Photo Gallery and Blog 2024

A pair of bald eagles hang out around here so I see them regularly. It takes a lot of patience to wait for them to do something more interesting than just sit there. When one comes in for a landing, you really get to see the size of their wings.

It amazes me how a huge bird like this can come to a complete stop and balance on a tiny little perch, and not bump its partner with its giant wings.

The eagles often spend a long time sitting there on that perch, looking all serious but doing nothing. They preen and poop, stretch, then preen and poop some more. Usually, just when you're not looking, they will suddenly blast off. This time I was ready.

It really is stunning when a formidable bird of prey like this flies right past you.

The eagle caught an unsuspecting ring-billed gull off the nearby pond and brought it to this tree, then plucked off the feathers. It took a long time.

After plucking for a while, the eagle decided to take its meal elsewhere.

The eagle was making a sharp turn and showing off its enormous 6-7 ft wingspan. It's interesting how its head remains level.

This lucky eagle was dining on an unlucky goose on this frozen pond.

I saw this kestrel perched high in a tree near the trail. I expected it to fly off at any second because they are notoriously skittish but it just stayed there. Turns out that was because it had caught a vole and proceeded to eat it.

At this nest in a broken-off tree, Mom owl spends most of the day brooding with her three chicks. In late March, they are still quite small.

Two weeks later, the owlets have grown. Getting a photo of all three requires very much patience.

After another week, they are bold enough to perch on the back edge of the nest tree. Mama owl arrived, then jumped into the nest to feed.

The owlet has grown a lot in two weeks. Mom still spends time in the nest.
(There is something funky with the iris in Mom's left eye.)

Dinner is served after dusk each day. Mom always has a supply of bunny parts stashed away in the nest. Junior doesn't seem interested.

Junior continued to grow, and soon became bold enough to venture out and stand on the top edge of the nest. Mama seems ok with that.

Suddenly Junior was gone from the nest. It was sitting on the ground, about 50 feet from the nest tree.

But no worries, it promptly climbed back up in a tree.

Several weeks after fledging, Junior has mastered the art of flying. He was hanging out with Mom on Mother's Day.

This handsome fellow is the male owl. Although Junior hung out close to Mom, Dad was always nearby, usually in one of his favorite trees. I imagine he helped stock their pantry spots with fresh all-natural bunny, since they always seemed to have an ample supply.

Backlighting really accents the fuzz on this cute little fluffball.

I heard the unmistakeable call of a killdeer coming from a puddle in a cornfield and I could see it foraging through the water. I wondered if it would let me take some photos. I got my camera, knelt near the edge, and waited. Sure enough, it continued foraging and eventually walked right up to me.

Yes, they are fairly common but still quite elegant birds with every feather perfectly in place, except that one on top of its head.

Fox kits are wonderful subjects because they are so dang cute. A pair of pups was hanging out at their den on a vacant lot. Mostly they ignored people but sometimes they would stop and look the right direction for a portrait. Getting a clear view through the tall weeds was quite a challenge.

These two kits were actively playing together, rolling around on the ground and pretending to bite each other. It was fun to watch.

At first I was cursing the tall grass since it obscured most of the activity and I could only shoot when the fox passed through a gap in the weeds. Later I came to appreciate how the greenery makes the photos more interesting.

Suddenly the tall weeds were mowed so there was a clear view but now it looked rather stark and bare. Just before sundown, this kit dragged out this half-eaten desiccated rabbit carcass that was stashed in a hole in the ground. The fox tossed it up in the air a few times and then spent quite a while chewing on it. Doesn't sound appetizing to me.

I was at home and heard a loud thud on my window. I peeked out and saw a Cooper's hawk had nailed a dove and watched it fly to a big pine tree in my backyard. Of course I had to run out there with my camera and take its picture. Sometimes the wildlife comes to you.

I saw this osprey on a roadside pole, eating its evening dinner. I wonder if they ever get tired of sushi....

I saw this Great Egret in a pond near my house. It just stood there for a while, then it started hunting.
It does that by slowly wading through shallow water until it sees something appetizing.

Then it slams its head into the water and tries to grab the fish. This time it was successful and it got that little fish.

At the crack of dawn this billy goat was heading up to see his goat buddies.

Sometimes a goat takes a break from grazing and poses majestically on a rocky outcropping.

Sometimes they are close enough for head shots.

This very mellow brown-colored black bear just hung out all day in this tree in my neighborhood. Occasionally he squirmed around a little, trying to find a comfortable position on that branch. It's the first time I have ever seen a bear around here, and probably the last.

This was the biggest bull in the area, nicknamed "Atlas". He had plenty of girlfriends.

This is my favorite photo of the rut season. The light of the rising sun on the background aspen really pops.

This young bull was really trying, covered in mud, showing attitude. Maybe next year. He was nice enough to pose by the yellow aspens.