Environment:
Start Time: 9:05 AM Temperature: 37 degrees Sky: Cloud filtered sunshine.

Great Blue Heron at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado

Things are picking up out on the trail at Lake Pueblo State Park. The Winter ducks are coming back in force – two examples are today’s featured image. A Barrow’s Goldeneye drake and a Red-breasted Merganser drake got close enough to share the frame. These two duck types are not super common here – event in Winter – but there were quite a few Red-breasted Mergansers working the Arkansas River. There were a couple of Belted Kingfishers (a male and a female) chittering up and down the river. Pictured here is the female. I saw four Great Blue Herons today – none of them on the river. I guess this was a great morning to just perch in the sunshine.

Belted Kingfisher at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado
A female Belted Kingfisher heading to a higher perch at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado January 22, 2024

Sightings:
Birds: Ducks, Common Goldeneyes, Barrow’s Goldeneyes, Mallards, Hooded Mergansers, Red-breasted Mergansers, American Coots, Pied-billed Grebes, Gulls, American Kestrels, Red-tailed Hawk, Great Blue Herons, Crows, Belted Kingfishers, White-crowned Sparrows, Blue Jays, woodpecker
Critters: Mule Deer, Tree Squirrel

Gear: Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, Lumix 100-300mm, Olympus EE-1 Dot Sight

Great Blue Heron at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado
A Great Blue Heron perches on a lone prairie tree at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado January 22, 2024

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