Outings

• 
  April 25, 2024

  Environment:
  Start Time: 6:15 AM Temperature: 46 degrees Sky: Hazy sunlight.

  

  Walking around Rock Canyon this morning was mostly uneventful. Osprey were unusually absent from the skies and their favorite perches. I only saw one with a meal in progress (pictured here) and he (?) was dining well off the trail. Another bird that I think was trying to have breakfast was the Double Crested Cormorant who is the featured image for today. I saw it thrashing something around so I snapped a quick picture hoping to see a big fish. The Cormorant was probably wishing for the same thing but, instead, had some river muck possibly stuck in its bill. Mother owl was nowhere to be found around the nest. One of the (not so) little ones was way up on a high branch having a good look around. Its two siblings were still staying close to home.

  Owl Watch

  

  Sightings:
  Birds: Mallards, Wood Ducks, Blue-winged Teals, Double Crested Cormorants, Great Horned Owls, Starlings, Ospreys, Canada Geese, American Robins, American Kestrels, Northern Flickers, Doves, Common Grackles, Great Blue Herons, Wild Turkeys, Turkey Vultures, Blue Jays, Red-tailed Hawk, Green Heron (probable), Brown-headed Cowbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds, White-crowned Sparrows, Woodpeckers, Say’s Phoebe, Spotted Towhee
  Critters: Mule Deer, Tree Squirrels, Prairie Dog, Wood Louse

  KINGSYARD HEAVY DUTY METAL MESH BIRD FEEDER

  Gear: Olympus OM-1 E-M1 Mark II, Lumix 100-400mm; Olympus EE-1 Dot Sight

  

  ---

• 
  April 24, 2024

  Environment:
  Start Time: 6:15 AM Temperature: 44 degrees Sky: Bright sunlight.

  

  Even with a cooler air temperature, walking around Rock Canyon was much more pleasant today than yesterday. I actually managed to do my entire walk without even a thought of throwing in the towel early. There are two nesting developments to report. First – pictured here is what I saw when I checked on the Great Horned Owl nest. The kids are kind of outgrowing the nest and are literally branching out. Mom was positioned below the nest for reasons only she knows. Second – I have confirmed that the nest I believed to be a Red-tailed Hawk nest is indeed that. The picture below is my proof. Today’s featured image is a Wood Duck Drake. He and his lady were hopping from tree to tree in a manner that made me think they were having trouble finding their nest. I’m finishing off this post with a shot of a woodpecker of an undetermined brand.

  

  ---

  Owl Watch

  <<=====================

  Sightings:
  Birds: Mallards, Wood Ducks, Pied-billed Grebe, Double Crested Cormorants, Great Horned Owls, Starlings, Ospreys, Canada Geese, American Robins, American Kestrel, Northern Flickers, Doves, Brown-headed Cowbird, Great Blue Heron, Wild Turkeys, Turkey Vultures, Blue Jays, Red-tailed Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Western Meadowlarks
  Critters: Mule Deer. Prairie Dog

  KINGSYARD HEAVY DUTY METAL MESH BIRD FEEDER

  Gear: Olympus OM-1 E-M1 Mark II, Lumix 100-400mm; Olympus EE-1 Dot Sight

  

  ---

• 
  April 23, 2024

  Environment:
  Start Time: 6:15 AM Temperature: 51 degrees Sky: Cloud mitigated sunlight with heavy breeze.

  

  Today’s outing got cut short by some pesky clouds that dimmed the light. That and a persistent chilly wind. But I made good use of the time I had. Featured is the biggest (little) news of the season – a couple of Canada Geese giving their four goslings a trip down the Arkansas River. Considering the river water level you could think these parents a bit reckless. Only one of the three Great Horned Owlets was making itself visible this morning. Mom was snoozing in a nearby tree. The European Starlings are grouping up in the mornings – sort of like a local diner in a small town. I didn’t see any coffee. I’m still trying to locate the American Kestrel nest just off the trail near the fishing pond. I caught the happy couple having a talk just as the Sun was coming up.

  Owl Watch

  

  Sightings:
  Birds: Mallards, Wood Ducks, Double Crested Cormorants, Great Horned Owls, Starlings, Ospreys, Canada Geese, American Robins, American Kestrels, Northern Flickers, Doves, Common Grackles, Great Blue Heron, Wild Turkeys, Turkey Vultures, Blue Jays, Red-tailed Hawk
  Critters: Mule Deer

  KINGSYARD HEAVY DUTY METAL MESH BIRD FEEDER

  Gear: Olympus OM-1 E-M1 Mark II, Lumix 100-400mm; Olympus EE-1 Dot Sight

  

  ---

• 
  April 22, 2024

  Environment:
  Start Time: 6:10 AM Temperature: 39 degrees Sky: Mostly sunshine.

  A very clear sunny morning got me back out on the trail today. I was starting to wonder if the recent solar eclipse got stuck. Things are still pretty mellow out at Lake Pueblo State Park. The Arkansas River is running kind of high which is discouraging human fishermen and keeping the local waterfowl either off the river completely or very near the river bank. I saw no American Coots so they must have moved on. Pictured here are two of the smaller birds that I encountered. A House Wren and a Song Sparrow. The biggest news is that I was able to spot (and photograph) three baby owls in the nest. In other nest news I still have seen no real action around what I have been identifying as a Red-tailed Hawk nest. So I could be wrong about that. Osprey activity was practically non-existent.

  Owl Watch

  

  

  Sightings:
  Birds: Mallards, Pied-billed Grebes, Wood Ducks, Double Crested Cormorants, Great Horned Owls, Starlings, Ospreys, Canada Geese, American Robins, American Kestrels, Northern Flickers, Doves, White-crowned Sparrows, Song Sparrow, Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Great Blue Herons, Western Meadowlark, Wild Turkeys, Belted Kingfisher, Blue Jays
  Critters: Prairie Dogs, Tree Squirrels, Mule Deer

  KINGSYARD HEAVY DUTY METAL MESH BIRD FEEDER

  Gear: Olympus OM-1 E-M1 Mark II, Lumix 100-400mm; Olympus EE-1 Dot Sight

  

  ---

• 
  April 17, 2024

  Environment:
  Start Time: 6:20 AM Temperature: 44 degrees Sky: Sunshine in increasing cloud cover.

  I caught two Cooper’s Hawks in and around the area that has hosted that brand of nest in the past. One was an adult – pictured here – and I’m hoping it is making nesting plans. The other one was a juvenile who was deeper in the trees consuming another woodland creature that I was unable to identify. Today’s featured image is a Western Meadowlark belting out a morning tune. It’s the same as the evening tune but that doesn’t matter. My Great Horned Owl nest seems to be completely under control – I think the little ones are becoming big ones but it is hard to tell. Mom is staying out of the nest. Lastly I spotted a bit of a traffic jam on the Arkansas River as a group of Mule Deer made their morning crossing.

  Owl Watch

  

  

  Sightings:
  Birds: Mallards, Pied-billed Grebes, Wood Ducks, American Coot, Great Horned Owls, Starlings, Ospreys, Canada Geese, American Robins, Northern Flickers, Doves, Cooper’s Hawks, Red-tailed Hawk, White-crowned Sparrows, Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Great Blue Heron, Say’s Phoebe, Western Meadowlark, Spotted Towhee, Turkey Vultures
  Critters: Prairie Dogs, Tree Squirrels, Mule Deer

  KINGSYARD HEAVY DUTY METAL MESH BIRD FEEDER

  Gear: Olympus OM-1 E-M1 Mark II, Lumix 100-400mm; Olympus EE-1 Dot Sight; Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ80

  

  ---