I have deleted all outside night videos with snow like you show, I'm sure, there should be some to come in the near future then I'll post.

But.. have found some strange round things which you might call orbs but I'm not sure.

Your link below does look snow to me,...I sure would like to see the same thing happening in the house,..then I'm sold.

Here is a link that might be useful: IR cameras

One

Two

Three

Hi Claire, I finally was able to look at the orb study site more that you gave and found it very interesting.

I like how they call the orbs "UFPs", Unified Field Plasmoids (-Atoms and Light Quanta). I want to thank you and your friend again for finding the site.

------------

Hi konrad___far_north

The video that you are talking about, in the top middle camera I have the porch light on to show it wasn't snowing.

Nice pics you have. It looks like on the pics, you have the 'barrel effect shape' that they talk about on the orbstudy site that Claire provided. (Thank you again Claire, your a great asset to the forum)

http://orbstudy.com/BIZyCart.ASP?STYLE=BASE&GROUP=Camera&NEXTPAGE=Products.htm&THISPAGE=Catalog.htm&THISGROUP=CONTENTS&CLIENT=OrbStudy&ACCOUNT=36344.

The pics you have are different than mine but I won't count them out. You must have a fast shutter on your camera to not catch them in motion. I can't wait to see some videos.

I decided to go ahead and hook up one of the 'not so good' IR camera that I wasn't using in my living room to catch some of the orbs (plasmiods).

Now bare in mind, it won't show all the orbs like the good IR cameras do (that are due in), but you will get the just of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXIj-OTmxMI

Ed

Btw, everything I talk about is the absolute truth.

This post was edited by Trickyfingers on Wed, Jan 9, 13 at 14:54

I do believe you Ed,
That doesn't mean whatever you or me see and think is the truth ...is the actual truth.

I'm just guessing at this point and speculating, your indoor video is not at all seeing snowing as it does outdoor, still, I did see the odd white ball passing, I'm not sold yet.

As I said before, really tiny particles of dust floating in the air at all times, [cant' be seen with naked eye] especially in winter with the furnace blowing will show these kind of anomalies,
results,....dust in the house.

Infrared cameras can pick this up easily.

I posted some more still pictures, [to get answers] of my home brew outdoor cameras in this site where people helped me getting it build.

Here is a link that might be useful: What are these round spots in picture,....

Here is one you might call it orbs, Ed.
I'm about 100% sure it's snowing. When you take night infrared video, ..it looks like what you're showing.

This post was edited by konrad___far_north on Wed, Jan 9, 13 at 18:41

We don't have a forced air furnace, just to let you know.

Didn't you first say it was dust and bugs outside that now your claiming inside??? You like to change and divert playing devils advocate.

I expected this type of response from you, not wanting to admit. I already know what your going to say when I have the good IR cameras up.

Oh, and I wouldn't call that last pic of yours orbs or a video either..

To insinuate that I don't know what snow looks like when you know I live in Alaska (for almost 40 yrs) is demeaning and totally un-necessary.

All I'm doing is sharing it and what I know about it, not trying to sell anybody on it.

Congratulations, your the only one that begs to differ. Everyone else that I talk to see's what I see.

Like they say, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

Best wishes,
Ed

This post was edited by Trickyfingers on Wed, Jan 9, 13 at 19:46

It's not my intention to get you mad,..if I did I'm sorry.
All I want to do is to get to the bottom of this,..your so called orbs got me thinking with my still photos.

Tonight I checked my security cameras, ...lots of artificial light, making it less visible. [link below]

>>your the only one that begs to differSurely, when only one or two commend on your thread with orbs.

Lets see what the people think in the camera building site, link above, lots more visit there and lots of knowledge in regards to what can cause things in pictures what are of mystery.

Snowing tonight.

Here is a link that might be useful: snowing

I haven't studied orbs,...just looking into, looks like my theory was proven before...

Dust you will also have without air forced furnace.

Here is a link that might be useful: The truth about orb photos!

More..

You mentioned,.. your upper middle camera is not showing, or very little orbs, my explanation, camera is more protected from the element.

