Birds Landscapes Sightings Wildlife
July 21, 2024

July 21, 2024

Environment:Start Time: 6:40 AM Temperature: 61 degrees Sky: Sun and increasing clouds. Rock Canyon was bathed in fantastic Golden Hour light when I arrived (a little late) at my normal parking spot. Today’s featured image of the trees bordering the Anticline Fishing Pond is offered as proof. Sadly this glow did not last long. The clouds coming in from the North and East soon blocked the Sun and made further photography difficult. Something that I did notice going on was two sets of bird parents actively chasing and feeding their fledgling young. Pictured here is a fresh Western Kingbird who…

0
Birds Landscapes Sightings Wildflowers Wildlife
August 17, 2023

August 17, 2023

Environment:Start Time: 7:05 AM Temperature: 73 degrees Sky: Sun and clouds. Sightings:Birds: Mallards, Canada Geese, Mourning Doves, Swallows, Starlings, Ospreys, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Blue Grosbeak, Red-winged Blackbird, GullCritters: Cabbage White Butterflies, Mule Deer, Prairie Dogs, Tree Squirrel, Grasshoppers, Mosquitoes Gear: Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II; Motorola Moto G Power 5G – 2023

0
Birds Landscapes Sightings Wildlife
August 12, 2023

August 12, 2023

Environment:Start Time: 3:15 PM Temperature: 91 degrees Sky: Mostly cloudy. No hiking today. Instead I took a driving trip to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge near Denver. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision to go so I was really just taking a look around not intending on doing much photography. Maybe it was the heat but I have to say for a Wildlife Refuge there was not so much wildlife on display. Prairie Dogs were the big stars today. I also saw one bison and one doe. But I did get a new bird – the Swainson’s Hawks pictured here….

0
Birds Landscapes Sightings Wildlife
July 23, 2023

July 23, 2023

Environment:Start Time: 6:45 AM Temperature: 64 degrees Sky: Sun with a few clouds in the western sky. Quite pleasant once again this morning thanks to a gentle breeze offering some temperature moderation. Even so you could tell that it was going to be a hot one today. The only birds I photographed today were (surprise) the Osprey family in what I have started calling the River Bend Nest. I was really surprised to see all three kids present. There were a lot of Osprey gliding high in the sky, probably other youngsters learning the secrets of flight. Otherwise I resorted…

0
Birds Sightings Wildlife
August 06, 2021

August 06, 2021

Environment:Start Time: 7:05 AM Temperature: 59 degrees Sky: Sun filtered by wildfire haze and no clouds. No breeze. This morning was pretty much a carbon copy of yesterday. The only benefit of the haze is that it keeps down the heat. There was a bit more bird activity. I managed to catch three Sharp-shinned hawks bouncing from tree to tree. I’m pretty sure this was a family group though I don’t know how many of the birds were adults and how many were not. Today’s featured image is one of those birds. I also spotted a Great Horned Owl dozing…

0
Birds Critters Sightings Wildlife
August 05, 2021

August 05, 2021

Environment:Start Time: 7:05 AM Temperature: 64 degrees Sky: Sun filtered by wildfire haze and few clouds. No breeze. Sightings:Birds: Mallards, Osprey, Barn Swallows, Double Crested Cormorants, Canada Geese, Mourning Doves, American Kestrel, Eastern Kingbird, Great Blue Heron, Blue Jays, Sandpiper-like wader, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common GrackleCritters: Cabbage Butterfly, Prairie Dogs, Mule Deer w/ Fawns, Stink Beetle, Squirrel Gear: Nikon D5600, 55-300mm

0
Birds Critters Sightings Wildlife
August 03, 2021

August 03, 2021

Environment:Start Time: 7:30 AM Temperature: 66 degrees Sky: Sun filtered by heavy wildfire haze and clouds. No breeze. Air Quality alert in effect. Sightings:Birds: Mallards, Starlings, Osprey, Barn Swallows, Double Crested Cormorants, Canada Geese, Northern Flicker, Mourning Doves, Red-winged Blackbird, American Kestrel, Belted KingfisherCritters: Cabbage Butterfly, Prairie Dogs, Mule Deer, Stink Beetle, Monarch Butterfly, Tarantula Hawk Gear: Nikon D5600, 55-300mm

0
Birds Critters Landscapes Sightings Wildlife
July 08, 2021

July 08, 2021

Environment:Start Time: 7:10 AM Temperature: 64 degrees Sky: Sunny with a welcome breeze Sightings:Birds: Mallards, Starlings, Osprey, Barn Swallows, Cormorants, Western Kingbirds, Eastern Kingbird, American Robins, Canada Geese, Red-winged Blackbird, Northern Flicker, American Kestrel, Common Grackle, Green Heron, Mississippi KiteCritters: Cabbage Butterfly, Prairie Dogs, Widow Skimmer, Mule Deer Gear: Nikon D5600, 55-300mm

0
Birds Sightings Wildlife
September 21, 2020

September 21, 2020

Environment:Start Time: 8:25 AM Temperature: 57 degrees Sky: Intermittent Sun, Wildfire Haze, No Breeze Today’s outing started on a odd and somber note. I lost my little walking buddy, Whisper, on the morning of the 19th. So I am now walking alone and it feels strange. My mood was lifted some by the great weather but it took me a while to get back to Casual Birding mode. As can be seen in the photo gallery below I had a pretty good day, considering. Today’s featured image is of some Virginia Creeper foliage that has started changing to its Autumn…

0
Birds Landscapes Sightings Wildlife
September 16, 2020

September 16, 2020

Environment:Start Time: 8:15 AM Temperature: 56 degrees Sky: Sunny, Wildfire Haze, Light Breeze What would have been another fabulous walking day was marred by a very noticeable helping of wildfire haze. Happily there was no odor that I could perceive but the light was rather muted. Despite the conditions I did manage to get a couple of bird shots (below) and also a Summer scenic of the Arkansas River (Above.) If you happened to have read my last post you will remember that I had lamented the fact that I had yet to get a decent shot of a Belted…

0