Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR, June 2026

I made my eighth trip to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge earlier this week to take some animal photos.  Full disclosure: None of these trips have been great.  I haven't gotten that amazing Bison photo, or even seen Burrowing Owls, much less a Black-footed Ferret.  That said, I've also never had a bad trip.  Taryn joined me a couple of times when she was young.  I've seen (and shot) pretty sunsets, feeding hawks, baby owls, and plenty of deer and prairie dogs.  This visit was another good one.

A leisurely circuit around the Wildlife Drive was all I had planned.  This White-Tailed Deer doe showed only mild interest in me before returning to her grazing.

This doe seemed even less intrigued, which I honestly find kind of impressive.

Western Meadowlarks are pretty much another slam dunk on a RMANWR visit, though I usually see them closer.

The Black-tailed Prairie Dogs never disappoint.  These scuffling youngsters were especially adorable.

This Grasshopper Sparrow had a song in his heart that he was only too happy to share with the world.

Desert Cottontails are also just about a lock to spot.  Munching greens was just as important to this rabbit as it had been to the deer.

I hope one of these two can be the first to say that they're sorry.

Prairie dogs eating > Rabbits and deer eating, because prairie dogs grab their food in their cute little paws.

Like I said, another good visit!  I did see the bison herd, but they were a good distance away and backlit.  No owls or ferrets.  I imagine I'll take another shot soon!

Related Links:

• Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR, April 2025
• City Park & Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR, July 2019
• Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR: Mule Deer and Sunsets
• Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR Hawks: December 2015
• Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR: November 2014
• Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR: May 2014
• Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR: October 2012

Cheesman Canyon

My hike to Elk Falls made me optimistic that there was more water still to be seen.  I decided to give Cheesman Canyon a shot and see how the South Platte River was doing.

Good news.  The river was doing quite well. :)

There weren't too many wildflowers blooming just yet.  Lambert's Locoweed was the first I saw.

As the morning warmed up, the Prairie Lizards came out to soak up some sun.  Most were really tiny.  This guy was the biggest I saw, and roughly a whopping six inches or so from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail.

I spotted a mother Common Merganser with a small crew of babies on the river.  Unfortunately, she spotted me as well and hastily took her brood downstream to safety.  The only shots I got were from quite a distance away and not well exposed, so I decided to get creative with my favorite of the bunch.  I'm not disappointed with the result!

Most of the canyon trail is up above the river, providing some great overlooks down to the water.

The ruggedness of this stretch of the river is special, with sizable boulders sprinkled liberally in the water.

I was delighted to see a pair of American Dippers working on a nest in one of those boulders.  The light unfortunately frustrated me in getting great shots of the birds themselves.  But it was really cool to see them taking turns gathering moss and adding it to their home.

I had never heard of Blue-Water Speedwell before uploading this image to iNaturalist, but I loved seeing this flower blooming right in the river.

The clouds started to gather as I made my way back to the trailhead, but just enough to enhance the views of the river.

I didn't notice all the Blue Columbine along the trail on the outward portion of my trek, but was delighted to see them on my way back.

I did notice this sad-looking Fragrant Evening Primrose, and made sure to capture it in all its wiltedness.

Exactly six miles (AllTrails, as usual, underestimates the trail at only 5.6 miles) in a leisurely 2:31, and I thoroughly enjoyed all of it.  I look forward to coming back, possibly in winter to see its beauty in another season!

Kountze Lake, May 2026

After a wonderful morning at St. Vrain State Park, I had the time and inclination to see more!  Another photographer mentioned there being American Avocets at Kountze Lake, which was arguably on my way home.  So Kountze Lake it was. :)

Pond Sliders were taking full advantage of the warm, sunny day.

So was this monstrosity.  I'm fascinated at how this Common Snapping Turtle has so much algae growing on it.

I only found a pair of Avocets, who stayed frustratingly far from shore.  I do love how elegant they look with those long, curved beaks.

While there may have been disappointingly few Avocets, there were an abundance of babies!  Mallards...

... and Canada Geese.  Almost teenagers, really, though still patiently escorted by Mom and Dad.

The Mallard babies -- like most kids -- were having big fun playing in the mud.

I could followed these little ones around for hours, but eventually bid them farewell.  Delighted, though, to have made two photos stops before lunch!

Related Links:

• Kountze Lake and South Platte Park, December 2019
• Kountze Lake, June 2015: Part I
• Kountze Lake, June 2015: Part II
• Kountze and Harriman Lakes

St. Vrain State Park, May 2026

Since moving back to Colorado from Texas, one of the things I've been delighted to recommence is my membership in the Mile High Wildlife Photography Club.  The monthly meetings provide a wonderful opportunity to meet other photographers, view gorgeous images and learn the stories behind them, and improve my craft.  And yesterday, it also provided the chance to get out in the field with other shutterbugs as the club arranged an outing to St. Vrain State Park.

