Joy Out East

Unexpected Fabulousness: the bird I've been most hoping to see for the first time this Spring, the Black-Necked Stilt:

These little guys were hanging out with the stilts:

Other highlights today:

Brad's Pheasant photo

Excitable Yellow Headed Blackbirds..

(probably just excited to have a break from the rain!)

My first Yellow-Rumped Warbler of the year...

And at Lower Latham, a Marsh Wren's nest.

Need a little help?

:)

Finished the day with some White-Faced Ibises at Drake Lake.

The rest of today's photos:

Really Feeling like Spring

A WBU Walk with Connie today started off wonderfully with an Osprey flying over the parking lot.

Quiet Great Horned Owl observes the group...

An incredible amount of Turkey Vultures...flying overhead...

hanging out in trees (next to an immature Bald Eagle!)

Song Sparrow puts on a show...

Downey Woodpeckers acting Funny...

 and Goose on nest.

 

This afternoon, a quick stop at Running Deer 

provided a FOS Snowy Egret!

Spring Weekend

Friday afternoon, a visit to Running Deer, and a chance to practice a little of this "exposure adjustment" Robert Palmer talked about Thursday night. Clearly much practice will be required but surprisingly, a few successes!

A low-flying harrier gives me much opportunity for practice...

and then a semi-cooperative pair of wood ducks

(okay, not so in focus...but check out that hairdo!)

Saturday, out to Lower Latham for a few first of seasons:

Blue Winged Teal

Uggh. Time to put the cage on the feeder...

Marsh wren

I didn't catch the crossbills at Grandview on Sunday, but I did find some deer, a fox, and a sharp shinned hawk:

The rest of Friday, Saturday and Sunday's photos:

Cranes on Wednesday

The wind seemed to make the cranes go into hiding today (or make an early exit!) We headed to Penitente Canyon - though apparently not to escape the wind!!

Rock formations in Penitente Canyon

Two vultures relaxing at the canyon rim. I don't think they were enjoying the wind either!

Also in the canyon, along with juncos and chickadees, some very nice ice:

Back to town, and a search for the cranes....Very absent in the farm fields we've seen them in the last few days, we finally found some flying and loafing around the Refuge:

Incoming!

They look like parachuters!

A few more photos:

Tuesday's Cranes

The sun didn't rise as brightly today, and the cranes took off fast....but the lack of sunshine made for some decent silhouette views.

I watched these two in particular, waiting for them to take off. Here they go:

A quarter or less of the group remains:

After the cranes, a quick view of the Ruddy Duck:

This afternoon, on the way into Taos; the Rio Grande Gorge:

Find the rest of Tuesday's photos here:

Monday's Cranes

We were organized enough to catch the cranes leaving their roosts in the morning - I think we'll do that each chance we get!

Then another visit to the Sand Dunes...

And a visit to Zapata Falls (Zapata very-frozen Falls)

We headed back to Monte Vista to watch the Cranes return and on the way back saw FOUR Great Horned Owls!

The Rest of Monday's Photos: