This capture was taken back in June but somehow I failed to share it at the time. We have been going to this spot on Colorado’s Great Plains multiple times each summer for the past 15+ years and I had never seen an Osprey there. Well, much to my surprise and pleasure this handsome fellow decided to break that streak. We spent a few days watching and photographing it as it took advantage of the ample fishing opportunities and the pleasant late spring weather.
Moose bull takes a big whiff of the fresh air
It’s been a little while since I have done a Moose Monday so here you go. This big boy was hanging out in the rarified high-altitude air of Colorado’s Indian Peaks Wilderness Area back in August. He along with four other bulls and a cow were all grazing in the willows and enjoying a brisk late summer morning. Something seemed to get the attention of this bull’s nose and he raised it up using the flehmen response to get a big sampling of whatever he was smelling.
The intense focus of a raptor
While raptors like this Red-tailed Hawk are certainly gorgeous, they are also ferocious predators. With the right look, they can look quite pretty but at the same time be downright intimidating as this pretty lady appears in this capture.
Karma is a captive bird, used for falconry and education. A few weeks ago I and my son got the opportunity to spend a lot of time photographing her and some other raptors up close and personal.
Found across all of North America, Red-tailed Hawks are probably the most common hawk you will see. They are oftentimes perched on poles in rural areas but have adapted well to suburban and urban settings as well.
Bald Eagle showcases its hunting prowess
I was watching a mated pair of Bald Eagles when the male suddenly departed. Over the years I’ve learned to stay focused on the one still around as if one leaves, the other will soon follow. Such was not the case this time. Instead, the male came back and brought its breakfast with it – a Killdeer. Killdeer are small shorebirds, not something Eagles would usually dine on. Apparently this guy is not a picky eater!
Taken near Longmont, Colorado.
Young Bald Eagle flies by Old Glory
I thought my photo day was done as it was getting to be late morning and clouds had moved in creating poor light conditions. On the drive home I spot a very large landing on a pole a ways away and of course had to go investigate. As I get closer I find a juvenile Bald Eagle that had caught what appeared to be a Prairie Dog.
The eagle didn’t really want me to watch it eat so it soon departed but gave me a nice flyby as it did. Lighting was pretty cruddy though so the pic isn’t the greatest but the two subjects are just awesome.
Certainly it would be a dream come true to get something similar in perfect light with an adult flying by. Perhaps someday. Taken in Adams County, Colorado.
American Bison showing some attitude about the snow
This was taken back at the end of March during one of the Denver area’s last snows of the previous snow season. Today we are receiving our first of the 2016 – 2017 season, a lot later than normal. Colorado’s weather sure can be bizarre. Yesterday we set a record high temperatures of 80 degrees. Today’s high is 40 degrees.
Bighorn Ram casts a wary eye at the photographer
This young ram was certainly keeping close watch on me as he walked by. I was taking pictures of him and about a dozen others in a herd in the foothills southwest of Denver as they gathered along the road. There wasn’t much action that day but plenty of opportunity to snap pics of these cool dudes. This particular one was moving around the perimeter of the herd and passed right nearby allowing me to get this close up and allowing it to get a good look at the guy with the camera. 😉
Found across much of western North America, Bighorn Sheep are adept mountain climbers, best known for the male #ram’s monstrous horns. This particular ram was only a couple of years old so his horns were not overly impressive. While the animals are social, rams and ewes typically only meet during mating season.
Ring-billed Gull takes an early morning flight
It isn’t often that I train my camera on these common birds. They are noisy and can make quite a mess so I usually just ignore them. However on Sunday morning while out taking pictures with my son, a few came flying overhead. With the golden light of sunrise on them they looked quite beautiful and their graceful, soaring flight pattern allowed a few nice captures.
Ferruginous Hawk takes flight
One sure sign of the change of seasons is a return of these awesome raptors – my favorite hawks. They are among the largest hawks and absolutely beautiful. Best of all, they are usually quite tolerant of people which makes for some cool photo opportunities. I came across this particular one on Sunday, unfortunately with some heavily overcast skies. Nevertheless, I look forward to seeing and photographing many more of them in the coming months.
Barn Owl takes flight
The wingspan on these owls is surprisingly large given their relatively small stature. While only getting up to about 16 inches tall, those wings can spread as wide as four feet! That was something that definitely caught me off guard when I was photographing this handsome fellow at a photoshoot recently.
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.