While keeping my eye on the wildlife, I couldn’t help but train my lens on the setting moon yesterday morning. Just a day past being truly full, it was huge and beautiful! Sorry for the late posting today. It was definitely a ‘Monday’ as I just couldn’t seem to get things going in the right direction today. 🙁
Female Bald Eagle joins her mate for Freedom Friday
Freedom can take many forms, one of which is the release parents experience when their young ones leave the roost. That of course applies to humans but to these raptors as well.
This pair which I have documented for the past six plus months successfully fledged a young eagle who now is out on their own. That allows the parents, who mate for life, some time to be together.
On this day, the male was hanging out by himself when his mate came over to join him. They then spent some quality alone time as a couple. Well, somewhat alone other than the photographer below who was taking their picture. 😉
Have a great weekend!
Male Osprey makes surprise approach on his mate
From a week or so ago. I thought my photo day had ended and was on my way home when I saw a large bird land in a tree by some irrigation ponds not far from where I live. Naturally I had to check it out and was pleased to find a pair of Osprey.
The female was enjoying a meal of freshly caught fish while the male looked on from an adjacent tree. Seeing his bride eating without him must have been too much to bear as soon he took flight and flew right up behind her, clearly intent on either snagging the fish or landing beside and trying to get it. At the last minute he rather wisely chose to change his plans and go catch his own meal.
This image shows him at the last minute as he pulled up and headed off. I’ve seen this pair a few times in the area since this spring and suspect they have a nest somewhere nearby. It won’t be long though and they will leave Colorado and head for warmer environs to the south for winter.
A meteoric, starry morning in the mountains
Camping in the Colorado high country is almost always a treat but having your alarm go off at 2:30am at a time when the wind is howling and the temperatures are pushing down toward freezing is not exactly ideal. Nevertheless, I heeded the beeping and got dressed (with long underwear!) and headed out to capture some pictures of the stars.
Smoke from a wildfire on the Western Slope of the state coupled with dust from the strong winds created a bit of a haze in the atmosphere limiting my ability to get a great shot of the lights above. Nevertheless, the pictures came out pretty well.
In this image you see millions of stars, a haze-obscured Milky Way galaxy, and a meteor streaking in from the top right of the frame. Down below, the faintly lit Rocky Mountains with Mount Audubon being the prominent peak.
After about a half hour of snapping pictures the wind and cold had chilled me to the bone so I very quickly made a retreat back to camp for some more rest before the sunrise and the next photo opportunity came along.
Mount Andromeda in black and white
One of the more prominent mountain peaks in the Columbia Icefield area of Jasper National Park, Mount Andromeda is covered in snow in this black and white image. Taken back in the latter half of June, there was still a healthy dose of snow on the higher mountain peaks and the hike to the glacier was certainly a chilly one. The area is home to the Athabasca Glacier, the most visited glacier on the North American continent.
Red-tailed Hawk dines on rabbit
I am sitting here this evening gathering up photos for my annual calendars (and other secret – for now – project). Going through the past year of images I find lots of cool ones, some of which I never shared including this one.
I happened across this raptor dining on the remnants of a bunny in rural Adams County, Colorado in November of last year. It was very intent on finishing it meal, photographer or not, and devoured every last piece of meat it could. A bit gross perhaps but a good example of predator and prey and what goes on every day around us.
Old, grizzled veteran smiles for his portrait
It is Moose Monday and today’s capture comes from Roosevelt National Forest. It was a very chilly morning at 10,300 feet (26 degrees!) as the sun came up and the big guys were proving tough to find initially. I did finally have some luck coming across this old, tough one and a very young one that was following him around.
Here the big guy seems to have picked up a scent, perhaps of a nearby female. He clearly is one of the senior members of the bulls that hang out in the area, something you can easily tell from his size and seemingly aging face.
Bald Eagle flyby for Freedom Friday
With a new open space area now open to explore not far from my house and me confident of a Bald Eagle nest in the area, I set out Monday to check it out. It wasn’t long after sunrise till I found the pair I was looking for but they headed off before I could get in range.
After walking 5 miles or so, I returned to my vehicle to try to find them again and I did. I was then rewarded with a second pair not far from there, one of which gave me this decent flyby. Unfortunately by then the light was harsh but it was still a fun morning.
Bighorn Sheep lambs enjoy the spotlight
A picture for #TBT to June when I was in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada.
We had enjoyed a very relaxing morning at Miette Hot Springs and were on our way back to camp when we happened across this pair of little ones as well as eight ewes. The adults were quite comfortable with my family and another watching them and paid us little attention. The young ones though seemed fascinated by all the attention and put on quite a show of bounding around the side of the mountain then stopping and seeming to look to make sure we were watching.
Found across much of western North America, Bighorn Sheep are adept mountain climbers, best known for the male ram’s monstrous horns. While the animals are social, rams and ewes typically only meet during mating season. The young are kept on high ledges to help protect them from predators.
An orange and blue sunrise in honor of the Denver Broncos
The World Champions take on the Carolina Panthers tonight in a rematch of Super Bowl 50. All of Broncos Country will be cheering on our team tonight hoping for a similar outcome.
This particular image was taken back on March 5 at Jackson Lake State Park, Colorado and is one of my favorite landscapes. The stunning colors of the sunrise, calm waters with the reflection and the crescent moon above made for a breathtaking scene.