Random Tuesday

I went down by the Sangamon River yesterday to see how low the water level was with respect to the ongoing severe drought. Surprisingly, it was higher than this time last year at the location I visited by about a foot. I imagine this could be due to recent rains quickly flowing into drainage channels instead of be absorbed by the ground that is hard as a rock. Despite the depth, the murky water was sluggish and stagnant as is typical for all bodies of water right now or so it seems. No significant river shots but see how many turtles you can find in the first image which was roughly 50 yards or so away (hence the aberration for being full 300mm).



Down by the waters edge were an abundance of damselflies. An emergent one that was still gaining wing strength landed nearby and allowed me to get close.




This was with the reverse ring, still learning.


Male Pondhawk from elsewhere.


Later, I had to go to Sullivan and with that, swung by Lake Shelbyville.


Heading out, a snowflake ornament on a random out of the way tree caught my eye.

Overnight Rain Storms

With the passage of the latest frontal boundary, we FINALLY saw some beneficial rains with many areas picking up over an inch. Lightning was constant but not exactly photogenic.

North Side Outflow

Thursday's storm complex to drop through the southern half of the state caught my attention even though I wasn't really able to be out. I was however, close to an open area that enabled me to not only view an unusual north side shelf cloud but a family of gustnadoes upon passage of the gust front ejecting out from the south. Initially I didn't think I would have reason at all to break out my camera hence why the first shot is merely an edited phone pic.









What seemed like nothing when entering the state would mushroom into a massive complex that produced generous rainfall where it passed but left many areas dry including here (which for those who do not know is between Springfield and Champaign).




And finally, near sunset.