Turtles and Orioles

Walked a bit through the river bottom just upstream of Chatfield Reservoir yesterday. Was a sunny morning, but had a good shower just after noon.

As I walked down to the first pond just east of the Audubon Society facility, I spied some turtles sunning on an old concrete culvert. Three box turtles and one huge Snapping Turtle. Man, they were on guard, though. I no sooner got close and they were gone. Waited a bit, and they came back, but I spooked them again trying to get a clear shot. I've sneaked up on turtles before in my kayak, and actually picked them up, but these guys were shy. When I first saw them the big snapper was sitting with his mouth wide open, like, come on bugs, jump on in here and I'll snap these babies shut. Those are a set of jaws alright.

Walking through the woods I walked right into a Rocky Mountain Birding Observatory catch net. The sun was in my eyes, and I was looking up into the trees. Scared the hell out of me. I thought I'd walked into a giant spider web or something. They had these nets all over the place. I spied a Yellow Warbler caught up in one of the nets. I heard hoops and hoolers across a filed, "Ohhh, don't let him go." I wondered what they'd netted. I was going to walk over and tell them they had a bird, but a man was coming over. Yellow Warblers and Wrens were thick in the woods. Just everywhere. Not sitting long for photos, though.

Came across a deer near a small pond, full of singing frogs. Never can spy them, though. Funny how they start and stop singing all together as if on cue.

Was about to give up on things, when I saw a pair of Bullock's Orioles working in a flowering shrub. I was about to snap some frames when along came a couple of horseback riders, adn they spooked the birds. They weren't gone long, though. I don't know what that shrub is, but I've seen Orioles in them often. I think they like the nectar. Either that or the flowers host some small bug they like. I've heard Orioles like jelley and oranges, so I think it's the nectar. I got a few shots. They were very noisy. They are so beautiful.

Thought I'd give the turtles one more try. I was very stealthy. There was the big snapper and one box turtle. They were watching me, but I moved very slow. Got a couple of shots, but never could manuever to get some stems of grass out of the shot. Man, I'd sure hate to have that big guy snap shut on my toes! That's a set of choppers! Yeeeooow! Good, God, Hep-me, Yayall!