This weekend, I started a road trip to California. This included a stay of two nights in Death Valley. As the sun was about to set, I made my way to the Playa, where I captured this spectacular sunset.
Death Valley Sunset.
Yesterday, I headed to Titus Canyon. Stopping along the way, I found some interesting plants. At this point, the sky was filled with various clouds during the late morning, so I captured in this image.
Road To Titus Canyon.
This morning, while waiting for the sun to rise, I made this image at Zabriskie Point.
Sunrise, Zabriskie Point.
Heading down to the coast, I drove past Lake Isabelle and followed the route along the Kern River. There are still fall colors this late in the season.
Fall Colors, Kern River.
The sun was coming in and out from the clouds. In this image, the sun lit up the mountain hillside in the center background.
View Across Kern River.
As I exited the Kern River canyon, the sun was setting on arrival to Bakersfield.
This week we had a huge snowstorm that dumped some 12-inches of snow at home. Near work, much less snow had fallen. After the storm, I noticed that the low sun had cast long shadows in the morning. I liked how the sun had reflected off the window of the office block, casting shadows of the flag staffs in this image.
Morning Sun, After The Snow Storm.
Closer to the office, I noticed the long shadows cast by the fence grills. When I noticed the red covers on the fire hydrants, that made the image.
Fence Shadow Grill.
On another morning, I passed by these chimes. Someone hanged these chimes during the spring. Over the months, I made several images as the seasons changed
Not So Hidden Chimes.
Farther along my commute, the trees were covered with Christmas lights. Having made a close up shot of the chimes, the lights were out of focus. I preferred the look with large blobs for the lights in this image.
Avenue Of Christmas Lights.
As the week passed, the snow continued to melt. leaving little evidence of the amount of snow that had fallen.
The images from last week’s visit to Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge have been downloaded. Here are a selection of these images. I found this pair of pheasants at the roadside. I managed to capture a single image of this pair. During later visits to the same location, I never got to find any pheasant.
Pair Of Pheasants, Bosque Del Apache.
There is a large population of these magnificent Sandhill Cranes that migrate to Bosque Del Apache. During the course of the day they fly between ponds, where they spend the night, and in the fields where they feed. I was lucky to get a clean image of 5 cranes in flight.
Five Sandhill Cranes In Flight.
Another winter visitor to Bosque are the Snow Geese. Here is one individual that I captured in flight.
Snow Goose In Flight, Bosque Del Apache.
During the early mornings, just after sunrise, the Sandhill Cranes leave the safety of the ponds where they spend the night. Here is one crane taking off.
Sandhill Crane, Taking Off.
Raptors, such as this Red-Tailed Hawk, spend many hours hunting. This hawk was hunting over the fields where the cranes and geese were feeding. They became agitated until the hawk left.
Red Tailed Hawk, Bosque Del Apache.
Several species of ducks inhabit the ponds. I found these two female Northern Shovelers while we were waiting for the Sandhill Cranes to return to the ponds around sunset.
Pair Of Northern Shovelers.
Snow Geese frequently spread their wings while in the ponds; this typically lasts for a second or two. After several attempts, I managed to capture an image when one of the geese spread wings.
Snow Goose, Spreading Wings.
After leaving Bosque, on the final day, a Road Runner was scratching in the low bushes along the roadside. I stopped to capture this image.
Road Runner.
This Road Runner made my day before heading back home later that same day.
On Thursday, I headed to Socorro, New Mexico, for a welcome break, where I could do some bird photography. Last week also was the annual “Festival of Cranes” in Socorro and Bosque del Apache. In between visiting the Wildlife Refuge, I spent some time in Socorro. Here is one of the murals next to a parking lot.
Bull Mural, Socorro.
Often we stop at Mountain Coffee. This is the mural at the entrance to to cafe.
Welcome, Entrance Here, Mountain Coffee.
Across the road is Ace Hardware, that looks like it had some new window dressing. In the adjacent building is the fabulous blue door.
Blue Door Outside Ace Hardware, Socorro.
At the south end of the Plaza is a clock with four faces.
Clock, City Of Socorro.
Several buildings are in run-down or in disrepair around the city. I found this one that had stepped walls.
Stepped Wall, Socorro.
Driving back to the city, from a distance, I noticed a building with a conical turret. I had not noticed in prior visits to Socorro, so I decided to find its location. It turned out to be quite close to the plaza!
House With Conical Turret, Socorro.
I made some images of birds in the Refuge. Maybe in another post later?
For yesterday and today, I headed down to the South Platte River, at Littleton to practice some more bird photography. Beside the river is a pond where couple of geese were preening themselves.
Pair Of Geese Preening, South Platte River.
Hanging around here for a half hour, one goose looked towards me, allowing me the capture this image.
Canada Goose On Tree Stump.
This afternoon, a Red-Tailed Hawk was perched in one of the trees near the river bank, facing away from me. I continued to walk until I could get a better view and made this image.