Here is a link that might be useful: Orbs

I'm not at all mad. I was just giving you the benefit of a doubt and I see where that went. Most observe better. But you blew it and I understand.

If you wanted to get to the bottom of it, you would have done something with the info you got with the website. But you want to play..

Your video has again no comparison to what I show. Yours is obviously snowing. Why isn't your snow going upwards??? Why even try???

What your offering in comparison is weak, so don't bother..

The truth about orb photos site has no pics that look like mine (pics). Did you even see my photos??

I feel that this is a lost cause with you and your not getting it and your proving my point, I tried.

For anyone else interested and want to see some excitement, check out this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4xtOpB7Mho

It's a little long but worth it.
Ed

I'm not saying all orbs are explainable, according to researchers,
about 99.9 % are.

Here is a link that might be useful: Orbs in Photographs - A Mystery Solved a Truth Revealed

Now your being funny..

Maybe we should talk about dreams.

You know that a 70 year old person sleep on the average of 25 years?

So that means if your 35 years old, you would have slept for 12.5 years. Right??

That is a long time not knowing where your mind has been.

Have sweet dreams,
Ed

You guys are too much, lol! And I thought women were bad. Come on, fellas, can we go back to the wonderful birds and animals that you both do so well? I don't pipe up often, but I sure appreciate Crooked Beak's life story and Konrad's forest of fun. You guys are good at what at you do and I, for one, would like to see more of the original subject here if the spitting contest is over.

Now drifting back into my orb...

Jane :)

Jane does have a point - this is the Bird Watching Forum after all, and Garden Web eventually may pull the thread if there are no birds mentioned (unless they set up a new Orb Watching Forum, which wouldn't really surprise me).

That said, I find the orb conversation fascinating and would like to see it continue, just mixed in with some magpies and ravens and other birds. Southern Alaskan wildlife is so different from here in coastal Massachusetts. I include orbs in the category of wildlife.

The videos from January 9 are startling in their activity. The only thing I've found so far associated with that time frame is an increase in the Solar X-Ray Flux as shown on this NOAA Space Weather site.

Claire

This post was edited by claire on Thu, Jan 10, 13 at 12:16

Just a thought for the orbs discussion (which many of us like) - if you choose, it could be moved to the Garden Web Forum titled, Nature Photography and Optics Forum -linked below. Just an idea, this is not my thread, none of my business, but maybe more nature photographers would join in the discussion on another forum which is dedicated to photography.

I have a photo with an orb, but it was taken indoors years ago, on film without a flash. Might be interesting to see if other nature photographers are currently experiencing what you have. Just an idea.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nature Photography and Optics Forum

Yeah...this bird forum is pretty well dead, so may as well read this.

Here is a link that might be useful: What are these round spots in picture,....

For any orb & ghost hunters a must see!!

Some very good Infrared video in the house,..something we might see from Ed soon.

OH...and snow flies in all direction, even when you don't think the wind blows, ...air is always moving.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dust orbs and how to spot them (video)

I'm not willing to say definitively that orbs do exist and are not just a camera artifact, but Ed's videos can't be explained easily by just saying it's snow or dust or water drops on the lens.

There was no snow build up on the cars in the January 9 videos and no wind was visible in the trees that would be strong enough to blow dust around in that magnitude. There was a lot of activity shown there that can't be brushed off casually.

So far, the OrbStudy.com website seems to me to have the most plausible explanations i.e., the plasmoids.

I'm looking forward to seeing more videos that can be analyzed in positive or negative fashion.

I'm also looking forward to seeing more magpies - is Crooked Beak's bill growing out again?

Claire

Hi Corunum and Claire, I thank you both for the input.

Wow, I can tell that konrad has gone through some serious sibling rivalry in the past and hasn't let it go. Like someone that needs the attention and has to have the last say- it's common.

Why look at things in a negative perspective (just like with the magpies)? Why try to debunk and degrade? It's out of pure jealousy. It's obvious and it oozes out of him from what I see.

