Tony's Takes Photography

Wildlife, landscape and weather photography

“Can you hear me now?”

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“Can you hear me now?” A massive elk bull sounds off in Rocky Mountain National Park this past weekend. Oh yes, I could hear him…
A bull elk bugles toward part of his harem that had abandoned him. (© Tony’s Takes)

Oh yes, I could hear him and many other bulls bugling and ringing in the change of seasons and the beginning of the rut.

This big guy was having a bit of a rough go of it though. He had a harem of 20 or so cows and seemed to be living large initially. Suddenly over half of them darted across the valley to a competitor leaving him with a much smaller group of ladies. That of course didn’t sit well with him and he very loudly voiced his displeasure with pleas to them to come back.

Have a fantastic #WapitiWednesday!

Bighorn sheep ram visits his namesake lakes

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Bighorn sheep ram visits his namesake lakes
A bighorn sheep ram grazes on the grasses near Sheep Lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park. (© Tony’s Takes)

Really not much more than a pond, Sheep Lakes is a low-lying area in Rocky Mountain National Park’s Horseshoe Park area. It is named after the bighorn sheep that call an adjacent mountain their home.

However, I have found it more likely to find elk or moose here than bighorns. This past weekend was one of the few times I have seen any there and while it was only one, it was a ram with a very impressive set of horns.

He seemed pretty unbothered by the crowds that had gathered to watch him and continued to lazily graze on the grass. This guy does appear to need to do some bulking up quickly as the bighorn run will start next month and he needs to be in prime shape by then.

A bighorn sheep ram grazes on the grasses near Sheep Lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park. (© Tony's Takes)
A bighorn sheep ram grazes on the grasses near Sheep Lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park. (© Tony’s Takes)

Church and castle ruins in central Italy

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Church and castle ruins in central Italy
The Castle of Rocca Calascio and the church of Santa Maria della Pietà in black and white. (© Tony’s Takes)

Going back to early June when we were visiting Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park. It was a somewhat hazy morning with low clouds clinging to the valley as we headed into the park. Off in the distance, we spotted this scene.

The Castle of Rocca Calascio and the church of Santa Maria della Pietà looked pretty cool on the hillside with the snow-covered mountains behind them. Construction on the castle began in the 10th century as a military outpost overlooking the plains. In 1461, an earthquake badly damaged the structure and it was never rebuilt. The church was a newer addition, built in 1596.

Hummingbird shows off up close

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Hummingbird shows off up close
A hummingbird gives a nice view of its belly. (© Tony’s Takes)

A fun, fleeting encounter from a camping trip a couple of weeks ago in Golden Gate Canyon State Park, Colorado. This little one paid our campsite a visit briefly one morning and took great interest in us. As it buzzed around, I was furiously trying to get pictures of it, lucking out with this one when it was only about five feet away. A fun shot that really shows off the details in its plumage.

Snuggling up with mama for Fox Friday

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Snuggling up with mama for Fox Friday
A red fox kit snuggles up to its mother. (© Tony’s Takes)

A throwback to this past April when I spent some time with this beautiful vixen and her kits. While she was keen on just relaxing, the little ones were, of course, quite rambunctious. I managed to catch this little one at one of the few times it wasn’t a total flurry of motion and taking a break with mama. Very cute for sure!

Dragonfly takes a break in the backyard

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Dragonfly takes a break in the backyard
A dragonfly hangs out on top of a stalk from a yucca plant. (© Tony’s Takes)

These little guys have really taken to liking our backyard and we don’t mind given that they do a nice job controlling nuisance insects. This past weekend I tried to catch some pics of them in flight but that saw limited (i.e. poor) success. One did stop for a while and give me some nice poses as it held on to a yucca plant stalk. The details that you find when looking at these guys closeup is just amazing to me.

A dragonfly hangs out on top of a stalk from a yucca plant. (© Tony's Takes)
A dragonfly hangs out on top of a stalk from a yucca plant. (© Tony’s Takes)
A dragonfly hangs out on top of a stalk from a yucca plant. (© Tony's Takes)
A dragonfly hangs out on top of a stalk from a yucca plant. (© Tony’s Takes)

Happy (belated) International Vulture Awareness Day

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Happy (belated) International Vulture Awareness Day
A turkey vulture flies by with a beautiful sky behind. (© Tony’s Takes)

Happy (belated) International Vulture Awareness Day. My photo event calendar had this as today when, in fact, it turns out it was this past Saturday so it is a bit late. The day is set aside to honor this ecologically vital group of birds that, while they might not win any beauty contests, perform key roles in the environment.

As nature’s garbage collectors, they feed on carrion they find lying around dead like rabbits, prairie dogs and such and are believed to be able to smell the dead animals up to a mile away. In cleaning up the dead, they help to prevent the spread of disease from the carcasses.

This picture was taken last September in Estes Park, Colorado where a large group of them had gathered near the lake. Thankfully it was not my carcass that had attracted them. 😉

Pastel colored clouds at sunrise and the setting moon

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Pastel colored clouds at sunrise and the setting moon
As the moon sets, the sunrise lights up nearby clouds. (© Tony’s Takes)

With other commitments, I won’t be making many photo excursions this holiday weekend. However, I got lucky yesterday and a nice one presented itself as I went outside to drink my coffee on the patio. The rising sun had colored the few clouds that were above in beautiful reds and oranges. Right by them, the waning gibbous moon looked bright and absolutely resplendent. I really loved all the detail that is seen in the moon.

Dusky grouse out for a walk with her young one

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Dusky grouse out for a walk with her young one
A dusky grouse and her young one make their way up a rock. (© Tony’s Takes)

This was kind of a fun encounter a couple of weeks ago. It was early morning and I saw the adult beside the road. It hopped up onto a large boulder and much to my surprise, found it had a little one with it. Dusky grouse are common in the Rocky Mountain region but not commonly seen. In fact, I think I have only seen a few over the years, so while not the flashiest or impressive of birds, getting to see one was a bit of a treat.

A dusky grouse poses on top of a rock in the forest. (© Tony's Takes)
A dusky grouse poses on top of a rock in the forest. (© Tony’s Takes)

Bald eagle guards its fishy breakfast

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Bald eagle guards its fishy breakfast
A bald eagle keeps watch for any intruders that may want to steal its breakfast. (© Tony’s Takes)

As I was browsing for a picture to post today, it occurred to me I hadn’t shared any from this series from last December. Taken at a nest site southwest of Denver, the pair of eagles put on a fantastic show that day. Among the highlights were the male catching a trout and allowing me to get some cool shots of it as it ate. Its mate was circling nearby, raising a ruckus, but, as you can tell, he had no intention of sharing his hard-earned breakfast. Have a great weekend, everyone!