Environment:
Start Time: 8:15 AM Temperature: 52 degrees Sky: Clouds and sunshine, light breeze.
Back on the trail this morning after two cloudy and rainy days of sitting home. Much nicer weather and much much better light. Though the bird population is not what I would call booming there are still some good shots to be had. Today’s featured image (top) is what I think is a Dark Morph Red-tailed Hawk. Remember – I’m no expert. Google identified it as a Rufous-tailed Hawk but further investigation revealed that that type of hawk is native to Chile and Argentina. So I’m sticking with my ID. I’ve been getting quite a few Red-tail sightings lately – I think that is due to the Osprey being out of town for the Winter. The two types of raptors do not seem to get along. My Heron shot in today’s post was taken with me sitting on the river bank (on the driest rock I could find) holding the camera as low as I possible could while tracking the bird on the other side. I caught the warbler (below) at the same site. And finally I was treated to three Belted Kingfishers tearing around the trees either playing or fighting with each other. I got some good, though not real close, shots of a couple of them in flight. Good to be back.
Sightings:
Birds: Mallards, Blue-winged Teal, Double Crested Cormorant, Canada Geese, Starlings, Killdeer, Gulls, Northern Flicker, Audubon’s Warbler, Red-tailed Hawk, Blue Jays, Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfishers
Critters: Prairie Dogs, Woodlouse, Monarch Butterfly, Mule Deer, Cabbage Butterfly, Tree Squirrel
Gear: Nikon D5600, 55-300mm
Belted Kingfisher in flight at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado October 02, 2021 
Belted Kingfisher in flight at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado October 02, 2021 
Belted Kingfisher in flight at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado October 02, 2021