He thinks I don't do research or know the difference between things (I wasn't born yesterday), lol.

He thinks I don't communicate with other people from the web, like youtube and other sites etc., lol.. He assumes way too much.

I've been getting emails and talking to more people than just this site on the issue, lol..

Like I told him before, he is the only one that begs to differ out of everyone, so what is that saying.

Maybe he will wake up, maybe not. Ego can be a pain sometimes.

Yeah, I think I'll stick to the orbstudy site too Claire. They are more reputable place than any of the others. They mention the things that I have said (going through walls, in trees, blinking, flashing, turning..) They even talk a little about Quantum Physics.

Once I get the other cameras up and going, I'll probably get in touch with orbstudy about the videos I have. I might even talk to them about Nano Quantum Scalar Energy and ley lines too, lol.

Crooked Beak is doing good. Her bill is about the same as it was.

She got mad at Squeaker the other day because he forgot to bring her food (he got distracted), so she had to come and get for herself w/big bites. Once Squeaker did start bringing her food, I guess he didn't bring enough because the both of them showed up again and you could tell she wasn't pleased with him, sort of comical.

Ed

OK,..I do understand your point of view when living where you are. Our northerly climate is very dry and very different, when it snows at very low temp., snow flakes are very small and very light, ...it can snow several hours very lightly and nothing really shows of any accumulation.

I checked the weather in Alaska the same night of Ed's last video post and indeed they had light snow.

I have played one of the magpies video and wasn't pleased
to what I have seen.

This many magpies feeding on the porch is not good!
I know he doesn't have a problem,..as he say's, knowing now that he's a know it all and nothing will make him believe otherwise.

Magpies behave the same here or there.
They raid nest, so do Crows. If you have a large population then it can decimate other birds.

Feeding down on the floor on the porch is not good,..brings in
other critters/rodents.

I remember in Switzerland growing up, at one time we had a bounty on Magpies, people were encouraged to raid nest to bring the population down,...for a reason.

What happened to our serious birders, ...are all gone or don't want to speak up?

Let me know if I'm right or wrong.

Wrong

Ok, it looks like we are moving forward now.

I checked with USPS and it looks like the other cameras are in now, so I will start hooking them up tonight!

The weather here is warm and is 43 degrees right now. The birds seem to like the warmness. Here is a video showing the ravens in the warm weather:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjZwi0crUdU

Been having another activity happening with the orbs. One is like a white smoke, I called it a wisp for some odd reason and I have a video of it. The other is like a white business card that is twisted with corners that I haven't been able to catch on video yet.

Here the video with the white smoke:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQF3skltFLI

Ed

I don't expect ravens to be sloshing around in slush in Alaska in January! That's the kind of weather we've been having here in MA but we're used to it.

I played with stopping the motion on your orb video and caught one "wisp" at 3:14 in the bottom center window. I also caught a denser one at 3:21 in the center window. Is this what you're calling "like a white business card"?

Some of the trails going straight down look like they could be rain/snow melt drops but not all of them.

Claire

I just took screen shots of the above-mentioned orbs.

Wisp at 3:14 in bottom center window (left side of window):

Business Card at 3:21 in center window (bottom right corner of window):

My cursor shows as a little blip in both shots. I should have moved it away.

Claire

This post was edited by claire on Wed, Jan 16, 13 at 16:34

Wow Claire, that was a good catch of the eye, good observation!! I like how you did the screen shots too!! Thank you for doing that!

But yeah, that is what it resembles. Usually when I see them is when they zip across the screen or see it go shooting upwards in the tree camera. They are very quick, but I'm sure I'll catch more videos of them.

It has been a busy week with putting most of the cameras up. I still have one more left to do.

When I put up the new good camera in the living room, the orbs were wanting to be seen so I grabbed the camera, left the lights on and started recording:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUIC0nIfWZo

After I put up another new camera outside pointing towards the trees and deck, it started snowing, so I videoed it snowing plus showing a little bit of orbs.

