This song seemed to be a gentle warning call but I could be wrong. However, biologists studying Prairie Dogs have discovered they have a complex language and perhaps one day we will understand it. Another discovery that suggest we are less different and more alike on this planet.
Pawnee National Grasslands, CO.
The photo is a bit blurry but so was our encounter with the 13 Lined Ground Squirrel. We were watching a Prairie Dog Colony and there was one Prairie Dog that just did not seem like the others. He was thinner and smaller. They would stand up tall and then quickly dart to another location very rapidly. They were much more hidden in the grass as well. We tried over and over to get a good look but this is the best we got that afternoon. A fleeting glimpse of a magnificent 13 lined ground squirrel.
http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Spermophilus_tridecemlineatus/
Seeing a new animal made me realize once again that life is so diverse and wonderful and there is so much yet to see.
Bison eats grass and then it poops,bugs eat poo and then lay eggs, grubs grow, birds break apart poo and eat the grubs, the broken apart poo fertilizes soil and new grass grows. What a wonderful cycle.
Hi Ho the Prairie-o the Grackle and the Poo…
http://www.rangemagazine.com/features/winter-05/cowpie.shtml
Sound to take in without sound to block out.
The gift of spring rains are many and short lived.
Wild Iris blooming in the Arapahoe National Wildlife Refuge, Walden CO.
Skunks may not smell so sweet but you have to give them a “10” for looks.
For us Skunks are smelled more than seen so it was nice to see one in daylight wandering about looking for a meal. Anyone out there have any good stories about skunk encounters to share? Mine mostly involve dogs getting sprayed and the resultant tomato juice bath for the poor pooch.
White faced Ibis foraging in shallow ponds at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge.
It was amazing to see so many Ibis working these ponds to find a days meal.
But as can be expected when food and family are involved a few squabbles are sure to occur. This one was settled quickly and all in all it was a peaceful day watching these brilliantly colored birds go about their business.
With those long luxurious lashes this girl should model for maybeline. Pronghorn hanging out in Pronghorn territory west of Laramie, WY.
With a huge tailwind it sure appeared this little Tree Swallow was coming in a bit hot to make this landing on the barbed wire fence.
They quickly make a one legged grab and then..
pulled in the other leg for a perfect landing.
All’s well that ends well and a nod of approval from you companion never hurts.
Hutton Lakes National Wildlife refuge, WY.
Last week we watched these little fuzz balls with a face only a mother Coot could love darting into and then back out of the reeds lining a small pond.
Fuzzy and cute there is nothing like a newly hatched Coot.
nature has no boss 
You must be logged in to post a comment.