Mississippi Kite photos

In May or June (2011), I noticed hearing a bird I hadn't heard before and the call was very distinct and beautiful.  Eventually I was able to see the birds and associate the call with them, and came to discover the nest which by that time had mom and two young  in an elm tree in my neighbor's yard just behind Watson Jr. High's track - not sure if dad had been around earlier before I figured out who was making the calls.  By the end of the summer, the babies were calling for mom pretty much non-stop whenever she wasn't on nest, and when she came back they gave excited little welcome noises and as soon as she left would start calling for her again.  The fledglings eventually showed themselves on branches near the nest and were attracting quite a bit of attention because they were so noisy.  They didn't fly until September, and shortly after they did, the family was gone.  (If you click on the pictures, they do get larger).

Mom

the tree

babies/nest

FCNC Hawk ID fieldtrip

This was so much fun!  We met at the Nature Center, then went to Big Johnson Reservoir where we saw a pair of Bald Eagles (from the distance) that may be trying to nest.  They tried before, but so far haven't succeeded.  Let's hope they do!  Also saw Red-tailed hawks, and plenty of other birds including a Western Meadowlark and some diving ducks too far off to ID.  Then we headed out further east and saw more Red-tailed hawks, several Ferruginous hawks, a Kestrel, and two Golden Eagles - one juvenile and one adult.  The Eagles were high, so my pictures are poor, and the Kestrel was gone too quickly for me to get.  Also saw a few Northern Harriers, and some people saw some kind of falcon but it was too quick to ID and I missed it entirely from the back seat of the van.  When we were pulled off on the side of the road taking pictures and viewing our first Ferruginous Hawk through scopes, some cops came over to see what we were doing - they were quite friendly and interested.  Met lots of fun people.  One Red-Tailed Hawk was literally 2 feet from the van and when it took off that was a spectacular image, but too fast for the camera.

Fountain Creek Regional Park Winter Count 1/14/12

I didn't take a lot of pictures today because I was in charge of the count sheet, but I went to the winter count at the Fountain Creek Nature Center today.  I was assigned area 7 with Patty Lovekin and some people I met for the first time today.  

This is a white-breasted nuthatch that I got a decent picture of.

This is a hairy woodpecker that was in our assigned area.  It was sitting on the creek edge just north of the bridge on a dead fallen tree.  I didn't have one in my official life list until this.

People have been excited for days that a Harris's sparrow has been hanging around the nature center.  I got lucky enough to see it and get a so-so picture of it, above.  That was a new one for me, as well.

In area 7, we had a few 'maybes' that we didn't count - a possible quail was heard, and possibly saw a virginia rail or other shore bird we didn't have time to ID before we lost it, and maybe a flycatcher.

  Other species we saw included Canada geese, gadwall, mallard, green-winged teal, red-tailed hawk, gulls, rock pigeons, eurasian collared doves, kingfishers, downy woodpecker, flickers, blue jays, magpies, crows, black-capped chickadees, white-breasted nuthatch, robin, starling, tree sparrow, song sparrow,  white-crowned sparrow, juncos, red-winged blackbirds, house finches,  and house sparrows.

Pulpit Rock 1/7/12

Pulpit Rock is an urban park that is smaller than Ute Valley or Palmer Park or Garden of the Gods and little less well-known.  But it makes for nice hiking with some fun rocks to climb on, good views, and enough room to spread out.

Scrub Jay

Red-tail hawks

The semi-obligatory New Year post

2011:  I lost a lot of weight (on purpose).  Lots of neat hikes with Mark and Irma in summer and fall.  My cousin Frankie died - third year in a row for losing family.  Pay cuts, lay-offs and general feelings of insecurity at work.  Moved to a new room at work (from 15 to 10).  Third and final run for dept. chair.  Revert Conference in October, White House in November.  Christmas bird count.  Lunar eclipse in December (again!) Osama bin Laden gone.  Horrible earthquake/tsunami in Japan.  Poor economy all around.  "Arab Spring".  Parents both retired.  Kind of a general anxiety/worry feeling this year.

I don't know what to want or wish for in 2012, but I would like the fear, anger, worry, and general negative vibes that permeate the world right now to subside.  I would like joy, peace, stability.