Fall Rocks

Fall Rocks at Running Deer.

Fall at Crow Valley

Cold enough to wear my sweatshirt and still feel a little chilly this morning at Crow Valley.

Sunrise outside Ault

There were a few commotions at Crow Valley today.

One of them centered around this puddle; robins and jays yakking

all over the place in between morning drinks.

Another commotion involved a pair of Merlins and some Blue Jays.

At one point the battle raged on directly above me. In my

excitement I think I saved the Jay, (at least temporarily)

but lost the shot.

I figured I'd get to see a lot of Wilson's Warblers hopping around CV today.

Expectation met.

Plumbeous vireo....judging by recent posts anyhow.

Don't know about this one...feels like a Warbling Vireo though.

UPDATE: Um, let's just say this is confirmed as Warbling. 

Cracks me up :)

On the way home, I looked for Burrowing Post Owls. No luck, only 

this guy. I was sad to see a recent fire had burned some of my 

favorite Burrowing habitat.

Also at Crow Valley Today:

Hermit Thrush

Brown Thrasher

a scruffy immature N Mockingbird

House Wrens

Flycatchers

On the Way Home

I stopped at Running Deer this evening. It was so quiet, again... I think I'm beginning to realize the quiet makes hearing certain things easier (the really quiet sounds.) Tonight I enjoyed this kind of listening practice.

My first surprise of the evening (I didn't have high expectations) 

was the little chirp of a pair of fledglings.

I got pretty excited as I realized that they were almost surely

Marsh Wren fledglings. Look at that ridiculous hairdo!

I know the photos don't do them justice, but they were a little shy.

Another great sound: the hilarious squeak the frogs make as they

jump in the water at my approach.

Frog Head at Sunset. :)

Very few birds tonight at Running Deer. I was chased away from 

a pair of Wilson's Warblers by mosquitoes. 

This Black-crowned Night Heron seemed more concerned

with the prospect of fishing than my presence.

Surprise #2: Look at him, isn't he gorgeous? I have no idea on id, but 

I sat and watched him nibble on his leaf for quite some time.

ID Update: Dave Leatherman, entomologist extraordinaire has confirmed

he is a White-lined Sphinx, what most people call a

Hummingbird Moth. Cooler than cool news really, since 

that is one of our very favorite garden visitors at home!

North East Colorado Field Trip

Day Two Highlights:

Sad update on the Hotel Bat: apparently he did not move from his spot at all between yesterday and today...

We began the day at Tamarack (very birdy) with lots of Red-headed Woodpeckers, Orioles and Flycatchers. I now have a slightly better understanding of the term empid.

Western Wood Pewee with Dragonfly

Down the hatch!

Willow Flycatcher

We made our way over to Jumbo Reservoir, stopping for assorted peeps and other shorebirds.

Pectoral Sandpiper

Long-billed Curlew!

and Black-bellied Plover!

We finished the day looking for warblers. While looking we happened upon two Common Nighthawks and a young scruffy-looking Downy Woodpecker:

a few more photos from today:

Personal trip highlights:

Mississippi Kites (juvenile!)

Prairie Rattlesnake

Common Tern

Red-headed Woodpecker

Olive-sided Flycatcher

Black Tern

Townsend's Warbler

Gray Flycatcher

Black-bellied Plover

Long-billed Curlew

It might be a little while before I head that far east again, but I think it was fantastic!

North East Colorado Field Trip

Day One Highlights:

The neatest experience today was watching two immature Mississippi Kites food begging in Sterling. We couldn't find them for awhile - we could only see adults circling above. Just after we located the two immature birds, Mom (or Dad) came in with a snack. Here's a few shots:

The expression on Mom's (or Dad's) face above makes me laugh!

Off to find some more...

We stopped at the hotel and discovered

The Hotel Bat.

We went off searching for more shore birds...

Pelicans never get dull.

Wilson's Phalaropes

Unimpressed Prairie Rattlesnake

Most of us missed out on the Barn Owl, but we

had this spider as consolation...

Goodnight Pelicans!

a few more photos from today:

Joe Pye Butterfly Weed

I went out to photograph a Monarch Butterfly on the Joe Pye Weed this evening and while taking photos I noticed just how many other residents were working on the plant...

The Butterfly was pretty cooperative, as long as I didn't 

move too fast...

Many, many Orange-belted Bumblebees

Honeybee

and one BIG Bumblebee.

An interesting-looking Beetle I've

never noticed before...

and this cool-looking mystery pollinator.

My very LEAST favorite garden visitor: the 

Assassin Bug, enemy of bees.

and of course, this summer's ever present pest,

the Grasshopper.

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