Photographer in Colorado

Here are some more images from early summer. At first Friday Art Walk, these images were captured close to sunset in the Santa Fe Art’s District. The setting sun lit up the windows of this building, casting a golden glow to the the glass.

These images were made in the same building where several walls were painted in bright colors. This building is a home to several art galleries as well as some residential apartments.

Each wall was painted in a different color. When in the shadow, all walls still retained their saturated colors.

In this final image, the falling sun lit up one of the bright red walls of the building.

Some more pictures from the Spring. While visiting Westerly Creek, we found a colony of Cliff Swallows nesting under one of the bridges. Cliff Swallows typically build their nests from mud. In this image three swallows were waiting by the openings to their nest. Periodically, there would be activity as the swallows left and returned to their nest. Were these mates flying in and out? Were they bringing nesting material or food for hatchlings?

We made our way around one of the ponds, where this female Red-Winged Blackbird was perched.

Close by was a male bird that allowed me to get really close.

Here he was calling out. Probably trying to attract a mate.

Later during the afternoon, we met a group of kids along the trail and were sharing info on birds that we had seen. We pointed out this American Kestrel to the kids. It was hovering up above the creek, hunting for a meal. Kestrels typically catch small vermin (like a mouse or vole) and also grasshoppers and other bugs. No luck at this location. This Kestrel was working its way along the creek in search of prey.

This is a continuation of catching up with images that I have been meaning to post. Work around the house and other projects held up posting!

In May, I made a trip to the South Platte River. The river was flowing strongly as a result of releasing run-off from the upstream reservoir at Chatfield. I found this Great Blue Heron on the far bank of the river.

Here the heron was fishing for the next meal.

Soon the heron caught a fish. This looked like a big one about 16 inches in length.

I made several images of the heron as it was aligning the fish to swallow.

It was amazing to watch the fish make its way down the heron gullet!

Wow. What a huge fish!

Half way down to the stomach.

I never knew that this heron has such a huge capacity in its stomach. I have seen some videos where a Great Blue caught and swallowed a larger fish; it is much more interesting to see this in action.

That heron looks really satisfied. I wonder how long until the fish is digested and when the next meal will take place.

We had several Irises in bloom this last spring; they usually bloom at the end of May. Every year, I attempt to make some images of these fabulous plants. The “beard” of an Iris flower is always the most difficult to capture successfully. This year… success!

Focus stacking is one tool that allows one to capture details of the beard. Patience is also required; the slightest breeze will upset focus at a macro scale.

I made a couple of images of budding flower from this plant.

Buds lower on the stalk of an Iris plant usually start to bud later than buds at the tip. I found this bud at a lower level.

On another plant, I found this bud lower down the stalk.

It has been a while since last posting images. More to come!

This year we have a profusion of wonderful little Grape Hyacinth plants! Here is a group of three plants from our garden.

Bees were attracted to the purple flowers. I was fortunate to capture this bee feeding on one of the hyacinth flowers soon after starting to make photographs.

Some other bugs were also active in the hyacinth patch.

I made the following image where the hyacinth flower head was framed by its leaf.

This is some detail of the flower head of another hyacinth flower.

In the following image, I captured the hyacinth flower, peeking from behind a hyacinth leaf.

The bees were really active that afternoon. Here is another image of a bee feeding on a grape hyacinth flower head.

Happy Spring!

A couple of weeks ago, we made a birding trip to Monte Vista to do some birding. At this time of the year, Sandhill Cranes stop over at the wildlife refuge on their return trip to summer nesting grounds. For the first morning, we were out at the ponds to view the cranes and geese fly out. Many birds typically roost at these ponds during the night. We found this pair of Canada Geese hanging out on the ice at the edge of the ponds. I managed to capture one bird flapping its wings.

American Coots may also be found in the ponds. Later in the morning, they may be found feeding in the ponds. Frequently, several coots spar with one another. This is a common sight that I have found at this location over several years. Here is one image from a sequence of images that I captured from one sparring pair.

During the course of the day, Sandhill Cranes fly over the wildlife refuge. Here is one image of a single goose in flight.

Sandhill cranes spend winter further south along the Rio Grande in New Mexico. During later winter and early spring, they head north to their summer feeding and nesting grounds. The wildlife refuge is one feeding location where they stop during their journey. Here is a single crane moving while grazing in the fields.

The cranes typically roost for the night where there is water, either at these ponds, or at other ponds in the refuge. This offers some safety against predators, such as coyotes, during the night. Soon after dawn, the cranes fly out in family groups to feeding grounds where they spend much of the daylight hours. Sandhill Cranes generally pair for life. Occasional single birds (with no partners) will also fly out. In this image, I captured a single bird when it called out soon after taking flight.

Early during the first morning, there was little wind. However, during the course of the day, strong winds developed during the day and persisted for the remaining two days that we spent in Monte Vista. Here is typical family group of a pair of cranes in flight that I capture during our first day, when the cranes were moving between feeding grounds in the refuge.

Here is another single crane in flight between feeding grounds on the first day.

During early March, the annual Sandhill Crane Festival takes place in Monte Vista. We typically visit the refuge either before or after the festival, to avoid the crowds and to find reasonable accommodation. We had really strong winds during the middle and end of the days we spent in Monte Vista. However, the weather forecast for the festival days included snow!

There is a Barrow’s Goldeneye that winters in the South Platte River every year. I don’t know whether this is the same duck that we have seen every year, or not. The male duck is very easy to identify, but the female is much more difficult. The female looks very similar to the female Common Goldeneye. Last week, I went on a quest to find the female(s).

After confirming that the Barrow’s is still here, I returned the next day in a quest to find the female. Of course, I found some other species. On arriving at the river, I found this pair of American Wigeons.

Soon, I found a group of female Goldeneye ducks. I worked my way downstream and upstream a few times, making several images along the way. In this image, I managed to capture a Common Goldeneye flapping her wings.

Now, were there any female Barrows? I found another female Goldeneye that started to flap her wings. Was it a Barrow’s? The bill has much more yellow than the common species. The head is a different shade of brown. This female had a different shape of head when compared to the common females; closer in shape to the male. Yes. Found the female Barrow’s Goldeneye!

Eventually the male Barrow’s Goldeneye, made his way upstream to the join the group of females. In this image, I managed to capture both male and female as they turned around and headed downstream.

Most of the Goldeneye ducks were swimming upstream and downstream, swimming and diving as they were foraging for food. They repeated this several times during my time observing them. In the following image, I captured the male with three females following behind; one Barrow’s female and two Common females. They soon passed the male Buffelhead (see below). The difference between the Barrow’s and Common can be seen here.

Occasionally, the ducks take flight to move upstream, instead of paddling against the water flow. I managed to capture this one female Common Goldeneye as she took flight.

There are several other specifies of birds in the South Platte river at this location. I found this solitary Canada Goose on a sandbar in the river.

As I was returning to the parking lot, a pair of Northern Flickers landed on a tree as I walked under the tree. I managed to get a very decent image of one of these Flickers.

Found the female Barrow’s Goldeneye. Mission accomplished!