images as thoughts
I never tire of the brilliant color of a Male Western Tanager. We recently got to see a nice group of 5-6 males hanging out in trees of a thickly forested area. They were busy moving about foraging but luckily we did get a nice photo or two when they moved between the branches whereas the females although present remained quite hidden.
One of our favorite wildflower is Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum). Gazing into a field of these flowers is like watching a full on action movie yet motion is only implied.
Hearing the Chickadees calling in the trees above our heads we expected to look up and see either a black-capped or mountain chickadee as we had seen them earlier this day. However to our surprise we we greeted by this little Chestnut-Backed Chickadee looking down at us and hunting insects just above our heads.
The all about birds website starts their description of this bird by calling them handsome and I would have to whole heartedly agree with that.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chestnut-backed_Chickadee/id
This white tailed deer was photographed on a recent trip to visit family in the midwest. Living in the mountain west for so long I can say for certain I don’t miss the humidity and all the bugs. It sure was fun was running across this deer happily feeding away and hardly giving us a second look as we hiked through the woods. I had forgotten how small white-tailed deer can be.
Posing for a wonderful family portrait.
Yellow Headed Blackbirds remain on of my favorites no matter how often I photograph them.
A red Necked Grebe spending time on the nest.
While we were watching the pair took tuns sitting on the eggs so each could spend time gathering food.
Milk Weed, from bud to flower, posing nicely in the evening sunlight.
Everywhere we look on our daily walk milk weed is springing forth. Most plants have buds just waiting to burst into flower while a few have started their blooms. We all know milkweed is an important flower for the Monarch Butterfly but given its abundance it helps sustain many pollinators both large and small.
Summer is truly upon us…on your mark, get set….go.
Along Clear Creek in Denver, CO.
