Pinyon Jay

On March 23, 2019 By Mike and Christy4 Comments

While getting ready to go for a hike a while ago we were pleased to have the company of numerous Pinyon Jays buzzing about in the parking area collecting seeds.

According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Pinyon Jays are highly social birds of the lower mountain slopes of the western United States, the Pinyon Jay is specialized for feeding on pine seeds. Each jay stores thousands of seeds each year, and has such a good memory that it can remember where most of them were hidden.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pinyon_Jay/id

Now if only I could bottle that kind of memory and take a sip every morning I might never forget where I placed my keys.

Penitente Canyon, CO.

Bruin

On March 22, 2019March 17, 2019 By Mike and Christy18 Comments

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Soon the Black Bears will awake from their winters slumber and grace the forest with their presence after a quiet winter. That’s not a bad thing at all. We may see one or we may not but just knowing they are there brings a special fullness to our human lives.

Happy Friday and enjoy your weekend.

Pardon me, Ibis crossing.

On March 21, 2019March 21, 2019 By Mike and Christy6 Comments

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Although not a Roadrunner I swear I could hear the meep, meep sounds as this White Faced Ibis hurried across our path.

Pardon me, Ibis crossing.

A day well spent

On March 20, 2019March 9, 2019 By Mike and Christy6 Comments

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All the snows my stage…

On March 19, 2019March 24, 2019 By Mike and Christy2 Comments

On a snowy March morning we interrupted this Raven while they were feeding. They left their meal (what looked like a mouse) several yards away and performed a dance upon the snowy stage signaling for us to move along on our mornings journey. Gurgling noises with head bobbing up and down we got the message loud and clear and left this Raven to consume their morning meal.

A nice start

On March 18, 2019March 12, 2019 By Mike and Christy2 Comments

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Welcoming the start of another week with a wonderful late winter sunrise along the Blacktail Plateau. Things are warming up and snow sinks further into the ground with each passing day.

Dimples

On March 17, 2019 By Mike and Christy6 Comments

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This wasn’t the biggest iceberg in the pond but boy oh boy the evening light sure made it special. Photographed while kayaking in Sermilik Fjord, East Greenland, August 2013.

Hello…Quail Calling

On March 16, 2019March 6, 2019 By Mike and Christy10 Comments

A male Gambel’s quail letting it be know he is a very available bachelor on a nice spring morning in western Colorado.

Like Ghosts

On March 15, 2019March 12, 2019 By Mike and Christy2 Comments

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The fur on the Pronghorn has become paler as winter progressed and now they move through the snow covered grasslands like ghosts with eyes that keep track on your every move. Like ghosts moving through the snowy landscape.

A late winter bouquet

On March 14, 2019March 14, 2019 By Mike and Christy4 Comments

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A midwinter monochrome bouquet picked from a selection of last summers wildflowers. Distant yet still fresh in our minds.

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This years crop will be poking up in the blink of an eye as the sun rises higher in the sky with each passing day and will appear, not in monochrome but full color, and after a long cold winter a little color is a fine thing.

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