Environment:
Start Time: 8:30 AM Temperature: 39 degrees Sky: Sunshine and wildfire haze.
It’s only the 11th of April and we are already dealing with wildfire haze here in Southeastern Colorado. Pikes Peak was completely obscured by haze as I drove in this morning and the Wet Mountains were barely visible. I put all of this out of my mind once I got on foot and ended up having a pretty good walk photo-wise. One of my Cooper’s Hawk friends was grooming a little way from the nest and posed for a nice portrait. I saw several Mule Deer and most were laying down enjoying the morning. Today’s featured image is an Osprey who swooped overhead with a fairly regal expression. I caught a couple of Wood Ducks living up tho their name – somewhere near their nest I am sure. The Arkansas River turned up a couple of Blue-winged Teal who didn’t hang around long once they saw me. At the bottom of the post is a quick grab of an Osprey couple objecting to being harassed by another Adult. I guess we people aren’t the only ones having a housing shortage.
Sightings:
Birds: Mallards, Wood Ducks, American Coot, Pied-billed Grebe, Canada Geese, Osprey, American Kestrel, American Robin, European Starlings, Swallows, Double-crested Cormorants, Gulls, Sparrows, Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Black-capped Chickadee, Hairy Woodpecker, Blue-winged Teal, Turkey Vulture
Critters: Tree Squirrels, Mule Deer
Gear: Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, Panasonic Lumix 100-300mm
Wood Duck drake near his nest at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado April 11, 2022 
Wood Duck hen near her nest at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado April 11, 2022 
Two Osprey quarrel with an unwelcome visitor to their nest at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado April 11, 2022 
Blue-winged Teal floating on the Arkansas River at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado April 11, 2022