature 7 degrees Ferinheit, light snow. Yesterday I skipped walking due to a -14 windchill factor. Taken image of four deer,
then at least three more join them. Several images taken.


15.28 Several images of what I think is an American Kestrel.