Small big day

The Global Big Day just happened to occur on the day I had time to bird the day away so I hit all the nearby patches...it was a sunny awesome day! 

I finished up with 37 species and 313 individuals.  Didn't take a whole lot of photos but I'll share some of what I saw.  I thought I was up to date with my blog posting, this one is a little later than it should be cause I wanted to squeeze in the last post that was a bit long for sure.  My first stop was Fravert Reservoir...

I saw a lot of the same ducks that have been there all along, like Cinnamon Teal, Ring Neck Duck, Northern Shovelers, American Coot, Gadwall, A Wigeon, and more and this day a new edition the Blue Wing Teal.  And eBird said "not reported" so that was a surprise. There was a male and a female. 

Blue winged teal

  

cinnamon teal swimming away....

Ring neck Duck

Lots of Western Kingbirds now stand sentry in the trees looking for any insect to move

My next stop was the walking path in town called the Rifle Centennial Park.  I didn't walk much of it, I was curious to see this section because it's the beginning of the Trail.  

Right inside the city limits is the Rodeo Grounds, on this day they had a horse show going on probably roping, and barrel racing stuff...it was loud and noisy!  

Found a Song Sparrow and and this Evening Grosbeak not far off the trail....

The next stop was the Rest Area...checked the Osprey nest 

And the Goslings are growing and multiplying! 

....2 Bullock's Orioles this time I got a shot of one...

Had lots of Yellow Warblers and more Northern Flickers...

 the House Wren 

 next stop was Harvey Gap...

The water here is such a lovely shade of blue green.  These Kids were intent on having some fun.  

they pumped and pumped...Meanwhile I saw A. Wigeon on the water, more Western Grebe and one Common Loon still around.  That was when my camera died...I  forgot to charge my battery the day before.  

I headed over to Rifle Gap found about 16 species there  60 Canada Geese, 18 Western Grebe, and 15 Eared Grebe,  In the bushes some Pink Sided DE Junco, Barn, Violet -Green and Tree Swallows all over the place there, and more of the regular gang.    

My Big Day ended here...Took this one the next day...

Pretty House Finch 

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

Real Time

Finally I'm up to real time in my blog, or at least very close....I hate that I was not able to blog in real time while on the road as my memory is quick to fog these days.  I had no way to look up facts or info on the places I visited, I did a lot of research ahead of time,  I took way too many photos and it took me forever to get them posted to Flickr.

                                                                  Western Meadowlark 

All in all I had a great trip although I found and lost Spring somewhere in TX.   Southeast AZ is a fine birding area....I'd like to go spend like 2 weeks there!   

Some spots I missed like the Cattle Pens in Red Rock I just don't think I can do that even tho I went right past the area...I would want to set all those poor animals FREE.  And I didn't make the extra  mileage to hit Tonapah for the Thrashers.  I’ve heard they are all there.  You just can't do everything when you have other obligations.  Time was an issue for me. 

Brown Headed Cowbird.

Since my arrival in Colorado I have been laying pretty low.  Spring is SOOOOOOOoooooo far away from here as yet.  It has snowed more days than I've seen the sun...one day we had everything: rain, sleet, hail, snow, swirling snow, blowing snow, straight down snow,,,,and HIGH winds! The snow is not sticking it just makes mud. Which means muddy dog feet! OM. 

One night we lost the power due to a lightening strike during a wind storm.  So my search for spring ended in Texas! 

AZ had some warm days but the nights I froze down there.  The trouble with having the dogs in the van, if no electric site, I can't use the Mr Buddy heater, an open flame around dogs in a small space---not good!  I had an electric heater I gave to my son...The one I replaced it with sucked, so I must pick up a better one.   

Since there is no wifi where I currently am...I've been creating my text in Notepad... then pasting into Blogger and adding the photos to Flickr at the Rifle Library, 

...it is a really nice library I can get wifi parked outside and when my laptop battery needs a charge there is a nice bench in the lobby where I can plug in.  Mom can "people watch" or come in which ever she wants normally she likes to sit in the van safely locked in and people watch...I'm only the sliding door away from her parked just outside the door in the handicapped spot I can see the van from my bench.  

On the days that have been good we visited some of my favorite haunts around here.  

We went to Fravert Reservoir and enjoyed some pretty good waterfowl there...

                                                                         cinnamon teal

                                                                         ring necked ducks

Drove a couple roads in Hubbard Mesa Public Lands

                                            Drove past the fields and saw some nice posts birds....

                                                                          Say's Phoebe

                                                                       mountain bluebird

Went to Silt Island Park and had some good ducks but far away...Common Merganser,  American Wigeon, and Canada Geese.  This is the Colorado River. 

The Osprey at the Rest Area is hanging out at the same nest where the twins were last year...hope to see some action there before we leave.  

We spent a little time at Rifle Gap again the lake is much fuller than last summer.  

The Magpies eyed up some grapes we left for them...

Then we drove a couple miles over to Harvey Gap.  We found some Western Grebes, a couple of Common Loons, White Faced Ibis, American Avocets, and 2 Willet ebird classified as rare.  I'm pretty sure I saw some there last yr too not sure I turned in a list for that visit. 

                                                                          Western Grebe

                                                    American avocet and western willet

 If the weather improves it would help.

The trip netted me 16 new birds...Currently I'm at 437. 

More to come!

PEACE

                                                Every day is a new Adventure.

A Sunday Drive

We drove about 14 miles out to the Rifle Falls, and Rifle Recreation Area.  

There is NO handicapped access to the falls so I found a good shady spot to park, mom and the dogs waited while I hiked the short distance uphill to view the falls.  It is not a steep hill, but it's beyond Mom's ability.  The falls are as pretty as I recall, I do think there is more lush green foliage around them now.

There's a hike to the top but I knew Mom would not stay put if I stayed away too long so no hike was done.

Rifle Falls is 3 good sized falls all falling off the same ridge...It really throws out a mist.   So some rainbow effect shows up...

                       

...and all this time I thought these black edges on the upper part of my photos was my hat...but I was not wearing a hat when these photos were taken,,,,so it means my camera is having an issue...eeeeekkkkk. And I've noticed a couple other issues with it...so I am going to have to replace my camera...I go through a camera about every 2 yrs!  That is why I can't get into expensive cameras that I have to worry about tossing it around like I do.  Hope it will continue to work.   

We took the scenic route (kind of an oxymoron because every route is scenic) back to civilization and came across a huge herd of sheep.  I don't know sheep so I have no idea what breed this is...

this is Rifle Gap area...

Spotted these 2 birds of prey along the roadside...the American Kestrel, a female. 

 a Red Shouldered Hawk  in the cedar...

This is called Harvey Gap Reservoir the water is such a lovely turquoise color...I'd love to take my tube down there and float...the water is Freezing!! It looks warm and inviting but when I stuck my foot in....OHHHH it was cold.

back down in the valley it was hazy...

and later at home we had some lark sparrow's give us a visit...

and the Ash throated Flycatcher is teaching a young one to hunt...

We visited SIS, and at her window  pair of Eurasian collared doves stopped by for a visit...

When I took the dogs out the other morning, the deer were in the front this time....his shadow is really cool don't you think?

then they disappeared over the ridge...

We had a nice rain overnight and in the morning the clouds gave us a nice sunrise...we are still on Eastern time so we're up at sunrise every morning...

Being here is Mother and Casey approved! 

Tuesday I had the opportunity to take a day trip to Vega State Park! I got my 399th lifer, soooo stay tuned for that!

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.