October 02, 2024

Environment:Start Time: 7:10 AM Temperature: 40 degrees Sky: Sunshine. Sightings:Birds: Mallards, Double Crested Cormorants, Canada Geese, Gulls, Ospreys, Starlings, Great Blue Herons, Northern Flickers, Killdeer, Belted Kingfishers, Blue Jays, Sparrow, Common Grackle, warblers, Red-tailed Hawk, Say’s PhoebeCritters: Mule Deer, Tree Squirrel, Grasshoppers, millions of flying bugs Gear: Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, Lumix 100-400mm; Olympus EE-1 Dot Sight

October 01, 2024

Environment:Start Time: 7:20 AM Temperature: 43 degrees Sky: Sunshine. Sightings:Birds: Mallards, Double Crested Cormorants, Canada Geese, Gulls, Ospreys, Starlings, Great Blue Herons, Northern Flickers, Killdeer, Belted Kingfisher, Blue Jays, American Robin, Sparrow, White-breasted Nuthatch, Bewick’s Wren, American Kestrels, Red-tailed HawkCritters: Prairie Dogs, Mule Deer, Tree Squirrel, Grasshoppers Gear: Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, Lumix 100-400mm; Olympus EE-1 Dot Sight

September 29, 2024

Environment:Start Time: 7:25 AM Temperature: 56 degrees Sky: Mostly sunshine. Yet another beautiful early morning in Rock Canyon with nearly perfect light and temperature. Once again most of the activity was happening in, along and above the Arkansas River. Featured is one of three Osprey I saw today. It was perched in a tree just off the river with a nice looking fish in hand but didn’t seem at all interested in eating it. Perhaps he was saving it for later. A female Belted Kingfisher was actively patrolling the river with not much luck. There was also a Great Blue…

September 28, 2024

Environment:Start Time: 7:20 AM Temperature: 57 degrees Sky: Mostly sunshine. My little canine visitor has gone home so I am back out on the trails with the big guns using both hands to shoot. Today’s outing was, in terms of bird variety, pretty lack-luster. There was only a single Osprey keeping an eye on the Arkansas River. But those were not the only eyes on the water. Featured is a female Belted Kingfisher who was also focused on getting something to eat from the free flowing river. Pictured here is a Great Blue Heron who was finished with the watching…

September 24, 2024

Environment:Start Time: 7:10 AM Temperature: 60 degrees Sky: Mostly sunshine. Sightings:Birds: Mallards, Wood Ducks, ducks, Double Crested Cormorants, Gulls, Canada Geese, Ospreys, Starlings, Great Blue Herons, Northern Flickers, Northern Harrier, Eastern Phoebe, Belted KingfishersCritters: Mule Deer, Prairie Dogs Gear: Nikon D5600, Nikkor 55-300mm

September 20, 2024

Environment:Start Time: 7:05 AM Temperature: 54 degrees Sky: Pretty cloudy to start big improvement later. Sightings:Birds: Mallards, Cinnamon Teals, Double Crested Cormorants, Gulls, Canada Geese, Ospreys, Starlings, Great Blue Herons, Northern Flickers, Killdeer, Belted Kingfishers, Redheaded Woodpeckers, Red-winged BlackbirdsCritters: Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Prairie Dogs, Tree Squirrel, millions of flying bugs Gear: Nikon D5600, Nikkor 55-300mm

September 16, 2024

Environment:Start Time: 7:05 AM Temperature: 55 degrees Sky: Sunshine. Pictured here are a couple of Double Crested Cormorants hanging on to a log in the Arkansas River. Cormorants are still pretty numerous out on the river. Great Blue Herons, too, are spending their mornings on the river. Featured is one just pulling up from an unsuccessful strike. I think the water trail is just running off the spear-like beak but It does look like it is spitting the water out. Patooee. This bird’s next shot was more successful. I’m closing out this post with a doe moving through the open…

September 15, 2024

Environment:Start Time: 7:00 AM Temperature: 57 degrees Sky: Sunshine. Sightings:Birds: Mallards, Double Crested Cormorants, Gulls, Canada Geese, Ospreys, Starlings, Great Blue Herons, Northern Flickers, Killdeer, American Kestrels, Belted Kingfishers, Green Heron, Blue JaysCritters: Mule Deer, Prairie Dogs, Beaver Gear: Nikon D5600, Nikkor 55-300mm

September 14, 2024

Environment:Start Time: 7:10 AM Temperature: 60 degrees Sky: Sunshine. Sightings:Birds: Mallards, Wood Ducks, Double Crested Cormorants, Gulls, Canada Geese, Ospreys, Starlings, Great Blue Herons, Northern Flickers, Killdeer, American Kestrel, Bushtit, Belted KingfishersCritters: Mule Deer, Prairie Dogs, Tarantula Gear: Nikon D5600, Nikkor 55-300mm