Revealing the Hidden Beauty of Colorado
Environment:Start Time: 7:05 AM Temperature: 45 degrees Sky: Dense fog that eventually cleared. Sightings:Birds: Mallards, ducks, Double Crested Cormorants, Gulls, Canada Geese, Osprey, Starlings, Great Blue Herons, Northern Flickers, Red-winged Blackbirds, Blue Jays, Red-tailed Hawk, Barn SwallowsCritters: Mule Deer, Grasshoppers Gear: Nikon D5600, Nikkor 55-300mm
Environment:Start Time: 6:10 AM Temperature: 61 degrees Sky: Sun and significant haze. Sightings:Birds: Double Crested Cormorants, Canada Geese, Doves, Western Kingbirds, Ospreys, Northern Flickers, Starlings, Red-tailed Hawks, Blue Grosbeak, Great Blue Heron, Great Horned Owl, Barn SwallowsCritters: Mule Deer, Grasshoppers, Cottontail Rabbit, Coyote Gear: Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, Lumix 100-300mm; Olympus EE-1 Dot Sight
Environment:Start Time: 6:15 AM Temperature: 61 degrees Sky: Sun muted by VERY thick haze. Wildfire haze continues to obscure what should be brilliant sunlight. Today was far worse than yesterday. There was only about a ten minute period where distinct shadows could be discerned. Despite the darkness I did manage to capture a couple of decent shots of an Osprey posing with and then consuming its catch. These shots are top and bottom of this post. I did get some video of the three Osprey chicks working hard to learn how to fly which I have yet to review/edit. If…
Environment:Start Time: 6:15 AM Temperature: 56 degrees Sky: Sunny. Sightings:Birds: Mallard Duck, Canada Geese, Western Kingbirds, Double Crested Cormorants, Starlings, Ospreys, Doves, Barn Swallows, Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Northern Flickers, Great Blue Herons, Red-tailed Hawk, American Robins, Western Meadowlark, Blue Grosbeak, Belted Kingfishers, Bushtits, Spotted SandpipersCritters: Mule Deer, mosquitoes, Cabbage White Butterflies, grasshoppers, Rock Squirrel, Cottontail Rabbits Gear: Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, Lumix 100-400mm; Olympus EE-1 Dot Sight
Environment:Start Time: 6:10 AM Temperature: 61 degrees Sky: Sunny. Sightings:Birds: Canada Geese, Western Kingbirds, Eastern Kingbird, Double Crested Cormorants, Starlings, Ospreys, Doves, Barn Swallows, Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Northern Flickers, Great Blue Heron, Red-tailed Hawk, American Robins, Western Meadowlark, Blue JayCritters: Mule Deer, mosquitoes, Cabbage White Butterflies, grasshoppers, Rock Squirrel, Cottontail Rabbits Gear: Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, Lumix 100-400mm; Olympus EE-1 Dot Sight
Environment:Start Time: 6:30 AM Temperature: 56 degrees Sky: Sun in a cloudless sky. Taking a little R&R. Let’s review what was going on last year on this day. Sightings:Birds: Canada Geese, Double Crested Cormorants, Mourning Doves, Kingbirds (E&W), Bullock’s Oriole, Wrens, American Robins, Ospreys, Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, Barn Swallows, Western Meadowlark, Lazuli Bunting, Yellow-breasted ChatCritters: Mule Deer, Cabbage White Butterflies, mosquitoes, Grasshoppers, Tree Squirrels, Ornate Tree Lizard, Prairie Dog Gear: Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, Lumix 100-300mm
Environment:Start Time: 6:20 AM Temperature: 67 degrees Sky: Clouds and sporadic sunshine. Sightings:Birds: Mallard Duck, Canada Geese, Western Kingbirds, Eastern Kingbird, Double Crested Cormorants, Starlings, Ospreys, Doves, Barn Swallows, Swallows, Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Bullock’s Oriole, Northern Flickers, American Kestrels, Great Horned Owl, Great Blue Heron, Red-tailed Hawk, American RobinsCritters: Mule Deer, Prairie Dogs, mosquitoes, Cabbage White Butterflies, grasshoppers Gear: Nikon D5600, Nikkor 55-300mm; Olympus EE-1 Dot Sight
Environment:Start Time: 8:05 AM Temperature: 50 degrees Sky: Sunshine. Bird photography continues to be a challenge at Lake Pueblo State Park. I guess we are in a sort of lull between the Summer bird’s exit and the Winter bird’s arrival. Not all of the Summer gang is gone yet – today I saw two Ospreys and quite a few Cormorants. And the year-round birds are a bit more present right now with Red-tailed Hawks, Hairy Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers and Great Blue Herons turning up more often. Pictured here is one of a group of three or so Hairy Woodpeckers who…
Environment:Start Time: 8:05 AM Temperature: 58 degrees Sky: Sunshine. Not a very busy Monday morning out on the trail today. With the Osprey population seemingly on the decline I am seeing Great Blue Herons and Belted Kingfishers more often. Is there a connection? Red-winged Blackbirds were very active working on the dead heads of the Wild Sunflowers with great zeal. Today’s featured image is of a male Blackbird taking a quick break from the seeds (or bugs?) that seem so in demand. I captured one of the few Osprey I saw today (below) perched high up – devouring its catch….
Environment:Start Time: 7:20 AM Temperature: 55 degrees Sky: Wildfire haze filtered sunshine. Sightings:Birds: Ducks, Mallards, Gulls, Snowy Egrets, Killdeer, Canada Geese, Great Blue Herons, Ospreys, Double Crested Cormorants, Starlings, Common Grackles, Phoebe, Wren, Red-winged Blackbirds, American Robins, Barn SwallowsCritters: Cabbage White Butterflies, Mule Deer, Prairie Dogs, Grasshoppers, Mosquitoes, Tree Squirrels, Cottontail Rabbit, Widow Skimmers, millions of flying bugs Gear: Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, Lumix 100-300mm, Olympus EE-1 Dot Sight