Keeping watch on a nest with four rambunctious little ones is not an easy job and requires constant vigilance. This female seemed to have a good handle on the task however. While the owlets are now old enough that she feels comfortable going to a different tree than the one with the nest, she never strays far and those blazing yellow eyes are constantly on watch. She is seen here closely watching something near the nest that had grabbed her attention. Taken in Commerce City, Colorado.
Curious little falcon
This male American Kestrel was quite interested in the guy with the camera. Normally these falcons are a bit skittish but one didn’t seem to mind me one bit and was almost curious about why I was so focused (pun intended) on him.
The smallest falcon in North America, American Kestrels are just as aggressive and fierce as any #raptor. I’ve take quite a few pictures of these birds. If you’re interested, you can find more here.
Pelican showcases massive wingspan in flight
While driving by a local pond I noticed this graceful bird lazily swimming and fishing. Doing my best to be stealthy, I managed to walk around the tree-lined shore and snap some nice pics of it.
Not long after, it decided the fishing wasn’t very good at this location and took off for better grounds. I managed a few nice flight shots that showcase the American White Pelican’s massive wingspan which can be as big across as nine feet.
You probably wouldn’t normally associate these birds with Colorado but a great number of them actually spend their summers here in the Centennial State.
Taken in Adams County, Colorado.
Mallards pay a surprise visit
Well, this was a bit of a surprise. I have a basic backyard bird feeder with safflower feed. To date haven’t seen much beyond house finches and doves.
Last week, after I left for work, my kids said there were two ducks in the yard. Yesterday, the pair stopped by briefly in the rain but I didn’t have time to grab my camera. Tonight, they came again and hung out for 15 minutes or so and I was able to sit out on the porch and take some pics.
They ate some of the seed that had fallen into the grass, waddled around, and then took off. It was already pretty dark thanks to the clouds and evening sun (or lack thereof) so the pics aren’t all that great. No water to speak of near me in suburbia so I’m not sure why they have chosen my backyard. Guess they just like the seed. 😉 Lots of fun to watch although my dogs weren’t too happy with the guests.
Western Meadowlark sounds off
If you had to pick a bird in Colorado that signifies the arrival of spring, the Western Meadowlark just might be it.
All across the plains these chubby, colorful birds let loose with a distinctive song that is easily recognizable. These birds are very common across much of the western two thirds of the United States. When not foraging on the ground, they can oftentimes be found perched on wires, fences and poles in open areas.
To hear the song of the Western Meadowlark, have a listen here.
One… Two… Three… Four owlets
Four. That count of little Great Horned Owls caught me by surprise. This is one of the nests I have been watching in recent weeks and up until now I had counted three.
While taking their portrait this past Thursday, a fourth one briefly popped its little head up from behind. It doesn’t look too happy about having its picture taken and only made a very, very brief appearance but I was glad to have captured it.
Taken in Commerce City, Colorado.
Snowy Egret flies into the morning sun
Not far into my photo drive yesterday I was going down one of my favorite dirt roads where I typically see a lot of raptors. Much to my surprise, I instead spotted a pair of Snowy Egrets flying over. Slammed on my brakes and hopped out managing only a couple of fleeting images.
These birds are members of the heron family and are typically found in shallow water areas. Here in Colorado they are only here along the Front Range during the summer. In winter they migrate to Mexico.
Can a Burrowing Owl look mean?
Can a Burrowing Owl look mean? I didn’t think it was possible but apparently they can. 😉
While it was looking at me, it was a convoy of about six semi-trucks passing by on the dirt road that really got its attention. This little guy actually looked pretty mean although at 8″ tall, I don’t think he would do much damage. 😉
“What are you doing down there, little man?”
Sometimes when photographing Bald Eagles you get the sense that they know full well just how cool and awesome they are. They gaze down at you with a look that makes you believe they think you are small and insignificant – and you in turn almost feel small and insignificant in their presence. This eagle in particular seemed a bit put off by my presence, giving me many looks that led me to believe I was a bother to it. 😉
Taken March 7, 2015 at Cherry Creek State Park, Colorado.
Friday flight: Swainson’s Hawk head on
I snapped this image yesterday north of Denver International Airport. This gorgeous raptor was hanging out on a pole when it decided to put on a bit of an aerial show making multiple passes over me.
Swainson’s have returned to Colorado over the last week or so following their winter in Argentina and will soon be mating and setting up their nests. They arrive here in great numbers and it seems to me that while in the area, they become the most common hawk seen, even outnumbering Red Tails.