We are getting into prime time for these cool raptors here on the Colorado Front Range. I took the long way home from work today and counted nine although, unfortunately, none close enough to get pics. I captured these pics of a sub-adult on New Year’s Day as it headed off to hunt.
Snowy Owl takes flight
I promised more pics of this gorgeous creature and I might as well start with the best of the bunch.
Over two evenings last weekend I snapped hundreds of pictures of the Arctic visitor. It was these last images that I love the most. I had spent three plus hours watching and observing the owl as it sat on top of a house. It gave tons of cool poses, completely ignoring the humans below.
This was fun but we of course wanted to see it fly. Suddenly, it perked up and began paying a lot of attention to something in one of the backyards. I assume a dog or the like. That was enough to spur the owl into action and it took off directly at us!
It happened so fast I simply squeezed the trigger and hoped like I heck I caught the action. Some of the images were out of focus or cut off the wings but there were a good number of keepers that I hope you enjoy seeing.
Should you be interested in owning a print of one of these, please do let me know or head over to here.
Scroll down to view the complete sequence of images.
Dramatic skies over the snow-capped Tetons
You might think this is a current picture given the weather conditions that seem to be taking place but in fact was taken last June. It was late spring but following a winter that saw extraordinary amounts of snow, there was still plenty of the white stuff up at altitude. In fact, just two days prior to this picture being taken we had woken up to falling snow just north of this spot in Yellowstone.
The Rocky Mountains are impressive just about anywhere but, in the Tetons, the peaks are just a step above most of the rest. They are a lot rougher and more jagged than most of the mountains here in the Colorado and to me, just look really darned cool.
Frosty Bison cow on a frosty landscape
It was pretty darned cold this past Saturday here on the Colorado Front Range as you can tell. While the Bison didn’t mind, this photographer wasn’t really caring too much for it. 😉 The early morning sun which had just popped over the horizon put some nice light on the lady. More Bison pics here.
Focus!
Holy moly, look at that stare! I’ve photographed many Osprey in the wild and the looks they give are pretty darned intense. Brizo is a captive raptor, injured at a young age and unable to fly. She is now under the care of Nature’s Educators. This was a nice opportunity to get up close and personal with one and she was gorgeous. Taken in Sedalia, Colorado.
Handsome American Kestrel poses in the morning light
A pretty common raptor here in Colorado and North America’s smallest falcon. This American Kestrel is named Ajax and is a captive bird owned by Nature’s Educators. It was at one time a falconry bird but was found to be blind in one eye and not suitable for hunting. Since it can’t hunt, it cannot survive on its own and now does outreach programs with the non-profit group.
Don’t let this little guy’s size fool you though. American Kestrels are very effective predators and just as vicious as any raptor.
Taken with my Canon USA 7D Mark II and new Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 G2. I am absolute ecstatic with the detail this lens provides.
Young bull enjoys a drink for Moose Monday
Harkening back to the first weekend in July. This guy and a number of other, bigger bull Moose were hanging out at this high country lake. For the longest time they stayed well concealed with the thick bushes next to the water and I was about ready to give up on getting a clear shot. Finally, they moved down to the water’s edge giving a nice, unobstructed view.
As much as I would love to photograph these guys in the winter, I am not too keen on the harsh weather conditions at altitude this time of year so I will be anxiously awaiting the summer when I can see them again.
Shaking it up for Snowy Owl Sunday!
What an absolutely treat to spend not one but two evenings with this Arctic visitor recently. This guy has become quite a local celebrity as it has spent the last few weeks hanging out in a suburban area northwest of Denver. Despite multiple attempts, it wasn’t until Thursday and Friday that I was able to get some good pics of him.
On this evening, the fluffy, white owl was hanging out on a home’s roof. He spent much of the time sleeping and occasionally preening. Here, he gives a big shake showing just how thick a Snowy Owl’s plumage is – something that is needed in its normal home of the Arctic.
It is rare for Snowy Owls to come this far south to Colorado but this year there have been at least five different ones spotted in the Centennial State. The types of events that bring them here are called an irruption and while it isn’t perfectly clear what causes them, it is believed that a very successful summer breeding season results in an over-population of young owls in the Arctic. As a result, many head south in the winter in search of food.
I’ll have many more pics of this guy to share in the coming days. If you’re interested in a print of one of the images, be sure to let me know.
Turkey Vulture comes in for a landing
They might not be pretty but I love these big guys and while I have captured many pics of them, a recent photo shoot let me get closer to them than before. This particular vulture is a captive bird, unable to be released in the wild due to having been ‘imprinted’ by humans.
We see Turkey Vultures here in Colorado during the summer. You will often spot them soaring high in the sky in large groups – appropriately called a ‘wake’ – looking for their next meal. 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. Their role of garbage man helps to prevent the spread of disease from carcasses.
Taken at Nature’s Educators in Sedalia, Colorado. More of my pics of Turkey Vultures here.
Bald Eagle yoga?
Yoga is all the craze now and even the raptors are getting into it. 😉 I happened across this handsome fellow a couple of weeks ago on my way home from work. I’m guessing it had been sitting perched for quite a while on this pole as before it left, it went through a rather extensive stretching routine including this pose where it stood on one leg and extended its wings and other leg. Kind of amusing to see.