How did you spend your New Year’s Day? When I arrived yesterday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the sun had just risen. I was a bit shocked to see four other cars in the parking lot, given that it was only 7:30 in the morning. I trudged about the refuge all day (and have a bunch of photos to sort through) and as I departed at 6:00 pm, the full moon was rising.
It was a long, tiring day, but I can’t think of anything I would rather have been doing to start off the new year. Just for fun, I’m also including the view from inside my car as I got ready to step out into the crisp morning air. I am not sure it was actually 5 degrees outside ( minus 15 degrees C), but that was what my car showed as the outside temperature. Eventually it “warmed up” to about 24 degrees (minus 5 C) during the day, though the occasional gusts of wind made it feel colder.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Well how nice, if cold Mike! Wishing you many more beautiful days in 2018.
Lovely bookends to the day! This cold snap is keeping me and my camera in!
What a day you had!! Sounds invigorating and inspiring, and your sunrise + sunset shots are wonderful! Happy birding in 2018!
Benjamin and I enjoyed these two photos. He loves the moon photo because orange is his favorite color! Thank-you!