A Black Headed Grosbeak calls form atop a tree on a cloudy afternoon.
Tag: ecosystem
Just about sunset
The sights, the sounds and the smells all suggest Autumn is fully here. This day was no exception as the sun sets ever earlier and the green grass has long tuned brown.
From behind the bush
Who’s the peeking out from behind the bush?
Well it’s just little old me a Sandhill crane.
Reluctantly, this beautiful rusty red crane eventually moved from behind the bush. She preened and foraged and allowed us a few photos on a late summer afternoon.
Red Rocks Lake National Wildlife Refuge, 2018.
A job well done
The other day I saw a yellow flash land in a nice cedar tree. Thinking it was an unusual insect I quickly went over to get a look. Alas, it was not a new insect but a Honey Bee and to say this one was covered in pollen might be an understatement. This little bee could hard fly with the load they had acquired. After a few minutes of rest they slowly lifted off and headed back to the hive. A job well done.
Good as Gold
The Aspen tress are doing their thing and a day spent soaking it up is an experience as good as gold.
Happy fall to all.
A Pikas Song
One of my favorite animals to inhabit the alpine tundra and one I always think of as summer turns to fall is the American Pika. Scurrying about above the tree-line diligently gathering vegetation to stock their winter larder. The Pika is adapted to live year-round in the harsh alpine environment. However tough they may be climate change poses a significant danger to the continued existence of the Pika and in the lower regions of North America have already lost up to 1/3 of their previous habitat to climate change.
It would be a sad day indeed if a hike through the alpine tundra was devoid of a pikas song.
More Flycatching
When I think of an American Robin foraging the picture that comes to mind is a Robin head down focused and ready to pull a wiggling worm form the grass.
This day flies were buzzing about above the river and the Robin was keen to get into the act of flycatchin’.
He would swoop down out of a tree across the the river and grab flies landing either back on a branch or in this case a log along the river back. He looked quite skilled at catching his prey and I will forever have a changed picture of a Robins foraging habits.
Gracing the pond
Given my abysmal skills at dragonfly identification I suspect this beautiful looking creature is some species of Red Meadowhawk Dragonfly.
Even though Fall is almost here there are some Dragonflies still buzzing about when the sun is out.
On a single thistle
With all the other wildflowers long gone to seed a single thistle along the side of the road reminded me of one of those photos of the lone remaining watering hole in the Serengeti attracting animals from near and far for a nice cool drink. Only this thistle attracted the remaining nectar and pollen lovers in the area including skippers galore, whites and several alpine butterflies which all gathered to get that one last sip of nectar before summer slips away.
Red Tailed on a grey day
We seemed to have settled into a very late fall like weather pattern as of late with sunshine appearing mid-morning then giving way to cloudy afternoon skies. We spotted this good looking Red Tailed Hawk on one of those cloudy afternoons perched on the remnants of a very fall looking tree.
nature has no boss 
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