Birds and Nature

While having breakfast at sidewalk table of cafe in downtown Canon City I spotted this spider moving under my table. Identified by Eric Eaton as a "large wolf spider, family Lycosidae. Might be Hogna carolinensis, the widespread "Carolina Wolf Spider," but we have at least a few species that look like this." SeEtta

Beautiful bald - faced hornets nest on Canon City Riverwalk this week. (I think the nests they build are works of amazing. This one just about at the minimum of 3 feet above the ground-usually see the high up in trees). Actually they are a species of yellowjacket wasp. See a couple of wasps guarding the nest. Took pics with phone camera just outside of their 'personal space '.  SeEtta

I am trying to get into posting sightings again. Have been birding but the toll of chemo followed by radiation has reduced by energy level and stamina but slowly regaining some. I found this male Williamson's Sapsucker in Red Canyon Park just north of Canon City two days ago. This species does not spend either summers or winters in the pinyon juniper habitat of this park but I have found a lot of sapsucker holes in trees and found one during spring migration. I believe this sapsucker stopped over to feed on his migration. Unfortunately I could not get close to this large pinyon tree and he stayed in the shadows. SeEtta