Sometimes you just can’t hold it long enough for your picture to be taken. Apparently I was taking too long to compose my shot as this pretty mule deer buck got tired of waiting and just had to relieve herself.
Northern shovelers take flight in the snow
Not the greatest of weather for photography this morning here in Colorado but it did make for some neat captures. I snapped these ducks as they flew by at the Adams County Fair and Regional Park Complex during a snow squall.
Quartet of American white pelicans staking out the high ground
It always seems out of place to find pelicans in Colorado but I am glad these guys choose to hang out here during the summer. They are a bit goofy looking but also way cool and watching them fly is just awesome. It is hard to believe a bird so big can glide so gracefully. These four were hanging out at a pond in Weld County and had a nice little island all to themselves.
Beautiful red fox stops to pose in the morning light
An absolutely lucky visit with this gorgeous creature last weekend.
I was on my morning photo drive and passing a field when I saw a rather odd shape sitting on top of a grass-covered mound of dirt. My first instinct was to dismiss it as a prairie dog but decided to stop and zoom in on it with my lens.
Much to my surprise, among the grasses, this fox was laying down enjoying the mild morning. Of course my stopping got its attention and it quickly stood up.
I was only able to snap a few pics before it headed off to a more private location to sleep but as rare as it is to actually see one, I was ecstatic with the brief opportunity.
Taken in Weld County, Colorado.
Fast food delivery for the kid(s)
Mom’s know just what their kids need and fish was on the menu for them on this morning. That sounds much better than the prairie dog or rabbit alternatives for sure.
Following a ‘changing of the guard’, this female bald eagle must have needed a bit of alone time as she disappeared for an hour and a half this past weekend. Dad did a good job keeping watch while she was gone and when mom did return, she brought food for the family.
Smile and say cheese!
This little owlet did just that. Mom, well, she didn’t seem to care for me as much.
A still photo to go along with the video I posted yesterday. There are two little ones in there although only one is seen in this image.
With another blizzard set to hit the Colorado Front Range tomorrow, I can’t help but worry about these and the other nesting raptors. Invariably, some will not survive and while that is simply nature at work, it does not make it any easier. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed all my feathered friends weather the storm okay.
Video: Blinking eyes from a great horned owl and her owlet
Not a particularly exciting video but kind of a cute one. Taken this past weekend, the pair were cuddled up in their nest. There was, actually a second owlet, off to the right but it was camera shy and did not want to make itself visible.
Burrowing owls return to the Great Plains
My first sighting of these awesome little guys this year.
A friend let me know he had eyes on some east of Denver but at the time I was well north of the area photographing a different subject. I wrapped that up and raced down to see. While there will be plenty of time and opportunities to get pics later this year, the first of the season is always a bit exciting.
By the time I got there, it was mid-morning, the light was harsh and the somewhat heavy traffic at this particular spot seemed to have the owls a bit shy so the pics aren’t anything extraordinary. Nevertheless, it is fun to have these summertime residents back.
Colorado National Guard gears up for wildfire season
Not the usual type of “bird” you see me photograph, eh?
Wildfires are an unfortunate fact of life in the west during the summer and the brave men and women that battle the blazes have to hone their skills before they join the fight. In recent days, the military has been practicing at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. The UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters were picking up water from one lake and then dropping it near another.
Having served many years in the Navy on an aircraft carrier, aviation and military photography doesn’t normally appeal to me but as those years move further into the past, I have to admit once again getting a bit excited seeing them in action.
I flew on a number of different military planes and helicopters, including once on an SH-60, the Navy’s variant of the Blackhawk, dubbed the Seahawk. Truly an impressive aircraft.
The most annoying sounding shorebird on the Colorado plains
Spend any time out here near water and you will hear the Killdeer. They are quite vocal with their high-pitched sound and sometimes I can’t help but find myself wishing they would hush up so I could enjoy some peace and quiet. Haha. Don’t know what they sound like? See here.