There were some other orbs there that I haven't shown before, like the small orbs in trees and some others that you will see:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIpnx0kpF0Y

I had what I believe to be a flock of Blackpoll Warblers come by on the deck. I'll need your conformation Claire on this one to be sure I've got it right.

But, they have been hanging out in the trees with the other birds too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i82Ek7K3R_k

Thanks again Claire for what you posted.

Ed

This post was edited by Trickyfingers on Mon, Jan 21, 13 at 3:10

I don't know warblers at all, but those do look like Blackpoll Warblers according to my references. They should have migrated way south by now; maybe the warm winter has delayed them. I'll bet they're passing through your yard and won't hang around long after they've filled up on your deli food. I took a quick look at eBird and didn't see any blackpolls in Alaska in winter. Your local eBird representative would probably be very interested.

If they're still around next month, it would be a good report for the Great Backyard Bird Count held on February 15-18. There were none reported last year. You have plenty of other birds to report too.

Those orbs indoors are very clear with the new camera. Are they moving slower than the ones outdoors?

The snow falls at a very different pace and track than the orbs. I have no idea what the stationary lights are. Maybe some geostationary weather satellites? If it's clear enough to see the moon it may be clear enough to see a satellite.

Claire

Yeah, from what I read, they aren't even supposed to be anywhere near here. Maybe they won't leave here this year.
They are still coming by too. When I go outside they get really loud, chirping all over the place.

The chickadees are now landing right next to me too when I put food out and are talking with great excitement.
They aren't shy anymore.

We have been having some very strange things happening here besides the weather and animal behaviors.
We have been having strange noises in the sky, plus loud booms. The news stations did a coverage of it and was talking
to the military bases (JBER), FAA and government officials with no answers.

I think the animals are getting ready for the upcoming months. Compasses are going to start acting different because
of Magnetic field anomalies, a MEGA quake(s) is just around the corner, solar flares (burst) events will be more active.
Auroras will show in places not normally seen too and its all not random.

I mean if you look back lets say within the last 3 years, just with the MEGA quakes alone, you would see they happen
around the same time frame:
2/27/2010- 8.8 Chile
3/11/2011- 9.0 Japan
4/11/2012- 8.6 & 8.2 Indonesia (on the same day!)

So with that said, I'm thinking around 3/8-3/11 something will occur. Maybe something will build to that point
in late February too, not sure, too many things happening right at the moment. But I figured I would express my feelings
on the topic.

I might do the backyard bird count just for general purpose.

Some of the orbs do move slower than the others. I just happen to catch them while they were at a slow pace.
They do move quicker inside when excited. They act just like the ones outside.

There is a definite difference between the snow and the orbs. I'm glad you can tell the difference between the two.

Ed

Update:

Got all the cameras up and going now. Had to change wires on a couple, for some odd reason they were acting up.
The Blackpoll Warblers are still here and there are more showing up. Here is video of them on the hut and one that got on window frame and was looking in (too cute)-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PhIaE462bc

Here they are on 2/6/13 on the platform-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqu2X8g5HaA

Here is mama raven keeping babies in order (she wanted them on one side of her). They listened very well too, lol-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzCnBtLMnt8

Here is video of magpies, ravens, warblers and chickadees in tree together-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRHpaRGYxp4

Here is a good friend "Buddy" the chickadee hanging out-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Owf6UWE-Jhg

Crooked beak is doing good. She still has her bill growing, but she's happy.

(Off topic)
Been having many helicopters doing low flybys. Been having planes fly by very low too that hardly make a sound, I only noticed them because of the lights as they are passing by.

What really got my attention was the F-22 Raptor that did a low flyby and scared the birds and shook the house. It passed over very quick and low. I only videoed it as it was lifting and banking to the right. It happened so quickly-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwS_w-bLaoE

It's getting interesting here...

Ed

Wonderful that the warblers are still there, they're getting good food supplies to stock them for their next move, whatever it may be. I hope you do the Great Backyard Bird Count; I'm sure the report will be of great interest to ornithologists and others. Anyone can search their database and find the information - it's a permanent record of bird observations.

