Environment:
Start Time: 3:00 PM Temperature: 45 degrees Sky: Sunny with annoying breeze.
Even with the pesky breeze today’s walking conditions were probably the best that January has had to offer. Not only that, the variety of birds flapping around Lake Pueblo State Park was quite good. Not everyone was so willing to be photographed but a few birds took pity on me and posed patiently in the bright afternoon light. A couple of captures were really rare for the season – the Yellow-rumped Warbler pictured below and the Bewick’s Wren in the mini-gallery at the bottom of this post. The Great Horned Owl posted here led me on a merry chase and, I think, finally relented and let me spend some time clicking at her. I say “her” since this was a pretty good sized bird. Today’s featured image is a couple of Hooded Mergansers who were out for an afternoon swim.
Yellow-rumped Warbler enjoying a warmish afternoon at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado January 26, 2023
Sightings:
Birds: Mallards, Hooded Mergansers, pied-billed Grebes, Great Blue Heron, Gadwalls, Common Goldeneyes, Buffleheads, Canada Geese, Gulls, Starlings, Sparrows, Great Horned Owls, Bewick’s Wren, Black-capped Chickadee, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Bushtits, Red-tailed Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, American Robins, Northern Flicker, Wild Turkeys (seen on the drive home just off Thatcher Ave)
Critters: Mule Deer
Gear: Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, Lumix 100-300mm
A Dark-eyed Junco working the bare branches at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado January 26, 2023 
An American Robin poses in the afternoon sunlight at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado January 26, 2023 
Bewick’s Wren taking a moment at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado January 26, 2023