Song Sparrow, Sangre De Cristo Mountains
Song Sparrow along Comanche Creek (yesterday’s photo) in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico. Singing it loud and clear. He certainly got my attention, his song echoing off the canyon walls and hills, accompanied by the babbling brook. Thanks for looking. G
Pine Siskin, Shuree Ponds, Valle Vidal, NM
Pine Siskin at the Shuree Ponds in the Valle Vidal, NM. A pleasant little bird and fun to watch during it’s foraging activities, hopping from tree to bush and back to tree again. It has a penchant for hanging upside down, feeding on thistle and fall sunflowers husks. Thanks for looking. G
Hairy Woodpecker, San Cristobal, NM
Hairy Woodpecker, San Cristobal, NM. Apparently these fellow earth dwellers are destroyers of trees. They have stripped the bark off the limbs on an old growth Juniper tree, making short work of it. Today I noticed they’d enlisted the help of the kids to pitch in as well. Such little buggers. I have to believe there is method in their natural world. Thanks for looking. G
Cross Birds, Ranchos De Taos, New Mexico
Cross Birds, Ranchos De Taos, New Mexico. Just hopping around, eating, fighting and pooping. “Humans, like all other critters, are neither inherently good or bad. Those words have no meaning in nature.” Thanks JK and thanks for looking. G
Blue Grosbeak, San Cristobal, NM
Blue Grosbeak, San Cristobal, NM. Two years ago a young Blue Grosbeak visited the garden, I haven’t spotted one since, until today. I have no proof it’s the same bird but I like to think it might be. He seems to know his way around the place. Thanks for looking. G
Killdeer, San Luis Valley, Lake, Colorado
Killdeer bird, along a lake shore in the San Luis Valley, southern Colorado. These long legged, little critters weave their way along the edge of the lake, chattering incessantly as they go. They’ll lead me in a direction away from the nest and it’s offspring. Here’s more info on these little guys. Thanks for looking. G
American Kestrel, Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico
American Kestrel, Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico. This beautiful creature embodies spirit. Fear? none of it, I’m sure. I’ve watched and photographed these birds for a couple of decades. I wish to return as a kestrel. Perhaps I already am, and Geraint is a figment of my imagination. Thanks for looking. Be tenacious, stay well and be safe. Thanks for looking. G
Horned Lark, Capulin, Colorado.
Horned Lark, on a fence post in the village of Capulin, Colorado. I did get a close up of this little fellow, but I prefer this image which is how he looked when I first caught a glimpse as we drove past. Here’s a close up of a Horned Lark from last year in the snow. They usually flock in the thousands, foraging around the roadsides and fields. This one was on it’s own and he didn’t seem to mind. Thanks for looking. G
Lewis’s Woodpecker, San Cristobal
Lewis’s Woodpecker, a regular visitor to the garden in San Cristobal, NM. When I finally looked at the images I discovered that he wasn’t trying to retrieve a kernel or two or three from the hole in the fence post, he was drinking the snow melt water that had accumulated there. As you can see I caught the drip. I love these birds. Thanks for looking. G
Dark-Eyed Juncos, Garden, Snow
Dark-Eyed Juncos, in the garden and the snow today. I had fun hanging out with about five dozen of these little ones storming the bird feeders today. They were unafraid of the guy with the camera in polar gear, and as long as I stood still they stayed around, happily devouring a few pounds of seed. Over the last six days they’ve gone through 30 pounds of seed. And me? After I darned near froze my fingers off and the battery in the camera died in the 20º temps, it was time for a cup of tea! Thanks for looking. G
Up Close, Personal, Great Blue Heron
Up close and personal Great Blue Heron in the Bosque del Apache, NWR, New Mexico. While we’re on the topic, I thought I would share an image of this different, more mature, Blue Heron. I have lots of images of these magnificent creatures. I’ll share more at some point in a later posts. The light source for this bird is the sun immediately after breaking over the horizon, the best kind spotlight. Thanks for looking. G
Great Blue Heron, Bosque del Apache, NWR
Great Blue Heron, in the Bosque del Apache, National Wildlfe Refuge, New Mexico. These birds have their own territories at the Bosque del Apache, so much so, that one can find them in the same spot from one year to the next. I swear I know this Great Blue Heron intimately after all my trips. Thanks for looking. G
Townsend’s Solitaire, Winter Ash Tree
Townsend’s Solitaire in the winter ash tree in the garden, San Cristobal NM. I spent some time outside on the deck this afternoon. The feeders were overrun with Dark-eyed Juncos, a few Sparrows, half a dozen American Crows, Mourning Doves and a Lewis’ Woodpecker. The woodpecker returned after a month absence to retrieve the seeds it had stashed in the cottonwood tree. This Townsend’s Solitaire, normally sits in the tops of the trees and sings it’s song. Today it sat on the lower branches for a few snaps. It then returned to the top of a juniper tree. I’ve never seen it feeding at one of the feeders. Thanks for looking. G
Dark-Eyed Junco, San Cristobal, NM
Dark-eyed Junco, in the garden in San Cristobal, NM. This little guy survived my boot as I walked across the deck. I spotted one Dark-eyed Junco on the ground after hitting a window on the house. I picked it up and almost stepped on this bird which flew up on to the patio chair and stayed there. This bird may have hit a window also. It stayed here while and I made some images. The bird I had picked up, was now resting on a fence post in the sun where I left it. The incident concluded with both birds flying off, hopefully not too worse for ware. I’ll be adding decals to the windows to warn these little creatures. Thanks for looking. G
Snow Geese, Flashback 2009, Bosque Del Apache, NWR
Snow Geese and moon, flashback to 2009 in the Bosque Del Apache, NWR. There were so many snow geese flying overhead, so I had a lot of opportunities to catch them in front of the moon as it was rising. I’m looking forward to making a number of trips to the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge again this winter. As always thanks for looking. G
Ravens, Enchanted Circle, NM
Ravens on the Enchanted Circle, a scenic byway drive in northern New Mexico. This picture doesn’t do their size justice. They were very large and posed for a few images before taking off. Thanks for looking. G
