Not many clouds this morning to make for an extraordinary sunrise but it was definitely golden and pretty unto into own right.
“Would you please just leave me alone?”
Spotting a Great Horned Owl is not normally easy but sometimes you get the help of other feathered creatures. Such was the case here. I headed out at sunrise to try to see if I could find Houdini and Henrietta, a nesting pair of Great Horned Owls not far from my home.
I did find them surprisingly easily initially but both flew off, preferring their privacy. I wasn’t having much fun relocating them but then heard a racket of cackling crows. I knew that likely meant they had found one of my owl friends and were not happy about.
Following the sound, I found Henrietta and, unfortunately for her, about a half-dozen crows that were hassling her. She was pretty upset, no doubt just wanting to sleep after a night out and about. She would move to another roost and the crows would follow, never giving her a moment of peace. This went on for a good half hour before the black birds gave up and my female owl friend got a break.
Crow enjoys leftovers on ice
This black beauty was looking for a meal and was not too picky about what it ate. The area Bald Eagles had dropped some of their food on the lake and while it didn’t look appetizing to me, this bird thought it tasted pretty decent.
The American Crow is an extraordinarily intelligent bird, thought to be among the smartest. They are also pretty fearless, not afraid to take on big raptors that happen to be in an area it wants to control. I’ve seen them incessantly hassle much bigger birds from owls to eagles, eventually driving them off with their non-stop cackling.
Beautiful Bison pair for Tatanka Tuesday
Now isn’t this just a picture perfect couple? This bull and cow were standing away from the rest of the herd, avoiding the pushing and shoving that was taking place during the rut. Both looked resplendent in the early morning light and the fall landscape gives them a nice place to pose.
These massive animals were hunted to the brink of extinction in the 1700s and 1800s with as few as 750 reported by 1890. Their numbers have since rebounded with about 500,000 now living on public and private lands.
It used to be we called these buffalo but that actually was incorrect. While they are part of the same family that includes the European and African buffalo, the Bison is its own, distinct species. It is believed they were called buffalo by early North American explorers due to their resemblance to the Old-World species.
Native Americans call them Tatanka, a Lakota word that translated means “bull buffalo.” In May 2016 the Bison became the official mammal of the United States, a fitting and long overdue honor. Taken at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge near Denver, Colorado.
How big is a Moose?
How big is a Moose? Big enough to block a full lane of roadway. 😉
It is Moose Monday and I share this image not because it is particularly great artistically but rather because it does a great job demonstrating just how big these guys are. Unless you have seen one and been relatively close, it is hard to appreciate their sheer size. Needless to say, they are massive.
Moose are the largest member of the deer family although the sub-species we have here in Colorado, the Shiras moose, are the smallest of moose sub-species. That however does not mean they are truly small. They can stand six feet tall at the shoulder and weigh up to 1,200 pounds!
When this guy wanted to cross the road on this cold, foggy morning back in September, you can bet I gave him a very wide berth.
No trespassing enforcer
This Rough-legged Hawk wanted to ensure I was behaving myself near this field northeast of Denver last weekend. 😉
Rough-legged Hawks spend their summers in the Arctic where they mate and then spend winters in southern Canada and the lower 48. I’ve been seeing quite a few in recent weeks as their seasonal population here builds. Hopefully I can get some better pics of them like I did last year.
One of their most notable features is that their legs are feathered all the way down to the toes, one of only three American raptors like that. The other two being the Ferruginous Hawk and the Golden Eagle.
Video: Fishing fun with Bald Eagles
A couple of weeks ago I visited one of my favorite hot spots for eagle activity. There were about a dozen there and they put on quite a show. I managed to capture a number of sequences of them fishing for breakfast. I was disappointed in the quality of the images as for the most part, the eagles were a long ways off necessitating heavy cropping to show the action. Putting them in a photo slideshow allows me to show the action of them all and helps to make up for the lack of quality.
Orange and blue to start the day
If the team was doing worth a darn, I probably would have called this a ‘Broncos sunrise’ since it was taken on a game day. That, unfortunately, is not the case and while the view did feature the team colors, it sure did not portend a victory. 🙁 Nevertheless, the scene was beautiful with the clouds on the horizon blazing orange and that deep blue, Colorado sky above just beginning to get illuminated. More landscape images here.
Fantastic flight shot for Freedom Friday!
The workday is done and now we escape into the weekend and after the week I have had, I am very happy about that to say the least. This Bald Eagle from a couple of weeks ago symbolizes how I feel right now as I get a couple of days break to recharge and get back after it. Are you ready for the weekend?
Announcing the Tony’s Takes 2017 photo book
Cuddly creatures? Ferocious raptors? Wildlife with big horns and antlers? Gorgeous sunrises on the Great Plains? Snow-covered mountains? The solar eclipse? Got them all in my 2017 photo book! I received my proof, fixed a couple things, and it is now ready for ordering. Best of all, I am using a different supplier which has allowed me to increase the page count by 50% while dropping the price a good chunk. Check them out and get yours on order ASAP if you want it before Christmas.