It's February already - maybe the warblers can survive until Spring in Alaska. I hope so.

Those juvenile ravens can't all be from one brood, maybe it's several years' worth of kids? Or an extended family with one very strong matriarch in charge.

It looks like you often have a raven standing sentinel keeping an eye out when others are on the ground.

RE Off topic:
You do have strange and interesting things in your neighborhood atmosphere.

Claire

Another meteorological phenomenon that hasn't been mentioned so far (at least I didn't see it as I scanned through the posts) is FREEZING FOG. Some of these mysterious snapshots are at night, in the winter, and show what looks like snow without any evidence of accumulation.

On a clear night, radiational cooling allows the surface temperature to drop to its dew point, causing condensation we all know to be fog/mist. Very often the surface temp is subfreezing and that fog/mist freezes into ice crystals.

Freezing fog looks an awful lot like suspended snow particles.

This doesn't explain all of the strange images, but it is very likely to explain some of them.

Since I didn't see this subject mentioned, I thought I'd throw it out there under the assumption that it has been unknown/ignored.

Hi Claire,

Yes, I'll be doing the bird count here in about a week. I think it would be good to have it recorded for this year.

I believe the warblers are going to stay here for the rest of the season because of the storms down south are too severe. It's been nice temp here.

I think your right about the ravens, they have about 4-6 babies every cycle. Maybe I should have said mama/babysitter..lol

Yeah, they usually have a raven play 'lookout' in the tree(s) while the others are on the ground.

What I found funny was when there where more that 12 ravens in the yard, a magpie would go under the deck and began pecking on a metal can scaring the ravens away. It has happened more than once, so I know it isn't by accident.
-----------
Hi TMFF and welcome to the forum!

Thank you for your thoughtful suggestion, however your assumption is incorrect. In previous videos, especially the ones when the orbs are really thick, I've gone outside to show there isn't fine snow particle, fog, rain, dust or insects.

I try to be as observant as possible and note any observations as much as I can. It wouldn't be very scientific otherwise (not that I'm trying to be a scientist- but I am trying to be an unbiased observer).

During those videos we didn't have any fog. Good suggestion though.

Ed

TMFF
I wanted to tell you the outcome but I waited.
Pointless to even comment,..he only believes in himself, he only believes in he's orbs. He's snow orbs are orbs, my snow orbs is snow,...as he say's. I can also show you my dust orbs,..no point, he'll tell me that's dust. LOL

Hi konrad___far_north,

Back for another round??

You keep lowering your frequency.

I think they are selling common sense on ebay, maybe you should buy one.

Take care
Ed

Like they say, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

I hear an echo.

Orbs?-them are ghosts!

Hi Jomuir,

Thank you for your comment. I just consider them exotic energy with intelligence. They may be something that fuels the universe as far as I know. I've felt positive energy from them that was beyond recognition (totally awesome). The best I could put it is like having a back message and foot rubbed etc at the same time with someone blowing in your ear, except it's 10 times more intense, if that makes any sense. Almost like ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) but much much more...

My dog Cody has felt the energy off of them too by waking up and licking his nose a lot as if his nose was tingling (it just so happened during the "Very Excited Orbs" video).

They are harmless though, but it seem some hold more of a charge than others (different levels), maybe because they are juveniles, lol. They are still here everyday. The weather here has been great too, just had snow the other day just in time for Fur Rondy. But all and all, it been a mild winter and that can be verified to this day. We haven't been sick either in years- can't remember the last time.

Little update on the birds:

Having more breeds show up and can't tell what types. 4-5 different small ones and a dark brown one with a long bill, it makes a squeaking sound- it reminds me of a duckling, but isn't. I have a 20 sec video of it talking but his head was on the other side of the upper branch, I'll get better video of it soon.

Had a one legged raven show up in the backyard but I can't name it hopper because that name belongs to the one legged magpie, so I'm going to name him "Lefty". I have video of them both (if anybody wants to see them, I'll download it).

