Birds Sightings Wildlife
November 07, 2021

November 07, 2021

Environment:Start Time: 7:45 AM Temperature: 51 degrees Sky: Sunshine, few clouds and noticeable breeze Daylight Savings Time is upon us and it now looks like I’ve gotten up earlier to take my tour of Lake Pueblo State Park. That’s dedication. I think most of the birds forgot to set their clocks back because it was pretty still out this morning. The leaves are starting to show the wear of the season but there is still color to be found – especially when you view the leaves with back lighting. Today’s featured image is a Ring-billed Gull who, along with some…

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Birds Sightings Wildlife
November 05, 2021

November 05, 2021

Environment:Start Time: 9:15 AM Temperature: 52 degrees Sky: Sunshine, few clouds and light breeze Check out last year’s walk on this day here. Sightings:Birds: Mallards, Gulls, Canada Geese, Northern Flicker, Red-tailed Hawks, Pied-billed Grebe, American Kestrel, Sparrows, Gadwalls, Great Blue HeronCritters: Prairie Dogs, Tree Squirrels, Coyote Gear: Nikon D5600, 55-300MM

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Birds Critters Landscapes Sightings Wildlife
November 03, 2021

November 03, 2021

Environment:Start Time: 9:30 AM Temperature: 41 degrees Sky: Sunshine, few clouds and light breeze Back on tour after a few days “off”. Apparently the birds are still on a little vacation since not many were out this morning. Still a good day to take a walk while lugging a heavy camera around. There is still some decent color along the trails but it is showing some wear. Non of the Winter ducks have arrived yet – save for the two Pied-billed Grebe that were enjoying the Arkansas River this morning. I also surprised a couple of Mule Deer doe who…

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Birds Critters Sightings Wildlife
October 29, 2021

October 29, 2021

Environment:Start Time: 8:50 AM Temperature: 40 degrees Sky: Sunshine, no clouds and light breeze I guess October has been saving it for a big finish! Today’s walk at Lake Pueblo State Park was as bountiful as it was beautiful. Lots of birds and critters were out enjoying a fabulous morning. There were a bunch of mostly cooperative smaller birds that I’ve posted in the bottom gallery of this post. One, the Lincoln’s Sparrow is a new bird for me and I guess the American Goldfinch is a female. I got another White-crowned Sparrow and a Red-winged Blackbird was snacking nearby….

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Birds Sightings Wildlife
October 28, 2021

October 28, 2021

Environment:Start Time: 9:10 AM Temperature: 49 degrees Sky: Sunshine, no clouds and light breeze Much cooler this morning but also a lot more bird buddies to chase around. Today’s featured image (above) is a White-crowned Sparrow who was just daring me to get his picture. A little perseverance paid off. Also present on or near the Arkansas River were quite a few Northern Flickers and a Ring-billed Gull (pictured below). The big surprise came near the end of my trek when I spotted a good sized bird flying right at me. I figured it was a Hawk as I started…

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Birds Landscapes Sightings Wildlife
October 26, 2021

October 26, 2021

Environment:Start Time: 8:55 AM Temperature: 69 degrees Sky: Sunshine, high thin clouds and hefty (border line wind) breeze Back on the trail today with my birding kit. I think I’m going to have to start bringing my own birds. Very little activity this morning probably due to the steadily increasing “breeze”. Kind of toasty out, too, for late October. I did get an OK shot of an American Kestrel seen here clinging to a high branch. A Red-tailed Hawk also made an appearance but I missed the shot. So, once again, I shot some Autumn color (what’s left of it)…

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Featured Locations Landmarks Landscapes
Picket Wire Canyonlands Guided Auto Tour

Picket Wire Canyonlands Guided Auto Tour

October 16, 2021 my friend James and I drove East into the rising Sun to La Junta, Colorado to join in one of the auto tours presented by the U.S. Forest Service. The full day tour is the title of this post and you can learn more about it by clicking here. The canyonlands are located on the Comanche National Grassland some distance South of La Junta on Highway 109. Participating in the tour requires a high clearance four wheel drive vehicle – and they aren’t kidding about that. We drove in on a very clear dry day and it…

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Landscapes Sightings
October 24, 2021

October 24, 2021

Environment:Start Time: 8:55 AM Temperature: 50 degrees Sky: Sunshine, high thin clouds and mild breeze Instead of taking my wide angle gear like I did yesterday I brought a more mid-range lens this morning thinking it would be a good day to try some video. I did shoot a little video (to be posted at a later date) but I really regretted not keeping the wide angle lens on camera. If I’d tried birding – today would have been a disaster. Besides the few birds listed below I heard some Blue Jays and I heard a Kingfisher. Today’s featured image…

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Birds Landscapes Sightings Wildlife
October 20, 2021

October 20, 2021

Environment:Start Time: 9:35 AM Temperature: 43 degrees Sky: Sunshine, light breeze Much chillier today but only a mild breeze at LPSP. The only things in the sky that were white were the Gulls and some airplane contrails. Most of the birds (not the ducks) spent the morning dodging in and out of leafy branches or hiding behind twigs on their perches so that photography was impossible. I did manage a shot of a Red-tailed Hawk (below) who didn’t position himself quite right behind a twig so as to discourage me from shooting. Once he heard my shutter click he flew…

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