August in the Rockies

The new norm!  My camera won't allow tight zooms much anymore! So....

western wood peewee

At least there is an interesting background to this distant shot...and this was on the fence when I traveled through the valley, so they were close enough, shot through the windshield...

western kingbird and an a female Baltimore oriole birds of a feather don't always flock together...

black billed magpies if you wanna see the yellow billed magpie you gotta go to Southern CA, my sister said that would be the only "reason to go there"...lol she was kidding of course, but I think she was thinking of how hot it is there. 

certainly was not hot when we got up on a rainy morning...

I have enjoyed watching these juvenile ospreys.  

One day when I went one of them was exercising his wings...

and when I returned the next day he was gone...

I haven't been to check the nest since last week so I'm sure this one is in the air too by now...Did see another adult with this huge catch nearby...

this little pond is at the rest area I mentioned...

view to the east

and to the west...lots of habitat for insects too

a kingfisher flew over I snapped and this is the result....not a great look at one but he had his wings back in perfect formation...

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that was last week...Monday we went on a family picnic and a tube float in the Reservoir.  No Photos of that as I was in the water!  here is our site, what fun although we found a lot of mud at the put in area so next time we must find a mud-less put in, the swimming area is probably better but dogs not allowed in that section.  THE girls and Jimmy loved the swimming. Casey slept in the van while we played. 

Yesterday I drove up Castle Creek Road for a peek at what was there...found LOTS of awesome.

it's stunningly beautiful up there....I had planned to bird  at ACES, (Aspen Center for Environmental Studies) in downtown Aspen...omg Aspen has changed since the world found out how awesome it is...not my cup of tea any longer.  I recall us going to junk shops there in the 80's and finding street parking right outside the store NO MORE that was the good 'ole days.  So happy I found this awesome place of solace.  Once tourists find a place it is ruined forever, ie: Myrtle Beach. 

 since the Western Flycatcher was split I found  the Cordilleran Flycatcher.  It's counter part is the Pacific Slope Flycatcher. 

these violet green swallows enjoyed being on the ground 

finally got a decent look at the plumage on these birds, that's an immature bird on the right 

And here is the Rufous Crowned Sparrow.

the mammal of the day was this coyote, he had a lovely thick coat 

This is one extremely pretty spot...I was the only person up there that day...

today I went for a hike....next post the Grizzly Creek Trail, and more. 

PEACE

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

The Critters of the Big Cypress National Preserve

I keep saying my next post would be Big Cypress..and finally here it is..I feel that I saw so many great birds just getting here...that ultimately I wondered what would I see?

 If you have any critter problems you can call this guy...

Notice the first item on his bullet list...haha.  Im  a BIG FAN of the Walking Dead...its the perfect escape series for me.  Im  not afraid of ghosts or zombies...Spiders YES. 

It was late afternoon when we pulled into Monument Lakes Campground in Big Cypress National Preserve.  Its a nice CG with a pond and  resident white Ibis, and gators.  Here is our spot #T1 Its a non electric CG there is a bathroom no showers...

The mighty Casey is on guard...he is such a joy to have around! HE really loves to travel, he adapts to life on the road very well..We stayed here for 3 nights! 

Little Buddy.

I made sure to keep Casey away from the tall grass...when we had our dinner an entire cubby of Northern Bobwhite Quail came out of the grass to have dinner too!!

This white Ibis  mom has 2 immature chicks with her...

Our first night around 8 pm the wind picked up really fast and we had quite a down pour that lasted a couple hrs so we were pretty slow getting up the next morning...

Guess who broke her OWN cardinal rule of never leaving ANYTHING out overnight...I guess you can see the soggy puddle in the seat of my chair..

SO the short version of the story is this...I told the Camp Host I had reserved this same site again, so I would leave my wet chair and my wet steps and foot rug at the site to let it dry while I went exploring that day she said "fine no problem"...So off I went.  I got back about 4 pm...right away I saw no chair no steps and no rug!! GREAT So immediately I went over, she met me at the door..

"I guess you're looking for your chair and other things"? Ahhhyes...

SO it turns out that she was so late going around to hang the reserved plaques out the maintenance man came around thought this stuff was left behind and took it home with him!! Finders keepers?

So he showed up right before the sun set with my belongings and his apology...And my stuff was bone dry...the next day I was carrying my chair on the way to sit by the pond and relax for an hr and they teased me that I didn't have to carry my chair around to keep it from being stolen...lol

After breakfast I walked the Henry Sorter Boardwalk and saw some awesome bromeliad  getting ready to bloom..I really enjoyed seeing them up in the trees.  A Ranger told me they don't die after blooming, but the cultivated ones I've owned in the past did...so I dunno.

     

  

An Eastern Phoebe had a look at me...

A very still Green heron let me take his photo...

A very good look at his feathers...this is my fav of the Herons...and when he extends that neck its amazing!!

And this little Blue Heron is the runner up on my Favs List...

...some lovely Swamp Lillies

really stand out in this sea of green!  Lots of moss, lily pads, ferns, and bromeliads cover everything in the swamp...

 some of the birds I saw along the boardwalk...

A yellow rump warbler...

Snowy Egret

And then I did a drive on the H P Williams wildlife drive and later on after lunch I drove on the Monroe Station Drive...These are some of the birds and other critters I saw...

A very gangly Tri-Colored Heron

A common moorhen or gallinule...

A belted Kingfisher still for just a moment...

did you ever take a good look at an Anhinga's feet?  NO wonder they can swim so well...

They are really quite a striking bird with such rich colors in their feathers...

the Anhinga

And yet another Cold Blooded animal  for your enjoyment...

This looks like paradise lost.....

With all the recent rain there is water in places where it soon will be dry ...OH who do we have down on the right side?? 

Is she not the cutest? I read once somewhere the farther south you go the smaller the deer get...This little gal is pretty small compared to the white tailed deer we see in SC ..

A pretty tri color heron 

...wades belly deep.....while 

And my favorite Egret the Snowy with his Golden Slippers hunts on dry land...

This fox squirrel came out into the road begging for a handout...He sure was a beautiful color also saw a solid black one too...they are red, black and variations of both...

the swamp opens up to some very pretty streams in spots...

Back at the GC all was well and we had yet another night of torrential rains..it was cozy and warm in the DLEX and Casey and I slept like a couple of babies!! Our plan was to head to Shark Valley the next day and get there early to insure we get parking as the lot fills very fast.  

PEACE

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