Weld Birds

The Winter Birds are slipping away from me I realize; a quick dash out east today in hopes of catching a few. Slim hopes. :)

At Latham, Red-winged Blackbirds:

I drove out to Banner Lakes with some vague idea of looking for Long-earred Owls. I didn't find any, but on the way back to the car I flushed a GHO. At least my vague idea had some semblance of logic!

Flew out right in front of me; didn't even know he'd been there!

Another silhouette for the gallery, a Western Meadowlark.

Young Gulch to Myself

What to do when school's out due to "inclement" weather? Bundle up and go play outside of course!

I arrived at the empty Young Gulch lot to find I was the first visitor this morning.

There wasn't tons of snow, but there was a sort of snow 

"fun factor" - with yesterday's rain most of the trail was frozen...

snow on top of ice made for interesting travels.

The stream that crosses Young Gulch was open in a few spots. In most spots

however I could just hear the water gurgling underneath the ice.

In a few spots I had to be really observant to even suspect I was 

crossing the stream!

Young Gulch was quiet (except for the near-constant gurgling.) Every 

once in a while I'd hear a calling Solitaire or Chickadee.

I made it a little over a mile in before I decided my fingers and toes

were about done for. I hightailed it about as fast as my snow boots 

would let me on the way back.

Also enjoying the sub-zero weather today: Several Brown Creepers, Juncos, 

an irritated-sounding Flicker, one Robin and some noisy

Clark's Nutcrackers. There were LOTS of great foot prints in the snow: Rabbits, rodents, 

birds and one small cat or doggish print....bobcat?

Leaving at lunchtime....the still blissfully empty parking lot.

and on the way home....

I was thinking about Dippers on my way in this morning. Those Polar

Bear swimmers have NOTHING on these guys!

Three Bird Day

Around Town today, but blissfully outside and feeling so much better for it!

An almost-patient Great Blue Heron

I went to look for the Long-tailed Duck at North Shields Ponds today. A fabulous-looking duck. Someday I hope to see an adult male in Summer plumage :) There was more than a little adventure involved in today's search, but I did get to see the bird: (That's him on the left...)

Flying off with some Goldeneyes half a second after I arrive

Not looking too excited about my visit

Safely far away.

My first Winter Wren, at the Environmental Learning Center:

Skullllkeee!!!

And an immature Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Grandview Cemetery:

Really beautiful...another bird I'd like to see in adult plumage.

Also around town today:

American Robin

Black-billed Magpie

Black-capped Chickadee

Brown Creeper

Canada Goose

Dark-eyed Junco

Eurasian-collared Dove

European Starling

Hairy Woodecker

Mallard

Northern Flicker

Red-winged Blackbird

Valmont Reservoir

The Biggest Field Trip Ever.

Not as much confusion as I might have expected for approximately 209 attendees! This was my first visit to the Valmont Reservoir at the Excel Power plant in Boulder. Fantastic weather, though I'm still very excited about the wool long-johns.

The most cooperative Kingfisher I've ever met: Most Belted Kingfishers

flee the moment I turn my camera lens on them. This brave bird allowed a

group of around 100 people to come quite close before flying. Must have 

been wondering what all the excitement was about!

Another photo for the new Birds by Shape project. (see the rest here.)

This one, an immature Black-crowned-night Heron. I have a well-lit

photo of him sitting along the bank but I enjoy this one a lot more.

A pair of Gadwalls. Someday I'll be able to identify them! (Thanks Connie)

A Trip Highlight, a Horned Grebe. Valmont Reservoir was open

to the public especially for our field trip yesterday. I'm beginning to

think some of these birds had never seen bunches of people before 

and didn't have the sense to flee! This Grebe calmly swam

over to check us all out.

We saw two Ferruginous Hawks at Valmont, my first for the year. 

This one, an immature bird watched us calmly as we walked around

one of the lakes.

I didn't get any amazing Gull views at Valmont (the trip is sometimes referred to as "Gullapalooza") but a beautiful day outside with nice looks at some key species. Additional species highlights: My first Hooded Merganser! (I've been hoping to see one for a long time) Red-breasted and Common Mergansers, Bald and Golden Eagles and a Tundra Swan. 

Red Rocks Trading Post

So much chatter about exciting things at the Red Rocks Trading Post I finally adventured over there today. I left at 5:00 to avoid Denver traffic and that worked beautifully. In fact, I think I'll be making it a rule.

Good News! I think I figured out a plan for all these silhouettes:

I'm going to organize them here; and use them to practice identifying

 birds by shape (you know like the end covers in the Peterson guide?) 

So excited to have a purpose in my silliness!

I replenished the seed at the Trading Post and went for a walk on the short trail that loops around. It was gorgeous. Fantabulous sunrise.

While walking I was treated to Scrub Jays, Juncos and 

Magpies. I watched a few Canyon Wrens scrambling

on the rocks and watched a Kestrel peeping out at me from 

crevices above.

There are four special birds at the Trading Post right now. I got to see three of them today,

which was wonderful.

I glimpsed the Curve-billed Thrasher immediately

upon returning from my walk. He was really skittish though,

and only made brief appearances.

The Golden-crowned Sparrow appeared to be

buddies with the Thrasher - I never saw him alone!

Truthfully my favorite view of the day came while I was waiting for the rarities to show up:

This Canyon Wren came to the feeders several times while

I watched, though I never saw him eat anything.

Here's the White-throated Sparrow. I saw him after several hours of waiting - well

worth it!

Other "less-important"visitors to the Trading Post feeders today:

Could not have been a more perfect morning...

more of the same:

Finally the Sun's Out!

A visit to the Environmental Learning Center today:

Windy Bobcat

no...I didn't see a bobcat...


Quiet and then windy at Bobcat Ridge today.

Can't say where I'm going with this, but here's another group of more or less 

poorly exposed artistic images...this time

Pygmy Nuthatches:

who knows. But I guess I'm free to explore the direction.