Mimidae Morning

After a snowy cold February, I was itching to get out and do some camping. Really, almost summer-like week of weather here in mid-March, so I took advantage of it and went down along the Arkansas River. Spent the first night at Hecla Junction down in Brown's Canyon, one of my fav spots on the planet. In the spring and fall that is. Rafting circus in the summer. Didn't see a lot of wildlife this time. Some cassin's finches, but didn't get any good shots. Got pretty chilly there by morning. I had my pal, Ty, with me. He's a friend's dog I was sitting. Part Siberian and part Golden Lab. Beautiful fluffy blond dog. Great dog, too. The bestest dog ever, I think. Anyway, he was sleeping up in the back half of the cab, so I kind wondered if he was cold. I had the window between the camper and cab (boot between the two) open so some of the heat from the camper could get up there. He loves being back there. Once it starts to get dark he sits by the truck, ready to go to bed. He was tired from watching cows along the highway and swimming in the river.

Second night we spent at Lake Pueblo State Park. Almost like summer there. Spent the afternoon around camp in my shorts and t-shirt. Next morning, woke up to some beautiful bird song. Sounded like a mockingbird! Sure enough it was a northern mockingbird. Never had seen one around Pueblo before. I grew up to mockingbird sound - all night long, sometimes - growing up in Memphis. Then, a different, yet similar kind of song. There in the same tree sat a curved-bill thrasher. I think they were trying to sort out who's pinion tree it was going to be.

There are lots of Prairie Dogs at Lake Pueblo - tons of them. A couple with burrows right in camp kept poor Ty tantalized. Had to keep his rope short, but they were driving him nuts. I had to take a shot of his total concentration.

Down along the river below the dam later in the morning, it was so warm there were a few butterflies, out. Shot this white. Not sure what kind of white it is. I think butterflies are much more difficult overall than birds.

Going to throw in a couple of shots of some American wigeons I shot along Clear Creek in Wheat Ridge. Also a nice Mallard. It's like he's walking along talking in some commercial or something. Very handsome drake. Mallards are so common sometime you just take them for granted.

Beep Beep!

Been reports of a greater

roadrunner along Dinosaur Ridge at the foot of the mountains for the past month or two. This is very far north for roadrunners, so it has been a very popular birding activity in the area. I'd been out four times looking for it before I finally saw it yesterday. Beautiful sunny day, very little wind, in the upper 50s. Sat for about two hours at one of the spots where it has been seen frequently, talking with some fellow birders, waiting for the bird to show. Finally a lady on a bicycle came down the road and said birders further up the road were seeing the bird. I hustled up there, and sure enough there it was. Got a few shots, but it was pretty far up the slope and in and out of the scrub oak. Even though there was only about a half hour or so of sun left, I decided to hike around the corner and see if I could catch it from above and get a bit closer. I no sooner topped the ridge and there it was. I got some pretty good shots. Observed it for a good twenty minutes as it worked along the slope below me.

The big speculation has been about just what is the bird eating around here this time of year?Certainly aren't many little snakes, lizards or bugs out this time of year along the Front Range. People have reported seeing it pecking at the ground like it's finding bugs. Of course, juniper berries are very plentiful up along Dinosaur Ridge, but not much protein in those. I did observe the bird pecking at things along the ground, but couldn't tell what it was after. I certainly didn't see many bugs around. A couple of flies, that was about it. I also observed the bird sharpening its beak on rocks, and it took a quick dust bath while I watched it. Didn't get a shot of it.

With all the juniper berries on the slopes, there are plenty of Townsend's solitaires around. Got a couple of shots of one.

Pretty cool to go out and find a rare bird like that. Took my mom out around Barr Lake earlier in the month to look for a reported snowy owl. We found it, and but it was quite far off in a field, much too far for a decent shot. Some other birders allowed us to look through their high powered spotting scope, so we got some pretty good looks. Mom found it quite thrilling to see such a rare bird.

Winter Color

About the only color around here in the winter bird-world are the wintering ducks and our residents woodpeckers. Been out a few times recently. We'll start in my backyard in Edgewater. I have a seed feeder and a suet basket. Every winter for the past couple years I've had a pair of Downy's who frequent the suet.

