The recent cool weather here along the Colorado Front Range seemed to please the Bison. This past weekend they were extraordinarily active with lots of running and a few battles. Here, two of the big boys go at it with one almost knocking another down. The action was a good ways off and the cruddy, overcast skies did me no favors in terms of photo quality but the action sure was fun to see.
Great Egret nabs a small meal
Came across this series of pics I captured back in April but hadn’t shared. This Great Egret was hanging out in a small pond and nabbing these little fish with relative ease. We don’t usually seem these birds here so it was a lot of fun to not only see one but also get some pics of one.
Long Eared Owls in the thick of it
As I prep for my end of year photo projects (calendars, books, etc), I am going back and sorting through images taken over the past 10 months or so. This morning I came across this one from back in February that I had not shared with you.
These were two of four Long Eared Owls that wintered in a nearby state park. I was not as fortunate as some photographers and never got a truly clear shot of them. Nevertheless, they sure were fun to see.
Burrowing Owl gets serious
Going back to the beginning of July for this image of a male Burrowing Owl near Denver International Airport. It seemed pretty clear the guy didn’t really appreciate having a camera pointed at him. 😉
A friend had turned me onto a spot that had a number of families of these cool little dudes hanging out and while I didn’t get to spend much time with them, I did have fun when I did.
In Colorado, Burrowing Owls are here during the spring and summer. By now, most, if not all, have started their migration south to warmer environs for the winter. I will be anxiously awaiting their return.
Coyotes on the prowl in the high country
Someone must have been listening to my thoughts. I was driving through Upper Beaver Meadows in Rocky Mountain National Park this past weekend thinking that of all the times I had been there this season, I had yet to see one coyote. That is unusual as they are oftentimes found in this spot.
No sooner had I completed the thought than what do I see? Not one, not two, but four of them marching along the hillside. They were a good ways away and seemingly on a mission, moving quite quickly.
I managed a few captures of them and while not particularly great quality given the distance and poor light, it was a fun encounter. Here, one of them had hopped up on a large, downed tree and was using the higher vantage point to look around.
Bull Elk at the ranch for Wapiti Wednesday
Normally I wouldn’t like the man-made stuff in the background of a photo but for this capture I actually really like it. The fence and wagon coupled with the big guy and the fall foliage look pretty near IMHO. It certainly helps that this bull was one impressive specimen to say the least. We sometimes call these creatures Wapiti, a word that comes from the Shawnee and Cree word ‘waapiti’ which means ‘white rump.’
Bugling Elk bull in the fall foliage
Our camping season came to an end this past weekend but the last trip did send us out on a high note. We headed to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park for the rutting Elk and fall colors and were not disappointed.
The highlight was this big, 7 x 7 bull hanging not far from our campsite near Mary’s Lake. On Saturday afternoon, he had his harem of a dozen cows rounded up and was making sure that three other, nearby, smaller bulls knew to keep their distance.
Here, he was bugling, sounding a warning, with the signs of the change of seasons in the background. I have to say, this is one of my favorite Elk pics I have ever taken.
Head on with one of the big boys for Moose Monday
Yeah, these guys can definitely be a bit intimidating. Don’t worry though, I definitely was keeping a respectful distance as this was shot with a 600mm lens and cropped to give this kind of a close look.
On this particular morning a few weeks ago, there was a good bit of sparring between the bulls as they geared up for the rut. This particular guy was probably about the second biggest in the area so he was large and had the potential to be in charge.
Red-tailed Hawk keeps watch over its meal
It isn’t very often these raptors let you get close. However, when there is food involved, they are far more likely to tolerate a human. Such was the case with this beautiful specimen. It had caught some sort of small mammal, likely a rabbit or prairie dog, and was slowly enjoying the meal. With vultures and magpies just a few feet away, it knew if it left, its meal would be gone so it opted to hang around and continue to eat while keeping watch on the interlopers.
White-tailed Deer buck takes a moment to enjoy the sunrise
Quite the handsome fellow here. He was happily grazing on the Colorado plains but did take time to enjoy a gorgeous start to the day.
White-tailed Deer are North America’s smallest deer but the bucks are still a very respectable size as you can tell. They are very fleet-footed capable of speeds up to 30mph and able to leap as high as 10 feet and as far as 30 feet in a single bound.