Red-Tailed Hawk, Littleton.
Heading south along the river, there were several Buffelhead Ducks. These little ducks feed by diving to find food.
Eight Buffelhead Ducks, South Platte River.
On the far bank, was a deer grazing among the grass. This deer had one horn that looked like it was deformed — growing forwards instead of upwards.
Deer At South Platte Riverside.
I made my way back to the parking lot, and arrived home to see an amazing sunset at the end of the day.
Late this afternoon, I managed to get down to the South Platte River to see the wildlife (birds). At this time of the year, Northern Shovelers migrate to Colorado. They are more skittish than the Mallards that we see, ane tend to stay out near the middle of the river
Northern Shovelers In the Platte River.
Nearby were several groups of Canada Geese grazing at the riverside. This guy caught my attention because he had some blades of grass caught in this bill that were backlit by the setting sun.
Canada Goose With Grass.
Several geese were taking advantage of light from the setting sun.
Canada Goose In Sunset Light.
Looking downstream, the sun was lighting up the trees along the banks of the river. I made this image of the reflections, just before the clouds obscured the sun.
Sunset Reflections In South Platte River.
Continuing alongside the river, I encountered a group of Buffelhead ducks. These are some of the smallest ducks in the US.
Buffelhead Ducks In The South Platte.
Another group of male Buffelheads joined the group. I noticed that they had formed a circular group of 5 ducks, so I made several images of this group of five.
Five Buffelhead Males.
Over the last couple of weeks, most of the trees and bushes had dropped their leaves. However, I did find these leaves just catching the last of the sunlight.
Sunset Light Catching Fall Colors.
Just as I arrived home, the sun had set over the mountains, lighting up the clouds with a deep red.
This week, it was time for another visit downtown. Near Union Station, the low sun cast streetlamp shadows on an adjacent building.
Streetlamp Shadow, Union Station.
Looking up, the I made this image of the sky reflected in the windows.
Concrete, Glass And Sky.
Heading across Commons Park, to the Platte River, I found this snowmen family. We had a snow storm earlier this week, with a few inches of snow in the city. Just after making this image the big guy on the right collapsed.
Snowmen Family, Commons Park.
From here, I headed towards the Highland Bridge, over I-25. Time for some more window reflections in the glass.
Ramp And Building.
At this bridge, I was greeted by a young lady, offering high fives to passers by. I obliged and then made my way across. Next to the bridge abutment on the far side, was an artist hard at work with a sketch pad.
Hard At Work, Highlands.
From this side of the highway, one can see Mile High Stadium, where the Broncos were playing football today. I tried to find a location where I could make an image of the stadium. Unfortunately, the skyline was very cluttered, so I abandoned that idea. I headed back over the highway on a different bridge. Several runners passed by on the wet sidewalk. I managed to capture an reflection of the last runner, just as the bus was pulling away from the bus stop.
Runner, Bus And Sidewalk Reflections.
There were still trees with their autumn colors. These colors were reflected in the Platte River.
Reflections In The Platte River.
A pedestrian had started crossing the adjacent bridge on foot. I waited until he had walked into the open space for this image.
Crossing By Bridge, Platte River.
The sun was about to start setting. I found one cloud that was catching the sunset light above this building.
Cloud Over Building, Highlands.
As I got nearer to Union Station, the sunset colors became more intense. This apartment block was bathed in sunset light, reflected from the base of the clouds.
Apartment Building, Union Station.
Crossing to the other side of the Millennium Bridge, the sun created its own fire in the sky!
Millennium Bridge Sunset.
I could hear the light rain train approaching Union Station. As I got closer, it was my ride back home. Time to go!
Saturday was a clear fall day — the day before a few days of snow storms in the forecast. I headed out to the eastern plains, near Bennett. I turned off onto a dirt road and headed east for a few miles. Soon I found some bales of hay close to the roadside. This field had been recently harvested, with tracks in the field leading over the horizon.
Hay Bales, Eastern Plains.
A few miles farther, the road turned north along the edge of a recently harvested field. By this time, the sun had dropped lower in the sky, lighting up the furrows of stalks in the field.
Harvested Field, Eastern Plains.
Close by, I found some hay bales stacked at the roadside. Exploring the haystacks, I made several images.
Hay Bales, New And Old.
At one spot, sun streamed into the space between the haystacks. Just like a cavern!
Inside The Tower Of Bales.
At this point, I turned my camera up to the sky for this image.
Bale, Sky View.
Soon it was time to head home. By this time, more clouds had filled the sky as the forecast snow had moved down from Nebraska. On the road to Bennett, the setting sun lit up the base of the incoming clouds.
Sunset Near Bennett.
Behind me, the sky was relatively clear, but those clouds were racing across the sky.
Racing Clouds.
Nearby, I spotted a horse mounted on a mailbox. Here, I made my final image of a silhouette against the sky.
Mailbox Horse Silhouette.
A few hours later, the snow arrived, but that is a story for another day!
