Revealing the Hidden Beauty of Colorado
Environment:Start Time: 7:35 AM Temperature: 65 degrees Sky: Sunny with a welcome breeze Sightings:Birds: Mallards, Starlings, Osprey, Swallows, Barn Swallows, Cormorants, Western Kingbird, American Robins, Canada Geese, Red-winged Blackbird, Oriole, Northern Flicker, Blue Jay, American Kestrel, Belted Kingfisher, Common Grackle, Turkey VultureCritters: Cabbage Butterfly, Prairie Dogs, Dragonfly, Grasshopper Gear: Nikon D5600, 55-300mm
Environment:Start Time: 7:50 AM Temperature: 63 degrees Sky: Heavy clouds with light breeze Very gloomy this morning at Lake Pueblo State Park. It rained yesterday evening and into the overnight hours leaving everything wet. Very wet. Even the air was wet – humidity in the 80% range. Considering the conditions I can’t hold it against all my bird buddies for just hunkering down. I photographed only two birds on this outing. Today’s featured image (above) is a rare sighting of an Orchard Oriole. Below is a Hairy Woodpecker doing his thing. The thing about these two photos is that I…
Environment:Start Time: 7:10 AM Temperature: 63 degrees Sky: Sun and few clouds with light breeze The Sun triumphed over some early morning clouds lighting up Lake Pueblo State Park in a blaze of glory! I’m trying to add a little drama to these posts. Not many people or birds were out to enjoy the wonderful conditions. I managed to capture my best shot yet of a Redheaded Woodpecker – today’s featured image. I also spent a lot of time taking images of, and rooting for, an Osprey that was giving it his all to pull a fish from the Arkansas…
Environment:Start Time: 7:15 AM Temperature: 58 degrees Sky: Sun and clouds with light breeze Today was an OK day for a walk. There was sunshine but not a lot which helped keeping things cool. Today’s featured image is a Great Blue Heron sitting on the nest I’ve been keeping track of. I’m not sure if this means the nest is active because this is only the second time I’ve seen a heron on site. I’ll keep you posted. Two new additions to my personal sightings list – first a Phaon Crescent Butterfly (Google identification). Sorry about the poor photo quality…
Environment:Start Time: 11:00 AM Temperature: 69 degrees Sky: Increasingly threatening clouds with some Sun Sightings:Birds: Mallards, Starlings, Osprey, Swallows, Barn Swallows, Mourning Doves, American Kestrel, Cormorants, Bullock’s Oriole, Northern Flicker, Red-winged Blackbird, Canada Geese, Green Heron, Western Kingbird, WrenCritters: Cabbage Butterfly, Prairie Dogs, Squirrel, Mule Deer, Butterfly (redish), Lizard, Dragonflies Gear: Nikon D5600, 55-300mm
Environment:Start Time: 6:40 AM Temperature: 59 degrees Sky: Unabated sunshine with light breeze Sightings:Birds: Mallards, Starlings, Osprey, Swallows, Barn Swallows, Mourning Doves, American Bushtit, Cormorants, Redheaded Woodpecker, Bullock’s Oriole, Northern Flicker, Flycatcher, Red-winged Blackbird, Great Horned Owl, Eastern KingbirdCritters: Cabbage Butterfly, Prairie Dogs, Squirrel, Mule Deer, Butterfly (redish) Gear: Nikon D5600, 55-300mm
Environment:Start Time: 6:35 AM Temperature: 69 degrees Sky: Cloud filtered sunshine with moderate breeze Sightings:Birds: Canada Geese, Mallards, Starlings, Osprey, Swallows, Barn Swallows, Mourning Doves, House Wren, Cormorants, Great Blue Heron, American Kestrel, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Blackbird, Blue Grosbeak, Turkey Vultures, Western Meadowlark, Redheaded WoodpeckerCritters: Cabbage Butterfly, Prairie Dogs, Squirrel, Mule Deer, Desert Stink Beetle Gear: Nikon D5600, 55-300mm
Environment:Start Time: 6:45 AM Temperature: 54 degrees Sky: Sunshine with light breeze Sightings:Birds: Canada Geese, Mallards, Starlings, Robins, Osprey, Swallows, Barn Swallows, Mourning Doves, Western Kingbirds, House Wren, Cormorants, Great Blue Heron, Northern Flicker, American KestrelCritters: Cabbage Butterfly, Prairie Dogs, Squirrel, Mule Deer, Desert Stink Beetle Gear: Nikon D5600, 55-300mm
Environment:Start Time: 6:50 AM Temperature: 64 degrees Sky: Haze and cloud filtered sunshine light breeze Clouds and haze not quite as bad as yesterday but a slightly cooler temperature made for another great morning walk. The Arkansas River is still quite high but the Geese, Mallards and a few fishermen are venturing back in. Also joining the gang were a couple of Common Mergansers one of which is today’s featured image up top. Things are still blooming – posted here is Glycyrrhiza lepidota (so says Google) that looks to be just getting started. The real highlight for the morning is…
Environment:Start Time: 6:40 AM Temperature: 66 degrees Sky: Haze and cloud filtered sunshine no breeze A layer of high thin clouds teamed up with the wildfire haze to make for some pretty ho-hum lighting conditions this morning. Walking was pleasant enough but there was not much going on today. The big excitement occurred as I was driving into the Rock Canyon area. I rounded a bend in the road and just ahead was a turtle smack in the middle of my lane. I stopped right away, put on my blinkers and got out to help Mr. Speedy to safety. He…