Tony's Takes Photography

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Moose bull enjoys a quiet evening at the lake

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A moose bull stands on the shore o a lake in Colorado's high country. (© Tony’s Takes)
A moose bull stands on the shore o a lake in Colorado’s high country. (© Tony’s Takes)

These are the type of scenes I relish when I camp in the Colorado high country during the summer.

Having arrived earlier than the rest of my family, I headed out for an evening hike while I waited for the rest of the crew to arrive. The sun had just dropped below the towering 13,229-foot Mount Audubon to the west and the light was fleeting.

Four moose bulls were grazing on the willows along the shoreline so I pulled up a rock to sit and watch. The still and quiet was only interrupted by the occasional grunt from the big guys and the sound of them munching on willows.

This bull, the youngest of the group, decided he was thirsty and came down for a drink. For a moment, he hesitated, looking to the west and the setting sun, seeming to soak in the beauty before him. Well, probably not, but it sure seemed like it and it made for a pretty cool moment – and a nice capture.

Happy Moose Monday!

Taken September 8, 2018 in the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area.

Lone tree in black and white

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Black and white image of a tree standing along on the snow-covered plains of Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)
Black and white image of a tree standing along on the snow-covered plains of Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)

A very pretty morning on the plains yesterday as our latest snowstorm moved out. Colors were subdued with the lingering clouds so I went to black and white for this one and am pleased with the result. This tree really stood out as the only feature on the snow-covered plains. Sometimes to stand out, you just need to stand apart.

“What? Do I have something on my face?”

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A young white-tailed deer with its face covered in snow. (© Tony’s Takes)
A young white-tailed deer with its face covered in snow. (© Tony’s Takes)

😀 I don’t know what this young white-tailed deer did to get so much snow on its face but it looked pretty darned funny.

The Denver area received another shot of snow last night leading to some pretty scenes on the plains. The wildlife, normally very active in the wake of a storm, seemed kind of subdued though. Perhaps even they are getting tired of all of the cold we have been experiencing.

Bald eagle locks on to its landing spot

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A bald eagle grabs onto a tree branch as it lands in Adams County, Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)
A bald eagle grabs onto a tree branch as it lands in Adams County, Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)

Another of the many captures I took last weekend.

This eagle hot spot only lasted a few days but it was absolutely awesome! Our nation’s emblem put on one heck of a show and gave me some incredible memories, including this one. It approached from behind the tree fast and low, popping up and climbing at a high rate of speed before dropping down and grabbing the branch.

As you look at this image, you are likely most drawn to that impressive six+ foot wingspan. Goodness!

Bald eagle intercepts the approach vector for Freedom Friday

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A bald eagle banks hard while setting up for a landing in Adams County, Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)
A bald eagle banks hard while setting up for a landing in Adams County, Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)
Oh my! What a fantastic creature and a pretty darned cool image of one as it banked hard to setup for a landing. This past weekend was an absolute treat as two dozen bald eagles descended on a suburban pond northeast of Denver, Colorado.

It was a rare occurrence but likely occurred due to the thawing of the pond being timed with the fish in it being close to the surface. They were tiny fish, not much more than a snack for this big raptor, but there were enough that eagle activity was insane. It was an absolute treat and one that I will remember for a long time.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Heron on ice

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A great blue heron hangs out on a frozen pond at St Vrain State Park in Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)
A great blue heron hangs out on a frozen pond at St Vrain State Park in Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)
I am sure this Great Blue Heron would have preferred the water not being quite so ‘solid.’ It is pretty tough to fish through that ice. 😉

These guys do prefer fish but I have seen them tackle more earthy meals as well like mice and even prairie dogs. This particular one was hanging out on a frozen pond at St. Vrain State Park, Colorado recently, seemingly trying to figure out what / how it was going to eat.

It was watching the fisherman closely so maybe it was just hoping for a handout.  

High country giant takes a break

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A massive bull elk rests in a meadow near Estes Park, Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)
A massive bull elk rests in a meadow near Estes Park, Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)

One for Wapiti Wednesday.

With his harem under control and somewhat boxed in, this massive elk bull was able to lie down and take a much-needed break this past fall. The annual rut was in full swing and he had undoubtedly been keeping busy watching over the ladies and fending off competitors.

I was fortunate that this particular group was less than a mile from my camp near Estes Park, Colorado making for an easy walk and fun photo op. This guy easily had the most impressive rack of any bull I saw last year. He was definitely large and in charge.

Snowy egret hanging out on the shoreline

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Snowy egrets hang out on the shoreline of a pond in Adams County, Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)
Snowy egrets hang out on the shoreline of a pond in Adams County, Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)
A bit of a throwback image to last May. These birds are simply gorgeous with their all-white plumage. They are pretty skittish so I don’t normally get decent captures of them.

On this day, a dozen of them were hanging out on a pond in Adams County, Colorado and decided to be kind to me and let their picture be taken. I was able to lay down and get some nice, eye-level captures.

During the summer these birds are pretty common in Colorado but during the winter they prefer the warmer environs of Mexico. I don’t blame them. 😉

Young mule deer buck keeps watch on predators

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A young mule deer buck keeps watch on nearby coyotes. (© Tony’s Takes)
A young mule deer buck keeps watch on nearby coyotes. (© Tony’s Takes)

I happened across this handsome, young fellow recently. I found it interesting that he payed me absolutely no attention, not even a glance.

Instead, he stood motionless, focused on a hill about 100 yards away. Having seen this behavior before, I suspected there must be coyotes nearby. Sure enough, three popped up over the hill – one of which I shared a pic of on Saturday.

While the buck wasn’t worried about me, the coyotes were and opted not to approach any closer, keeping their distance from the human. Feeling assured he was safe, the buck turned around and went on his way.

“Be careful with that thing or you’ll poke an eye out.”

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A bald eagle scratches its head while perched at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. (© Tony’s Takes)
A bald eagle scratches its head while perched at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. (© Tony’s Takes)

As many times as I see raptors do this, I really don’t know how the heck they don’t hurt themselves. Those talons are so sharp and clearly meant for killing and yet bald eagles and others can use them to scratch themselves as casually as we do our fingers.

This particularly bald eagle put on quite a show at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, choosing a very public spot to hang out for the better part of two hours. I have no doubt it was the most photographed eagle in the state of Colorado that day.