BIRDING IN NO CO

Lots of nests, including my own personal robin's nest right outside my dining room window.  Here is Rosie giving me the stink eye for opening the shutters.

Next up is a great horned owl's nest in the adjacent town of Windsor.  Actually, this is one of the parents standing guard over the nearby nest where three owlets are growing up.

Then today was osprey/bald eagle nest day.  We had heard of a baldie nest up in the foothills on the property of a water treatment plant in an area called Bellvue.   Took a run up there and the boss was nice enough to lead us out to where the (unoccupied) nest is located.  The last heavy wet snow we had on May 1 did a lot of damage to nestlings and eggs.  Nests without good drainage were reduced to ice because we had two nights of freeze immediately following the snow.  Many eggs and chicks did not survive and the nests, for this year, are called "failed" nests.

These photos show the gorgeous area and perfect location of the bald eagle nest and they will return.  The tree is right next to the Cache la Poudre River, which is running great guns right now.  Fish is the favorite food of ospreys and bald eagles.

 Here are some shots of the gorgeous countryside of this perfect area for raptor nesting.

Next up was to check the three known osprey nests in the Fort Collins area.

This nest is called the Hwy 287 nest.  The female is with the chicks in the nest and this male
became her mate after her first mate was killed by impact with a car.

This is called the Shields nest.  Note one adult in the nest with chicks and another on the power pole on the right.

This nest is the Prospect nest.  Last year these two ospreys built their nest on an electrical set up so the utilities people erected this platform nearby to encourage them to build in a safer spot.  Success!

I have become so fascinated with the raptors of Northern Colorado and am learning a lot about them from the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program.

MOTHER'S DAY 12 MAY 2013

First on the agenda was the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program's open house, with lots of big and small raptors on display.  The mission of RMRP is to rehabilitate and release, but those whose injuries will impair their survival are given lifetime care and some become educational ambassadors.  Here are some photos.

Juvenile Swainson's Hawk - my favorite raptor!

Same juvenile Swainson's - he's trying to look so fierce!

Great Horned Owl with Rocky Mountains as a backdrop.
 

Next it was out to explore a Bald Eagle nest.  While there I saw two Swainson's hawks wheeling and playing on the wind and a large red tailed hawk.  The baldies were the stars of the show, however, with Mom, Dad and at least one chick visible.  It is so thrilling to see these majestic creatures and to realize they have come back from the edge of extinction thanks to legislation prohibiting DDT.  Now if only hunters would use bullets without lead, another huge problem would be solved.  Actually, if hunters used cameras instead of bullets to get good shots, they would enrich the lives of many instead of destroying life to get food they can buy in a grocery store. 

Here is mom on the nest - long lenses and wind cause motion blur!  All three tripods were at home!



Here comes dad to watch out for his family.

Mom and dad looking at each other.



Dad keeping an eye on everything.  The nest is just a bit to the left.

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 



MORE FOALS - JUST CAN'T RESIST

I went back today with a long lens and was able to get some sweet shots of the foals, moms and aunties.  These babies are so funny - they run and kick their back legs up and then turn and look as if they are wondering what they just did.  I'll try to group them by foal:

1.  White baby:

The grey mare is not the white foal's mom.

Auntie was scratching her back and baby is wondering what's going on!

Here's mom!

This white baby loves to rest!

Black baby:

Trying out those long legs.

 

Here we come, mommy and me!

I'm a strong boy already - I was born first!

I like to run around the big horses!

Plumbing still working!

 



Brown baby:

 

I'm two days old!

Showing our pretty rumps!

I love my mommy!

Running in circles!

Group scene:

 





FELIZ CINCO DE MAYO!

I am dogsitting a little Chihuahua named Pepe Juan Carlos.  He and AJ, who is part Chihuahua, are best buddies and they have a play date every Thursday.  Pepe stays here when his family goes away.  It is something to see these two dogs - they never tire of wrestling and chasing and when Timmy the cat gets in the act it's a triple threat! 

Here's a movie the pups made for Cinco de Mayo.  They refused to put on their Lucha Libre spandex outfits and masks, but it's still a Chihuahua smackdown starring Pepe Juan Carlos "El Animal" and Alma Joy "Muchacha Loca."  I told them it was a little early for Patron shooters, but they wouldn't listen!

FINALLY SPRING - AND FOALS TO PROVE IT

 I just saw my first foals of the spring season in a pasture near my house.  Here is your overdose of cuteness for today:

This little white foal is sleeping .

Plumbing works great!