I'd never been to St. Vrain, and was slightly surprised by the park's proximity to I-25.  You could not only hear the traffic, but also see vehicles whizzing by from the park's eastern boundary.  But the park is chock full of ponds, which attract birds like this Great Blue Heron in abundance.

This particular heron was the star attraction on Sandpiper Pond for a while, hunting along the shoreline.

Most of the folks in attendance were hoping to get a shot of one of the resident Osprey diving for fish.  I don't think that ever happened, but it was great to see one fly by with a meal.

I left my second camera body with a wide-angle lens and tripod that I use for landscape shots in the car, thinking the hand of man was too visible.  Then I went for a walk on one of the trails and took in this view up Boulder Creek.  Well, telephoto landscape shots aren't all bad.

A leg of the trail dead-ended at a nesting platform with another watchful Osprey that didn't much seem to want me hanging around.  So I took a couple of quick shots and gave it back its privacy.

This Barn Swallow stayed on its millet perch long enough for me to get a solid capture.

I saw American White Pelicans on Blue Heron Reservoir.  Not on Pelican Lake, presumably because birds can't read.

Canada Geese may not be rare, but they are almost always willing subjects.

After one pelican flew by...

...it found some of its friends for some synchronized formation work.

Returning to Sandpiper Pond brought me into contact with another hunting heron.  Or possibly the same one as before, for all I know.  Whatever the case, he kindly passed closely by (but not without some side eye).

A really great morning chatting and shooting with other MHWPC members and making my inaugural visit to another of our wonderful state parks!

Backyard Beauty, May 2026

After a winter sorely lacking in snow, we had a Colorado springtime surprise today -- a snow day in May!  Schools closed over concerns that the heavy, wet snow would cause power outages.  And our neighborhood birds -- especially the Mountain Bluebirds nesting on our porch -- were struggling to find food.  Fortunately, I look out for our feathered friends.

As I mentioned, we've got bluebirds nesting on our porch!  We put a box on our fence last year, but they weren't interested.  We moved it to our porch -- higher off the ground, but closer to the house -- and had a couple move in fairly quickly.  And that couple laid eggs, which have now hatched.  So we're buying a thousand live mealworms every couple of weeks, which Mom and Dad ferry straight to their new brood every time we put some out.

We put a ceramic spoon rest Danelle had made on our deck and used it for the mealworm tray to keep it out of the falling snow.  Dad seemed appreciative.

Our tray got some good business throughout the day, including a Western Tanager which I'd never seen in our backyard before.  I wonder what he had to chat about with a Mourning Dove and House Finch?

We haven't looked in the box, but we can hear the babies chirping whenever someone brings them food.  Which Dad does regularly, and then heads back out for more.

The snow stopped and the sun came out in the afternoon, which meant I could put worms back in our normal hanging tray.

Mom may not be as vibrant as Dad, but she's just as good of a provider.  And just as pretty, in her own way.

Dad regularly dive bombs our dog, but he seems to know I'm the guy who brings the mealworms and leaves me alone.

Both parents are comfortable feeding with me close, which meant I could squat just a few feet away and snap to my heart's content.

There has been some competition for the mealworms from a couple of Robins, so Mom and Dad will fill up, then fly to our porch railing.

There they'd wait patiently for the other to come out...

...then fly up and make their own food delivery.

You wouldn't even know we'd gotten a bunch of snow by late afternoon.  Much had already melted off, and our bluebirds were back to catching their own wild food for their kids.

And another beautiful day in our backyard had come to a close. :)

Related Links:

• Backyard Beauty, January 2026
• Backyard Beauty, November 2024
• Backyard Beauty, February 2015
• Backyard Beauty, June 2014

Platte River, March 2026: Not Cranes

Cranes were definitely the focus of my recent trip to Nebraska, but that didn't stop some other feathered friends from finding their way in front of my lens.

When I saw a large bird scramble across the road in front of me as I was driving through the corn fields, I immediately thought it was a Roadrunner.  I suppose that comes from living in Texas for eight years.  Upon closer inspection, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was, in fact, a Ring-necked Pheasant.  

Golden hour one morning brought out more birds to celebrate the new day.  And staying in my car meant they weren't perturbed by my presence.  Shooting from the car also meant that my angle to the sun was what it was, so for this Red-winged Blackbird that meant backlit silhouette...

... while this Western Meadowlark faced the sun with a song in his heart, and I enjoyed the perfect angle to capture his joy.

An American Goldfinch kept midmorning watch along the riverbank at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary.

While the cranes were definitely the stars of my visit, I also enjoyed these supporting acts!

Related Links:

• Platte River, March 2026: Cranes in Flight
• Platte River, March 2026: Cranes in Corn
• Platte River, March 2026: Sunrise and Sunset