With dismal sky conditions last Saturday I didn’t expect it was worth devoting much time to a photo trip on this day so I decided to keep it local and hit up a few places near home. I came across a rafter of 40 or so Turkeys working their way through a field near the South Platte River in Colorado. The toms were all about impressing the ladies, strutting and posturing to gain attention.
Where the heck did you come from?
It does appear as if this regal eagle was a bit surprised by my appearance. In truth, her and her mate are two of the most tolerant Bald Eagles I have ever encountered. They frequent a suburban park, often choosing to hang out in the trees along the trail. People stop and marvel at them, walk almost right up to their roost, and they never care, largely ignoring the bipedal creatures below. This was taken just over a month ago. Soon after, she began occupying their nest and with any luck it won’t be long before eaglets come along.
Bald Eagle makes a head-on launch
Showcasing its impressive six-foot wide wingspan, a Bald Eagle takes flight as departs on a fishing trip. I was watching this handsome fellow and his bride for quite some time as they calmly surveyed the domain below them. Action was negligible and I was about to call it a day when suddenly there was a flurry of activity. Both decided it was a good time to go fishing in a nearby pond and I was lucky enough to capture the male as he launched. The shot really gives a good look at the raptor’s impressive wingspan and those deadly talons.
You again!
It had been a few months since I had seen this guy but the other day I finally was able to find him again. This Great Horned Owl’s mate has been sitting on their nest for a month or so and little ones should be coming soon. I knew he couldn’t be far but he had been elusive, as he always seems to be. On this day he must have decided to be kind and not only show himself but also put himself in a nice spot. This pair took up residence three or four years ago in what had been historically a hawk nest.
What have you done to my home?
A Bison looks to the horizon and sees the results of man’s progress. Flipping through some images and I came across this one which I haven’t shared. As I came to it, it kind of struck me as one which is a bit powerful.
These massive animals were hunted to the brink of extinction in the 1700s and 1800s with as few as 750 reported by 1890. The American Bison’s numbers have since rebounded with about 500,000 now living on public and private lands but none have truly free range anymore. The land they used to roam freely has been overtaken by man and, for better and worse, the landscape has changed greatly since this bull’s ancestors roamed the land.
At least now we seem to have awoken to some of the damage done in decades and centuries past and are trying to rectify it by working to restore these impressive animal’s population and giving them some of their ancestral lands back.
In May 2016 the Bison became the official mammal of the United States, a fitting and long overdue honor.
Rough-legged Hawk Enforces the No Passing Zone
Judging by the stare, this guy (or gal) means business when it comes to traffic control. 😉
This past winter there was unusually high number of these cold weather residents on the Colorado plains. While we do see them, this year there were more than normal and it made for a lot of great photo opportunities as they can be quite tolerant of people.
This particular one was keeping watch over a field, looking for a chance to snag a meal. It was certainly aware of me but chose to worry more about finding something to eat than the guy with the camera.
Rough Legged Hawks spend their summers in the Arctic where they mate and then spend #winters in southern Canada and the lower 48. One of their most notable features is that their legs are feathered all the way down to the toes, one of only three American raptors like that. The other two being the Ferruginous Hawk and the Golden Eagle.
Somehow I don’t think she was happy to see me
Those eyes! To me, adult Osprey have just amazing eyes and when they focus on you, they are piercing. This female was guarding her nest in a man-made stand and did not seem too pleased to have her picture taken.?
Osprey return to Colorado, begin working on their summer homes
Whoohoo! Over the past two weeks, these awesome raptors have begun arriving along the Front Range after spending the winter in Mexico and South America. This past weekend was my first chance to see them this season and I found they had returned to all their usual spots north of Denver.
At this particular nest, the female kept herself busy adding to her already large nest. Here you can see her as she adds a stick she retrieved from a nearby tree. Her mate was a bit less than enthusiastic in helping make their home and opted to sit out in a tree, well away from the construction activity.
Cute young White-tailed Deer stops to check out the photographer
One type of wildlife you will find in abundance at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is deer. The Mule Deer in particular are easy to get pics of, the White-tails tend to be a bit more skittish but there are a good number of them. I happened across this young one as well as a few does recently. The adults largely ignored me but this little one was pretty fascinated by the guy with the camera.
Barn Owl makes a happy landing
That face! So cute and it certainly looks to be one happy raptor. Humans do tend to project our emotional reactions and our perceptions onto animals when we really have no idea what they are ‘feeling’ but you can’t help it with this image.
This particular owl was a participant at a photo workshop I took back in October. Cupid is two years old and was captive bred for educational programs and he now serves as an ambassador for Wild Wings Environmental Education.
These medium-sized owls can be found across most of the globe, including the contiguous United States. They typically remain out of sight roosting in tree cavities, dense stands of trees and of course barns and other buildings.