images as thoughts
The robins have returned and are enjoying the fall in the forest nearby. We have so many around in spring and early summer and then the vanish only to return as fall begins.
I enjoy their company and are grateful for their return to our little woodland nearby.
Quietly perched and giving us the 180 degree head turn like only an owl can give a Great Horned Owl waits in the early evening light for their day to begin.
Happy hunting to the owl and have a great weekend to all.
One of my favorite wading birds is the Black Necked Stilt. The Audubon guide says “Everything about the Black-necked Stilt seems delicate — from its incredibly thin stilt-legs to its slim wings and its needle-like bill — yet it manages to thrive on the sun-baked flats around shallow lakes, some of them in searing climates.”
They are truly amazing birds and have the second longest leg length to body ratio of wading birds only surpassed by Flamingos.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-necked_Stilt/lifehistory
A Wilson’s Snipe peeking out from the grass in which they were very well hidden.
We saw and waited for quite some time for this guy to move out from behind the grasses in which we could just barely see them moving around foraging.
This is the most we captured but sometimes just a peek is more than enough.
A little flycatcher, a willow or perhaps a yellow or least, the exact type we are unable to determine sits quietly in the Aspens on a cloudy fall day in SW Colorado. If you are skilled at ID’ing these guys feel free to let us know what exact species you think it is.
The Green Tailed Towhee spends most of its time in dense low thickets, where it forages on the ground. Like other towhees, it scratches in the leaf-litter with both feet as it searches for food. It is somewhat secretive and difficult to see so we were thrilled to get a quick glimpse at this bird when it quickly flew from a berry thicket and landed on this tree for a few seconds.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Green-tailed_Towhee/id
http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/green-tailed-towhee
Making a quick appearance with a nasal honk-honk-honk a Red Breasted Nuthatch inspects a tree searching for a meal.
