New Mexico! Red Crossbill
Red Crossbill: Randall Davey Audubon Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, July 2023 — Red Crossbills are a rare bird at the Randell Davey Audubon Center in the foothills above Santa Fe, though they are common in the mountains above. Something has brought a few down this July…some combination of food supply and breeding success probably. There is at least one adult feeding a fledgling at the feeders in the gardens at Randall Davey. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 250 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.
New Mexico! Rufous Hummingbird in the shade.
Rufous Hummingbird: Randall Davey Audubon Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, July 2023 — I went up to the Randall Davey Audubon Center in the foothills above Santa Fe to photograph birds around the gardens and feeders. The Audubon Center never disappoints. The feeders attract many of the birds of that elevation, and a good selection of New Mexico Hummingbirds. This is the season in New Mexico when Rufous often dominate the feeders and I found both adult male and immature birds guarding feeders. I tracked this one down to its perch in the deep shade of tall bush, right between two feeders. It was apparently trying to guard them both…but then that is the Rufous for you. 🙂 Note that in the subdued light of the interior of the bush, the gorget shows as much green as orange. OM Systems OM-1 at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 500 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.
New Mexico! Western Tiger Swallowtail
Western Tiger Swallowtail: Camino Real Hiking Trail, Santa Fe, New Mexico, July 2023 — There is water flowing in the Santa Fe River, still, after a wet spring in New Mexico, which means an unusual amount of birds and insects along the water course where it flows down through a series of parks on the west side of the city and along the bike and hike trail of Camino Real. True it is more of a creek than a river at that point, but along with quite a few birds, I found a couple of nice fresh Western Tiger Swallowtail butterflies sipping minerals from the wet sands at the edge of the river. They would fly over the water and dip for drink, and them, if I was patient enough, eventually settle on the shore. OM Systems OM-1 at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/800th.
Magpie
Black-billed Magpie: South Valley Park, Denver, Colorado, USA, July 2023 — a lucky shot from our hike in South Valley Park on the mountain edge of Denver. When I saw the bird it was on the rock, of course, but as I pressed the shutter button, it took off. Happens sometimes 🙂 OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/800th.
Colorado! Mule Deer in the Morning
Mule Deer: South Valley Park, Denver, Colorado, USA, July 2023 — We went for a hike yesterday, early, at South Valley Park, about 30 minutes from my daughter’s home in Centennial. Early is relative. Toddlers in tow. We were not completely out of the car yet (it takes a while when traveling with two in car seats), when my daughter, who was suiting up in the baby carrier, cried out “look Everleigh, look!” and pointed over my shoulder. This buck Mule Deer had just crossed the parking lot and was, at that moment, running up the stairs in the trail above. I managed a few shots as it headed off the trail toward greener pastures up the canyon. Not a big “rack” (set of antlers) by Mule Deer standards…and still, from the look of it, in “velvet”…still growing. Everleigh did get to see the “reindeer” and this photo is for her. 🙂 OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my animals modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.
Colorado! Young Robin
American Robin: Centennial, Colorado, USA, July 2023 — Our walks around Centennial in the morning are limited by how far I can push a stroller, and how far an almost 4 year old can walk, given time at the playground, and we are in the heart of Denver suburbia, so we are not seeing a wild variety of Colorado birds. There is a family of American Robins at one of the local parks and this young bird posed nicely for me. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 640 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.
Colorado! Thumper.
Eastern Cottontail: Centennial, Colorado, USA — I asked my granddaughter Everleigh to help me pick a photo for this morning’s post. I suspect this is the patriarch of the bunny clan that lives in the housing developments around my daughter’s home in Centennial. He was taking is his ease, warming in the morning sun in the middle of a residential street, and was not bothered by us on the sidewalk at all. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 250 and 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th and 1/800th.
Colorado! Bunnies
Wild Rabbits: Centennial, Colorado — The only other wildlife we have seen on our walks around Centennial with our granddaughters are the wild Rabbits that seen to enjoy the lawns of the housing developments and the small parks. I will not say they are everywhere, but there are a surprising number of them, and, as you might imagine with them living in suburbia, they are somewhat tame. This one sat for me for close-ups…though some of that might have been the “freeze” response. (“If I do not move he can’t see me!”…which is a survival technique against airborne and other sight predators, but does not work well against photographers…or other “shooters” for that matter. Fortunately for the rabbits, I am pretty sure shotguns are banned by the local HOAs, if not by the city itself. 🙂 Anyway. The bunnies are a big hit with the granddaughters and look remarkably healthy. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 372mm and 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. (No need to switch to animal mode for animals of this size, I am finding.) Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 1250 and 1600 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.
More Denver Wildlife!
Everleigh and Noemi at the local playground after supper. 🙂
Colorado! Say’s Phoebe
Say’s Phoebe: Centennial, Colorado, July 2023 — Our morning bird walk yesterday (to the playground and back, after some appropriate play time before the slides got to hot to touch) turned up a group of Say’s Phoebes hunting in the short grasses of the park. As an Easterner for a long time now, Say’s is a treat. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.