Birds and Nature

Almost 2 weeks ago while I was in the grip of a bad bout of acute bronchitis I heard some bird calls that are distinctive and belong to Evening Grosbeaks. I was really frustrated because this species hasn't visited my yard in over a year but I didn't feel well enough to put out bird food for them. Fortunately my neighbor had put out a number of feeders and the birds were well fed so have stayed around. And a flock of these big birds, they are about the size of robins, can go through a lot of black oil sunflower seeds. And finally I started feeling well enough to put out seed so they are also frequenting my feeders. While the Evening Grosbeak in the bottom pics were at my feeders those in the top 2 pics were loafing in one of my pine trees. While all these are pics of the girls, I will post pics of the boys next. SeEtta

I found this handsome Eastern Bluebird over the week-end near the Pathfinder Park east of Canon City. While Western and Mountain Bluebirds are common here in south central Colorado we usually have a few Eastern Bluebirds visit in the winter and they have nested a few times too. I looked again yesterday hoping to see a female as well as this male but only he was visible. Hopefully a female will come along and they will nest. For clarification since Eastern and Western Bluebirds are fairly similar. The male Eastern Bluebirds have rusty throats while male Western Bluebirds have blue throats. Male Eastern Bluebirds have blue backs while on male Western Bluebirds the rusty orange on their breasts extends to their upper backs. Harder to discern the bellies of Western Bluebirds are grayish while the beliies of Eastern Bluebirds are bright white. SeEtta

I spotted this female bighorn sheep in a small maternal herd in the Bighorn Sheep Canyon about 30 miles east of my home.  Female sheep live in small groups of ewes and their lambs.   I think this ewe has such a bright eye that she must not be very old.  Both top pics are of the same female bighorn sheep. The pic below is one of the several lambs in this herd. SeEtta

I found this Barn Owl last year in a campground next to Lake Hasty in far southeastern Colorado. I took the pics with my 300 mm lens ( or 6X enlargement) and additionally cropped the pic (see below)o enlarge it to the top pic. SeEtta

[Click on Read More below to see second pic} While not as flashy as her male counterpart the female Lucifer Hummingbird is a 'looker' in her own right. Their backs are dark green like the males. The best description for their underparts I have seen is as follows: "They have an intense cinnamon wash on the breast and throat. Compared to other similar hummingbird species, female Lucifer Hummingbirds have buffier under parts, particularly the breast and throat." (from http://www.hummingbirdsplus.org/species/lucifer/#) And as clearly shown in these pics the females the distinctive curved bill like the males of this species. I photographed this female at Ash Canyon B&B in Hereford, AZ last fall. SeEtta

(click on Read More at bottom of this to open full post to see all 3 pics) These Lucifer Hummingbird's extends north from Mexico into southeast Ariz/southwest N Mexico and into the southern part of Big Bend National Park in western Texas. And the best place to see them is at Ash Canyon Bed & Breakfast in Hereford, Arizona. They are fairly regular at this fantastic hummer haven which allows day visitors to watch birds at their feeding stations for a mere $5. This bird sanctuary is located in the Huachuca Mountains and they have a number of birds visit the feeders and water including including records of 14 hummingbird species. I have visited here several times, including last September when I took these pics that I haven't had a chance to upload, and have never been disappointed. These are all male Lucifers and these pics show their distinctive curved bill and beautiful purple throat. SeEtta

It has been over a decade since Trumpeter Swans visited my county in So Colorado so it was most enjoyable to see this pair at Brush Hollow Reservoir. (to see the rest of the write up and 4 more photos click on Read More below to open the full blog post) And it was sweet to get to watch and photograph when one of them stretched it's 8 foot+ wingspan , how magnificent. The pic above shows some of the field marks for Trumpeter versus other species of swans as noted in the Trumpeter Swan Society web page:   "The bill is heavy in proportion to head with a straight profile. Angular head shape somewhat resembling canvasback duck. Eye not distinct from bill." bill." And the pic below shows the red border on the lower mandible and without the yellow spot in front of the eyes as found on Tundra Swans (which can sometimes have a red border on the lower mandible per the Trumpeter Swan Society website ). Note that I deferred blogging about these swans until they ...