Here is a type of bird you don’t see me take many pics of. I just don’t have the patience to photograph ducks. They are usually quite skittish and I’m not willing to sit and wait for them to come close. Yesterday I got lucky when this handsome fellow flew right by me, giving me a nice capture.
Double-trouble as bald eagles take flight head on
Probably not a view you want if you are a fish or prairie dog. 😉 For me though, I didn’t mind one bit.
Taken yesterday, the early afternoon light was pretty harsh but I think this capture is kind of a fun one. This pair was hanging out along the South Platte River, enjoying a mild winter’s day in Colorado. They finally decided it was time to fly with the female taking the lead and the male launching right behind her.
It is mating season for these majestic creatures and, with any luck, this spring will bring little ones into their lives.
Fleet-footed fox in a field
Finally I have some new fox pictures for Fox Friday!
This was certainly a surprise encounter. Driving along a country road northeast of Denver, Colorado, this red fox stood out against the earth tones of the cut crop and recent snow.
It was clearly looking for a meal although not so keen on having been spotted. While it was a good ways off, I was able to get some decent captures and seeing a fox is always exciting.
Have a fantastic weekend, everyone!
Bison old and young on a cold, Colorado morning
The morning this was taken a couple weeks ago saw me capture some of my best bison pics ever. The action shots got the most of my attention but I have to say, this is one of my favorites too.
The young “red dog” calf was walking with the herd, oftentimes jumping and running just like you would expect a kid to do. At one point, it stopped and watched as a big bull came walking by. I happened to capture the scene, with the little one seeming to look up to its elder.
The calf is starting to change colors to its adult, brown coat, and was the only true calf among the herd. In the coming months though, I would expect there will be a whole new batch of calves to watch.
Captured with my Canon 6D Mark II and Tamron SP 70-200 f2.8 Di.
Mule deer bucks pause on the plains
It appears I interrupted these two big guys as they grazed on the plains. Honestly, had they not picked up their heads, I likely would have missed them as they blend in quite well with the brown brush surrounding them.
Mule deer are quite common here in Colorado, found anywhere from the plains to the high country. It won’t be long and these guys’ antlers will be falling off and in fact, I have seen a few already that have lost them.
Great Horned Owl nails down a spot to nap
To understand that title, you might have to view this image full screen. Look at all those nails sticking out of the roof!
Certainly you would not think this is a particularly comfortable spot but the owl didn’t seem to mind one bit. In fact, it never once opened its eyes or even turned its head while I was watching it.
It is kind of exciting to think this owl, and hopefully a mate, will opt to setup a home in this little shed on the Colorado plains. It has some nice viewing and, if little ones come along, would make for some cool captures.
Coyotes on a cold, frosty morning
We are getting a healthy shot of snow in the Denver area today and that reminded me of these pics I hadn’t shared yet. Taken back on December 1, it was quite cold and frost had covered the landscape at Cherry Creek State Park.
The sun was just cresting the horizon when I saw five of these beautiful creatures walking through a field. Light was at a premium which made for tough shooting but the rising sun really lit up their coats nicely.
Bald eagle flying head on makes a perfect test subject
Last Saturday I got me a new toy, a gently used Canon 5D Mark IV. This new camera is my highest resolution one yet, full frame, and has a top-notch autofocus system.
The day after picking it up, I went out to give it a test run and subject matter was lacking as I struggled to find the critters. However, this gorgeous eagle at St. Vrain State Park in northern Colorado gave enough of a show to give me a good feel of the performance of the camera.
Perched near the campgrounds, it launched, turned and flew right at me giving me a fantastic series of shots, including this one. The image is quite heavily cropped and yet still is very sharp. I’m impressed.
Stare down with a prairie merlin
I haven’t had much luck seeing these cool little raptors this winter so was happy to come across this one last weekend. It was hanging out on a utility pole not far from my house. Best of all, it was surprisingly patient with me and gave me some nice poses, including this one when it was as focused on me as I was on it.
Merlins are small raptors, a bit bigger than a Kestrel, but are just as ferocious as the other members of the falcon family. They prefer to dine on other, smaller birds, attacking with extraordinary speed and ferocity.
Pronghorn doe and fawn pay close attention
Look at that cute little one! Isn’t it precious? I was scrolling through some older pics this AM and came across this one that I hadn’t shared before. It isn’t often you get a chance to photograph a pronghorn baby so this was a fun one from last June.
We were camping on Colorado’s far eastern plains and as is the norm, the rest of my crew was opting to sleep in. I, on the other hand, headed out to see what I could find and happened across these two. The fawn was probably no more than a week or two old and, obviously, much smaller than its mom.
Before the arrival of western Europeans, it is believed as many as 40 million pronghorn roamed the open rangelands of North America – possibly more than there were bison.
Hunting and fragmentation of their habitat by fences and human settlements took its toll and as few as 20,000 remained at the start of the 20th century. Thankfully conservation and education saved them from extinction and they now number almost 1 million.