Big mulie strikes a pose. A handsome fellow in some nice, post-sunrise light. This mule deer buck was wearing some evidence of battles from the recent rut with a couple of broken tines but still looked good.
Bald eagle enjoys its New Year’s Day meal
Having already had a pretty good photo outing, I was tempted to head for home as it was late morning and the light was getting harsh. I decided though to try one more spot, one where I have seen quite a few of my favorite raptors lately.
Driving along a suburban street, I see the form of some sort of large bird silhouetted in some trees so quickly turn and stop to investigate. Much to be surprise – and delight – I find this handsome fellow chomping down on a prairie dog while perched in someone’s backyard.
It was so focused on the meal at hand, it totally ignored me and my friend as we happily captured images of it eating.
I know some folks will find these images a bit too graphic but, this is life – and death – in nature; the proverbial ‘circle of life’ as it were, and something that takes place everywhere around us.
Orange globe begins to cast its warming light
When the mercury is sitting right near zero degrees, you welcome any warmth you can get. Such was the case on this bone-chilling cold morning a few days ago. The sun was just rising over the horizon and while it didn’t do much to raise the temperature, I was sure happy to see it.
Dark morph ferruginous hawk stretches out
With temperatures in the single digits, it is pretty hard to get moving so I can sympathize with this cool raptor. 😉
Ferruginous hawks are my favorite hawks and the dark morphs, well, they are even more special due to their rarity. I have seen a few this season but this is the first one so far that cooperated with me for pictures.
It was quite lackadaisical about the guy with the camera, observing for a bit, then finally doing a stretch and heading off to hunt. Certainly I would have preferred a more natural perch but it was a fun pose and I will take what I can get.
Holiday lights in iconic downtown Denver locations
I meant to share these before the start of the new year and forgot! The day before Christmas Eve I headed out very early in the morning to capture some of the holiday lights in the Mile High City. Two iconic spots were my prime focus – Union Station and the 16th Street Mall.
Both looked absolutely gorgeous in their brilliantly lit displays. At the mall, the famous Daniels & Fisher Tower was lit up in red and green. Union Station had a similar color scheme and a beautiful display out front.
Getting out there early meant a minimum of traffic and people – and parking was easy. 😉
Bald Eagle weathers a New Year’s Eve storm
I suppose it couldn’t be more fitting than that the last pictures I took in 2018 were of my favorite photo subject, the American Bald Eagle.
Given frigid cold temperatures and blowing snow, my photo excursion had not been very good yesterday. As I was nearing home, I decided to check some local spots that these raptors like to hang out in during the winter months and was happy to have found this pretty lady.
She was initially in an open field but immediately left so I followed her and found her again sitting on a post adjacent to a suburban pond. She didn’t give me a chance to get out from behind a bush to get a clear shot of her sitting but when she took flight, she circled back giving me a nice flyby.
It isn’t easy to get clear pics when it is snowing so I am pretty pleased with these captures given the conditions. What will my first pic of 2019 be? I am guessing more of the same. 😉
Video slideshow: Wildlife Top Shots 2018
We close out the year with a look at my top wildlife shots of 2018. Here in Colorado we are home to an abundance of wildlife and I can find much of it within short drives from home. From the massive moose to the diminutive American pika, my camera has been trained on many of these creatures. I hope you enjoy the show and wish you all a very Happy New Year!
Video slideshow: Raptor Top Shots 2018
Continuing a look at my ‘top shots’ from the past year, we now get to a genre that takes up a big percentage of my photos – raptors. From eagles, hawks and falcons to owls and vultures, I simply love these types of birds. They are noble, agressive, vicious and graceful, all at once, and while not always easy to get pictures of, when I get a good one it is very satisfying.
Video slideshow: Landscape Top Shots 2018
My travels this year were largely confined to Colorado but that is not necessarily a bad thing. From the mountains to the prairies, our scenery here is second to none and provides fantastic photo opportunities no matter where you are. These are my favorite landscape captures from the past year. Best viewed full screen.
Video slideshow: Bald Eagle Top Shots 2018
As the year comes to a close, I am creating some video slideshows of my ‘top shots’ covering a variety of subjects. Since it is Freedom Friday, I start with my favorite, the American Bald Eagle. I hope you enjoy it and check back in the coming days for other photo subjects. View full screen for the best effect!