American Pipits breed on the arctic tundra as well high alpine meadows yet can regularly be observed during winter and spring migration, as was the case this day. While they sometime can be an inconspicuous looking bird the touch of peachy-orange on this bird certainly drew our attention her way as she foraged contently on a fresh hatch of spring insects.
Up and down a little stream a kingfisher rattles in flight.
Sitting in the tree-tops with a group of Pine Siskins and other small song birds was a beautiful looking small bird we decided was a female Hoary Redpoll. She was at the southern edge of her winter range and it was a pleasure to get a glimpse of her before she returns to the high arctic tundra for the summer.
Along an old county road where the snowmelt and recent rains have made temporary wetlands a variety of birds enjoy a cloudy spring afternoon.
Yellowlegs, dowitchers, stilts and even a great tailed grackle enjoyed some time in the pool.
Having open lands and bit of available water is vital for many migratory birds making the spring journey to their breeding grounds. With development of open farmlands and ranches for housing, business parks and the wonderful strip mall birds lose both land and water in which they need and humans in turn lose another connection to the other creatures we share the planet with.
These farmers fields will dry up in the blink of an eye but for now support life not only for bird habitat in the spring but they also grow food for us humans as well. Less farmland, more development. Virtual reality birds and lab grown food. The future is looking bright.
Time to get out and enjoy what we still have.
Listening to a pair of pacific wren sing a back and forth turned a simple duet into a symphony.
Announcing their presence with those wonderful squeaky sounds the Grackles are back in town. Isn’t it amazing that when photographed, in just the right light, a bird that looks jet black to your eyes is actually a multi-colored work of art. And eyes as cute as buttons…or are they buttons?
All puffed out and waiting for the sun to warm things up before hitting the lake to collect bugs.
There were literally billions, well OK, there were a boat load of swallows buzzing around the lakes in North Park last weekend collecting bugs off the top of the water. We went out early one morning to catch the action but it was cold and most of the swallows were hunkered down and puffed out trying to keep warm and the sun to come out.
Happy Earth day.
Hope you all have a chance to get out and enjoy the wondrous beautiful planet we all live on.
And just as an experiment how about we make every day Earth day for awhile. The planet would appreciate it.
They sing with all their song.
And sing it all day long.
On a quiet country road in the grasslands of eastern Colorado.
We watched and mostly listened as this male Sage Thrasher sang his long and complex song from the top a the sage brush on a quiet dirt road near Walden, CO.
According to All About Birds “males have long, complex, melodic songs, with remarkable variety. The rambling series of phrases, often preceded by soft clucking notes, is continuous and interspersed with moments of repetition and mimicry. Songs can be very long indeed; one male was recorded singing for 22 minutes straight.”
While this guys song was not a whopping 22 minutes it did go on and on leaving me out of breath just listening.
nature has no boss 
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