We are all familiar with the bigger barking dogs in our neighborhoods. These guys prefer much less crowded environs but can be just as noisy when you intrude on their homes. Prairie Dogs are quite common here on the plains of Colorado and I usually completely ignore them. However, after having what was a less than successful photo day one day last week, I was desperate to capture pictures of something – anything. This little guy provided a good opportunity and I have to admit, it was kind of cute.
White-tailed Deer doe makes faces at the photographer
😉 Well, not really. She was in fact just finishing up a bite of grass and I happened to catch her mid-chew. Overall the deer are looking a bit rough right now as they begin to lose their winter coats in favor of a thinner, cooler covering for the summer.
White-tailed Deer are North America’s smallest deer. They are very fleet-footed capable of speeds up to 30mph and able to leap as high as 10 feet and as far as 30 feet in a single bound.
That’s a lot of geese!
Snow Geese don’t spend much time in Colorado, only coming through in the early fall and late winter as they migrate. Last week I was at one of their stopover points, a lake northeast of Denver. They unfortunately kept their distance but that allowed me to capture images showing just how many there were. There had to be thousands of them and they were quite loud.
High-power launch
In looking for worthy photo subjects, sometimes you do a lot of driving for little return. Those days can be disappointing and maybe, just maybe, you get lucky at the end of your trip like I did when I found this gorgeous creature. I had spent a few hours out and on a weekend day last month and had little to show for my effort.
It was disappointing until, not 10 minutes from home, I spot this eagle on top of some very tall high tension power poles. A chance to salvage the photo day! Thankfully it worked out as the raptor gave me a fantastic launch and flyby series, this being one of the first of them as it took to the air.
Jailbreak! A sextet of Bald Eagles leap into the air all at once
This is a pretty darned fun capture I think. These six were hanging out in this tree along the shoreline of Jackson Lake State Park on Colorado’s northeastern plains last Friday. I’m sitting on the ground just enjoying watching them when suddenly the top, adult eagle decides it is time to go. That was enough to convince the others to depart as well leading to this image of all of them as they started to leap into the air.
The action is fun but one of the coolest things about the image is that it does a nice job showing the different plumage of Bald Eagles at various ages all in one capture. The bottom left two would be between 1 and 2 years old still having the dark heads they were born with. The bottom right two are about 3 years old and getting their white heads and yellow beaks. The upper two are full adults, showcasing the distinctive plumage that we are all familiar with on these majestic raptors.
Red-winged Blackbird sounds the changing of the seasons
Red-winged Blackbird sounds the changing of the seasons. You know spring is coming when you begin to hear these noisy fellows. Soon after sunrise the other day this one was making sure every lady in the area knew he was awake and around. 😉
Mountain Goat glows in the light of sunrise at high altitude
Standing proud near the top of the 14,265-foot-high Mount Evans, this handsome fellow looked absolutely gorgeous as the sun began its climb above the horizon. On for #TBT, this image was taken back in August 2014. The goat and his herd were climbing about the old remnants of a restaurant that used to be at the top of the mountain. Burned down in a fire in 1979, what is left of the Crest House provides a nice playground for the Mountain Goats and tourists.
Mountain Goats are actually considered an invasive species here in Colorado as they are not native to the Centennial State having been brought here in the early 20th century as a tourist attraction. Unfortunately, they can carry diseases which are deadly to our state’s official animal, the Big Horn Sheep. When the goats roam into sheep territory, they are often killed to prevent them from infecting the sheep.
Peter Cottontail for breakfast
Peter Cottontail for breakfast. 😉 I don’t normally shoot video but this was a good opportunity. This eagle had caught the rabbit and was taking his time eating it and there are only so many pictures of that you can take before it gets repetitive. 😉 I switched to video for a bit, allowing you to see the action as he dined. Twice you will see a Red-tailed Hawk buzz the eagle (once behind, then once in the foreground). It clearly was hoping to join the dinner table.
Cedar Waxwing dines on a Russian olive
Here’s a fun capture of a pretty common bird. Despite there not really being a shortage of them, I had never seen one in person until this past weekend. I was actually stalking a much larger bird when I saw a group of these little guys flitting around a Russian olive tree. While not an usual find, I was pretty happy to have spotted them and gotten some nice pics.
In reading about these birds, I learned that because they dine primarily on fruit, they can become intoxicated (and even die) when they choose to eat over-ripened berries that have started to ferment and produce alcohol.
Close-up of an aged giant
When I came across this big fellow last September, it was clear he was the senior member of the Moose hanging out in Roosevelt National Forest. You could see the scars of past battles on his face and his sheer size and massive antlers told the story of a bull that had seen many years.
Here he looks at peace as he grazes on willows soon after sunrise. However, they can become agitated and aggressive very quickly so extreme caution must be utilized and a respectable distance maintained when viewing them.
Moose live on average 15 to 20 years so I certainly hope I have a chance to photograph this big guy once conditions allow it in Colorado’s high country.