Starting out with the Colorado State Bird… THE LARK BUNTING
Lark Bunting
Whose shenanigans were frowned upon by the Lark Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Seems like all this just tired out the Vesper Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Meanwhile uptown the Western Kingbird rules the barbed wire fencing.
Western Kingbird
W. Kingbird
And the Prairie Falcon just tries to get some alone time!
Prairie Falcon
Got some additions to my list of pictures and some that I just couldn’t get an edge on. Enjoy the ones I got!
Yellow-rumped Warbler at Watson’s Lake in Bellevue, CO
American White Pelican trying to heave its guts into the air after all its buddies left. Running Deer Natural Area, FoCo, CO
Killdeer trying to lure us away from its nesting area, Running Deer Natural Area.
House Wren chilling.
Great Egret trying to avoid the attentions of Geese and GBH.
Two hawks horsing around in the sky. Running Deer NA.
A Red-tailed Hawk fading to black.
Have some birds from Fossil Creek Reservoir, Running Deer Meadow, Watson Lake and a nesting pole by a Fort Collins Intersection.
Western Meadowlark 
Convention of American Coots 
Clark’s Grebe 
Robin 
Mallard and Mate 
Great Blue Heron 
Redwing Blackbird 
Potentially a Bittern
An Osprey that nobody is sneaking up on! Enjoy!
Well since completing the yard remodel I’ve seldom taken an opportunity to just sit with my camera and enjoy. Today was one of those times and I finally captured a hummingbird in pictures…at my house, YEAH!!!
Opening scene, a chickadee chills on a branch surveying the rebuilt bird feeder and some idiot ring-neck doves and Jays trying to figure things out.
Chicadee chill spot.
Then commences the hyper attack of the of the nectar gathering Hummingbird…on expresso!
Finally, my favorite shot of the day.
I hope you enjoyed this. I know I did.
As a second escape to try and mend soul-mind-body Cheryl and I stayed a week at an Air BnB in Steamboat Springs Colorado. The BnB was cool but the experience was awesome.
Sunday 15JUL18 we drove up the beautiful Cache la Poudre Canyon to Walden and continued on through Rabbit Ears pass to Steamboat Springs. Having arrived late afternoon and…not wanting to waste vacation time we got right on it and did Fish Canyon Falls. This is a beautifully maintained Routt County Park where you can see a full 280′ waterfall even in July during a low flow year.
Cheryl and Fish Creek Falls
Just the Falls, yeah missing something.
The lower pools where the wee folk kick it!
Cue Ground Squirrel!!!
Backwards or Forwards
Up or Down
Food or…
Was my ass just here?
Eau de Trash Panda?
Monday 16JUL18 I tried to put on a good face, force it, and fish the Elk River. We knew the Yampa was closed because of flow and water temp (aka tired) but no reports had indicated what the status of the Elk was. Well let me tell you. A carpet of algae 1-2″ thick, 147 CFS and still a fisherman every 50 meters. I lasted about 20 minutes before I put up my gear, found my wife and formulated plan B…ish. We went back to the Air BnB, changed clothes and gave ourselves a self tour of the fabulous Steamboat Springs (Springs). Some stinky others more novelty such as Iron springs or Lithia Springs-bottled for 7-UP. Anyway, great save.
Tuesday 17JUL18
Got to tour Howelsen Hill Lodge and Alpine Combined Olympic Training Center…in July and still SKI JUMPING!!!
Absolutely ridiculous and fantastic at the same time. Kids on ski rollers gaming up for cross country while other kids kitted up, went up the hill and practiced ski jumping form on polymer soaked with water. Meanwhile marmots distracting by trying not to become Red-Tailed Hawk meals!!!!
Later on 17JUL18 we did “The Land Up” on Mt. Werner, the main ski Resort at Steamboat. Summer fun. We walked the Vista Nature Trail (9,000′ me gasping). We rode the Mountain Coaster sleds (LOL), we played… mini-golf ( I enjoyed it). Lot’s of fun but since I didn’t know what to expect…no camera was taken.
Wednesday, 18JUL18 we did (she did) the core trail on bike early before the sun reached head exploding angles. I pissed off after 2 miles and returned to the pickup after getting video of Howelsen hill, buahahaha.
We also took in Rotary park and I”m certain it was this day.
Cedar Waxwings maybe.
Muskrat, yeah, pretty sure…but still cool!
My video was probably less entertaining.
The afternoon followed on with a trip to Strawberry Park Hotsprings, $15 per head and relaxing with pools of 102F down to 80F and a creek with cold spots apparently only I could enjoy!
http://strawberryhotsprings.com/
Thursday, 19JUL18 we followed up with a tour at the Tread of the Pioneers Museum—outside and excellent, thanks Marianne! Followed by Paddle boarding (Mountain Kayak Sports) on Pearl Lake (8,000′).
Cheryl was awesome. I couldn’t stand, she did. She sacrificed a pair of sun glasses to a lake trout to take a step forward into personal paddle boarding greatness!
Evening was celebrated by dinner at the ORE HOUSE (Steak House)!!!!!!!!
Friday, 20 JUL 18
Yeah I went back to get the picks for the Marmots and Hawks.
But then we went to the Yampa river botanical garden and I lost my shit. I must have taken over 40 shots before I actually got a Hummingbird in flight. Not their fault they gave me plenty of opportunities. Damn this garden is great, refreshing, magical and soul feeding. Enjoy!
In flight bitches!!!!!!
Butterfly my son could ID, not me.
Robin more majestic in shadow.
American Gold Finch, well fed and healthy.
Going inverted!!!!!
The trip back through the magical Cache la Poudre Canyon was awesome and humbling simultaneously. Snow packs, streams, fisheries, bird and flora…and us. How about a moose?
Red Fox kit
Collared moose
The Steamboat balloon going sideways?
Where is Rocky and damn that Boris and Natasha!
The OSPREY Family!!!
Not a real fan of the Baling Twine and I hope they don’t get any in their gut.
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