I enjoy going out and looking for ducks in the winter. It's been persistently cold so most of the lakes are totally ice covered. A few little open holes, but not many. So lots of the ducks go to the creeks and rivers that say open, making for closer approaches. Gadwalls aren't the most colorful of ducks, but the males do have some color on their backs, and both sexes have nice mottling on their breasts, I think. I always enjoy the Green-winged teals. Shovelers are ever present in huge numbers here in the winter. Don't often see them in running water, but I found a couple along Clear Creek in Edgewater. The weak afternoon sun was just right on this one male. .

Down along the South Platte last week, I found a couple of Great Blue Herons in the ponds below Chatfield. They looked very cold.

Was out at Bear Creek Lake the other day looking for ducks but never got anything good. Was walking out thru the downed Cottonwoods and the shadow of a big stubby bird flew over. No, two. I'd spooked a pair of Great Horned Owls. They were anxious to get back to sleep so I worked quickly, but got a shot of both.

Walking around Sloan Lake the other day watching a flock of Canada Geese taking off from the lake to go feed up by the tennis courts. I noticed one that looked a bit different. They were moving fast, but looked like a white head in the group. I finished my walk and got my camera and binocs out when I got back to the car and went looking. I spent a good twenty minutes glassing the hundreds of grazing birds before I picked out a dark Snow Goose. Certainly sounded different, but seemed perfectly happy in with the White Cheeked fowl.

Pueblo Reservoir October 2011

Needed a quick get-a-way from all the family obligations of late, so camped over night at Pueblo Reservoir. Birding was slow, but I did find this nice Canyon Towhee, a first for me, right in the campground. A very stocky bird.

Down by the river, a saw an Osprey land on a big old dead tree, but it was pretty far off. Also found this pretty butterfly feeding on the lingering rabbit brush.

There was a flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers working the willows along the river, but never got a decent shot.

Back home, hanging around the last blossoms on the Butterfly Bush was this dragon fly.

No Birds

Been a messed-up summer with family medical emergencies. Did get over to the wildlife area at Crown Hill Park in Wheat Ridge the other day. Didn't see many birds, but did shoot a few pics of insects, reptiles and such.

The water was high with tons of dragon flies out over the flooded field. They are very interesting insects. I have to research why it is some fly around attached to one another. I assume it's a mating thing, but I don't know.

Also saw this nice green frog hiding out in the duck weed. Had to really look closely to pick it out.

I always enjoy turtles. Don't know why, I just like them. They are difficult to sneak up on, however. This particular one has a slug riding along on it's shell.

Summer 2011

It's been kind of a lost summer. Spent a good month or more dealing with family emergency issues, so didn't have a lot of time out in the field. Missed the best part of the season. But, I have gotten out a few times. Went camping with Connie along the Arkansas. Been out to Bear Creek Lake Park, Chatfield, and White Ranch Open Space. I'll just post the pics, and not worry about a lot of story here.

First Part of April

Birding has been pretty slow so far this spring. I did take a trip down to Pueblo Reservoir earlier in the spring to look for Bluebirds. I saw a few, but it was windy and birding was tough. It's such a windy dry spring. I hope that doesn't deter migration, but it does seem slow to me.

I heard about a Mandarin Duck over at Prospect Park in Wheat Ridge. Drove over there one afternoon to a small crowd of birders and photogs looking for it. Sure enough there it was as reported over by the dock and in love with a female Mallard who's side he rarely left. Gorgeous duck. I don't know much about them, except that they certainly aren't native to North America. Almost certainly an escapee from a zoo or something. While there I got a couple of shots of a Great Blue Heron on a nest in the Cormorant rookery. Also a pair of Downy Woodpeckers working away in a tree.

Went up to Lair of the Bear the other day up Bear Creek looking for early migrants. It was dead quiet. Didn't see much of anything. While checking a tree where Mountain Bluebirds have nested in the past I spied this hind quarters of a dead mouse hanging out of their hole. I'd bet it's an owl cache. Been reports of an owl up there, but I forget what kind.

Finally, I was up in Indian Creek Canyon down in Douglas County yesterday looking for some reported Three-toed Woodpeckers. As usual, the wind was howling and didn't see much. I did come upon this early Swallowtail butterfly fighting the wind down low on the ground.

Hopefully I'll come across some good migrants soon.