What I like is that all the ravens and magpies let Lefty eat all by himself without any interruptions- which is really cool- he comes by everyday now with no problems. Hopper, he get around better with one leg then some of the birds that have two, lol.

Ed

This post was edited by Trickyfingers on Thu, Feb 21, 13 at 7:12

Ok, I have a better camera now that takes better videos (most of the time..lol). I figured I would share this one of Crooked Beak, Squeaker and baby.

Normally, Crooked Beak or Squeaker will be at the tip of the treetop, but this time they let baby take the tip. I think that was so thoughtful of them (you can hear Squeaker squeaking)-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub-FrDNOCUM

Ed

Very clear photos, Ed, and you can even see Crooked Beak's bill extensions growing back. Is it top and bottom or mostly one?

The kid's on the top of the world! With mom and dad keeping a close eye out.

Claire

Forgive me for not reading all posts but did you ever figure out the small birds? Could they be redpolls? Warblers seem very unlikely but never say never! I think I'll skip the orb controversy as I always assumed any white spots on my pics was because I'm not a very good photographer. I have enjoyed following the Crooked beak saga-sorry her beak is rowing back. Thanks for sharing.
Susan

Trickyfingers-"Ok, I have a better camera now that takes better videos (most of the time..lol). I figured I would share this one of Crooked Beak, Squeaker and baby."

I'd love to put up a camera (or two) in my yard to photograph birds (or trespassers!)

Could you please suggest what kind of camera(s) you use and why?

Did you install it yourself?

Thanks!

Looking forward to more posts about 'Crooked Beak' and Co.

Thanks Claire for the comment. I like this one better too because I can zoom in while videoing besides having clearer videos. It's mostly Crooked Beak's bottom bill that is growing out.

Squeaker has been teaching Baby how to Squeak like him too- it's funny listening to them.

---------------

Hi organic_bassetlvr. I been having many redpolls show up (have on videos), but there still is some that seem to have what looks like a black top with a long black spot on the chest

Claire provided photos and info about the redpolls in her post about 'Great Backyard Bird Count' (thanks again Claire!), so I'm leaning towards them being redpolls more than the warbler.

It's no problem on skipping the orbs, it was just something else I was sharing. I'm glad you enjoy Crooked Beaks story and thank you for your kindness and concern.

---------------------

Hi dreamgarden. Thank you for you kindness, I'm glad you like! The camera I was referring to about videoing and being better was the Sony HD (Handycam) HDR-CX260.

The new camera before that was a Samsung HD- it seem to have multiple problems like with focus, sound and stability. The camera before that was my original Kodak EasyShare that just started having multiple problems too- it was a good camera.

The cameras I have for monitoring outside are the IR night vision. I have 16 of them now to monitor the birds and any other activities I have around the house.

I did install mine myself and have them all hard wired (I can't use wireless) . You might have better luck with the wireless than I did (frequency issues). The wireless are easy to install, it's also the best bang for you buck. You can get them on ebay-

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-4G-Wireless-Home-Outdoor-CCTV-Security-Night-Vision-IR-Color-Camera-System-/221041070311?pt=US_Surveillance_Security_Systems&hash=item33771310e7

Or you can type in- '2.4G wireless CCTV IR Night' on ebay search. The system comes with two wireless cameras and a receiver. It cost under a hundred dollars too.

The 16 cameras I use are the 2.4 GHz waterproof 380 TVL 1/3 CMOS NTSC 3.6mm lens CCTV Night vision with audio.

------------------
Here are some videos I added if you haven't seen them already-

"Zippy" the Red Breasted Nuthatch-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVYPQ5FpBDw
---------
"Rav" the Raven-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyyaWHIN_lM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2R7k7tjle0
---------
"Sue and "Lou" the Common Redpoll-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UelrTOoY0U
----------
"Centra" the European Starling-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-j6gXSQ9FM
-----------
Some other Redpolls-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Klb44uKe6Z0
-----------
My dog "Cody"-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f11FUslzBA

Hope you like them,

Ed

This post was edited by Trickyfingers on Mon, Mar 25, 13 at 21:50