This photo of the first quarter moon through the cottonwood tree was taken at sunset when it was due south. Each day at sunset this week, the moon will move a little further to the east until by the end of the week it will rise a little more than an hour before sunset, almost completely round.

This female cardinal looks like she is eyeing how much bird seed is left in the feeder, a little concerned about how little is left. Birds eat a lot more seed in cold temperatures as metabolism increases and alternative food sources diminish.

This eastern gamagrass provides a native grass burst to mirror fireworks overhead as a way to bring in the new year. The calendar year is a human construct recognized by no other life forms, but happy new year anyway!

The winter solstice is on Tuesday; expect 14 1/2 hours between sunset Tuesday and sunrise Wednesday morning. In contrast, summer solstice nights last just a little more than 9 hours.

Last week, the calm water reflected the sunset and leafless trees just west of the Baker Wetlands a few minutes after sunset. This week promises to be much windier, with high fire danger and potentially severe weather midweek.

This heron is hanging out on a cottonwood branch at the Baker Wetlands near the Wakarusa River in the fading twilight. The sun sets at 4:59 p.m. all this week, the earliest sunsets of the year.

With a shrinking, waning moon and fair skies predicted for much of the week, this might be a very good time to observe the night sky.

This greenish-tinged limestone is full of fossils, including a short seven-segment section of a crinoid stalk, a plant that was quite prolific in oceans where Kansas is now some 250 million years ago.

Nov. 17 is the peak day for deer-car accidents, with some 700 of the 10,000 annual collisions in Kansas occurring on that day. Drive carefully, especially around dawn and dusk.