I’ve taken many pictures of this scene before and I just never tire of it. It is such a privilege to live here in Colorado and viewing this is a great reminder of just how good we have it, even in these uncertain times.
Peregrine falcon makes a rare appearance
It has been more than two years since I last saw one of these fast and ferocious raptors. They simply don’t visit the plains of Colorado very often, usually only during migration.
This past weekend I spotted one and while it never came very close and my pics were disappointing, I was excited at the sighting and opportunity. It was initially on the ground, guarding some unlucky white-feathered creature it had just finished dining on.
With its meal done, it turned its attention on a red tailed hawk in a nearby tree that seemed to be working on a nest. The falcon let the hawk know it wasn’t happy about its presence by dive-bombing it a few times, the peregrine falcon’s favorite mode of attack.
I never did get a decent capture of it striking but it did appear to make contact more than once. The hawk hunkered down a bit further into the tree for cover and the falcon gave up and moved on.
Argentinians return to the United States
I figured it was a matter of days before I spotted my first Swainson’s hawk and sure enough, I did this past weekend. This handsome one was staking out a pretty common spot for them at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge.
These guys have one of the longest migrations of any animal, coming all the way from Argentina to the western United States for mating season. In the summer here in Colorado, it almost seems like their numbers are greater than the more common, year-round resident red tail hawk.
I’m sure I will get many more pictures of them this summer, hopefully ones that are more active than this one. I reckon it was resting after a 6,000 mile commute.
A bonus set of eyes peering back at me!
You have seen me share pics of this great horned owl nest before. This time there is something new to see.
Driving home from work Friday I was happy to see mom hanging out on the edge of the nest cavity, the first time I have ever seen that. That of course required a stop so I snapped a few quick pics of her and what I thought were her two owlets.
When I got home and processed the pics what do I see? Not two but THREE little sets of eyes in there – a bonus baby! With that many in there, mom and dad won’t be spending much time in the nest anymore as they start running out of room. It will be fun to watch these three little ones as they grow up and fledge.
A picture perfect departure for Freedom Friday
Oh how I love these creatures. With the failure of my local nest, my time with bald eagles is quite limited anymore. As a result, I am reaching back to this past Thanksgiving Day and this handsome fellow. He and his mate put on a nice show for me that morning set against those awesome, blue, Colorado skies.
Have a great weekend and stay safe!
Big bull sea lion standing guard
Meet “E192”, one of the big boys we saw at this sea lion haulout in Kenai Fjords National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
The colony was hanging out on some rocks, enjoying the sun and a relatively mild day. You’ll notice a few pups around him as well.
Sea lions are sometimes branded, as this guy was when he was a pup in 2010. This allows scientists to track them without intrusive instruments, easily spotting them instead with binoculars.
Long billed curlew in the fresh snow
Never heard of this bird? Well, neither had I until this past weekend. 😉
Driving along I spotted two good-sized birds out in the field so stopped to take a look. I had absolutely no idea what they were, simply that I hadn’t seen them before.
I later learned that they are a bit unusual to spot, especially in the snow. They do spend time on Colorado’s eastern plans during the summer for mating season so I am guessing that is why they are here.
Bison bull hunkered down during a storm for Tatanka Tuesday
The last couple of weeks have brought unseasonably cold conditions to the Colorado Front Range and with it, some snow. During a recent storm, the bison opted to just lie low and wait it out, as this big boy was doing. Kind of a shelter-in-place for the animal world, much like we humans are going through now.
Moose looking for a meal
I haven’t done #MooseMonday in a while so…
This goes back to the end of January when I and a friend spent some time with this handsome young fellow. He was working hard to find a meal but it was pretty slim pickings being the depth of winter.
These guys are built to withstand the conditions though, far better than me! I look forward to warmer days and time in the Colorado high country with these beautiful creatures.
American white pelican weathering the storm in black and white
Definitely not your hoped-for warm, spring day here on the Colorado Front Range today. We saw a bit of snow and temps have remained below freezing. That of course didn’t stop me from getting my photo exercise.
I happened across a huge gathering of 40+ pelicans at the Adams County (Colorado) fairgrounds. They and Mother Nature gave me some cool shots between the snow, wind and fog.
This particular pelican separated from the group and the sun made a very brief appearance. It really lit up the bird beautifully. Converting to black and white added some drama and helps to make the snow show up.
My wife, a big pelican fan, loved the capture.