Virginia Rail

This is a Virginia Rail. They are sometimes hard to get even a glimpse of let alone a photo. I just got lucky to be in the right place at the right time.

Root Cellar

This homestead has kinda fell into disrepair. Actually there are a lot of these places throughout Colorado abandoned for many reasons.

Mountain View from San Luis Valley

The San Luis Valley is a high altitude basin practically surrounded by 14ers in the middle of Colorado extending down into New Mexico.

Great Horned Owl

This is a rare treat for me. I have only seen an owl in the wild a couple times in my life. This is only the second time I have been able to get some pictures of it. I thought I had missed my chance when it flew off the first time I saw it. However, it only flew a short distance and landed and I was able to get close enough for a few pictures.

There Goes The Sun

Silhouette of a Canadian Goose on the water. 

Dove

This dove is taking off.

White Tail Deer Encounter

This buck stopped by while I was watching some birds. I sat down when I heard him coming with the hope that I could get a picture of him. It turned out that he didn't get scared of me and I got a few more shots of him.

 

At this point the he was about 10 feet away. I had my 150-500mm Sigma lens on the camera as I was trying for some bird shots. I started to get nervous when he got within 5 feet of me.

 I lifted my head from behind the camera and waved to the deer and I figured he would spook and run. Nope. He just looked at me as if to say,"I'm not scared." Slowly he turned and walked away.

 

Northern Shrike

This medium size song bird is actually a preditor. It will catch smaller birds, insects, snakes and other such critters.  Then it will impale the catch onto barb wire or a cactus spine and come back in a day or two and eat it.  

Cicada

Cactus dodger cicada

Sunset photos from 10-5-12

These three pictures are all taken this evening. We have been having some amazing sunsets and sunrises lately. So I thought I would share these latest few.

Fall time in Colorado

 The weeds are even getting into the colors.

Turkey Vultures

These sure are some pretty birds don't you think. There was a flock of these birds where I went for a walk today. There must have been 25-30 of them. They kinda made me nervous.

Wilson's Warbler

A couple shots of a Wilson's Warbler that I was able to get some close to this morning.

Reflection of a Cloud

Late summer here in Colorado. This photo was taken at the Fountain Nature Center.

Common House Finch

These two pictures are of the common house finch. The top picture is the male with all his bright coloring. The bottom picture is a female(left) with a juvenile male, probably her offspring.

Robin on her nest

I recently painted a house near Elbert, CO and in one of the outbuildings I spied this robin siting on her nest. It took me a few tries to actually catch her on the nest as she was pretty wary and would fly off as soon as I entered the structure.

Black Canyon

Thirteen Lined Ground Squirrel

This rodent is quite common in Colorado.

Spiney Softshell Turtle

My wife and I saw this turtle near Penrose, CO in the Arkansas River. I had no idea they were present in Colorado.

Western Whiptail

Mule Deer

She was lying down 10 feet from the trail so I could get her pic.

Mama Antelope and Baby

I spied this mama and baby on the side of the highway. I just had to stop and get these shots.

Smoke From Fires

Unfortunately, forest fires are something we have to deal with here in Colorado. Almost every year there is at least one large fire but this year is shaping up to be a really bad year for fires.

Western Kingbird

This bird made quite a racket when I got close to the nest. These birds are about the size of a robin.

Sagebrush Lizard

We went for a walk at Brush Hollow reservoir last weekend and spotted this lizard.

Magpie

Northern Orioles

I spotted these two along a trail when I went for a walk today.

Snapping Turtle

This snapper crossed the trail in front of me, so I had to get a few shots of it. It ended up jumping off a 3 foot creek bank to get to the water.