Nice Harris's Hawk just south of Alamogordo, NM

I found this Harris's Hawk south of Alamogordo near the turn off to Oliver Lee State Park. In the bottom pic it looks like it is wearin...

Monarch Butterflies also at Oliver Lee State Park

I saw 5-10 of these Monarch Butterflies (only 5 if they followed me but more if I was seeing different butterflies) also at Oliver Lee State...

Empid spp and other finds at Oliver Lee State Park, NM

I birded Oliver Lee State Park just south of Alamogordo, NM yesterday and found it to be a jewel both in nice birds and great scenery. I fo...

Cactus Wren-hidden (sort of) in mesquite

I found this Cactus Wren and a second (partner?) in a mesquite shrub where it believed it was hidden from my view. I took the top 3 pics th...

Phainopepla at Percha Dam SP, glad it hadn't migrated south yet

Phainopeplas are iconic southwest birds but most migrate to Mexico for the winter. So I was delighted to spot this male when I took the tr...

'White' crane at Bosque del Apache "hooks up" with a typical Sandhill Crane

I stopped by Bosque del Apache NWR on my way south. As I drove one of the Refuge roads I saw 2 cranes flying close and saw that one was the...

Nice large flock of Pinyon Jays-Magdalena Mountain area in NM

Yesterday I birded around the Magdalena Mountains just west of Socorro,NM. Birding was slow in famous Water Canyon in which a lot of rain f...

'White' crane among the Sandhill Cranes at Bosque del Apache NWR

This 'white' crane showed up last week at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. It is clearly not an albino as it does ha...

Sandhill Cranes: from Colorado to New Mexico

  I took the above photo of a large flock of Sandhill Cranes as they flew over my house a week ago. I took the other two photos of Sandhill ...

Sage and Curve-billed Thrashers

I found a Sage Thrasher this week in some 4-winged Salt Brush/Cholla cactus habitat in Canon City where I usually find Curve-billed Thrasher...

Orange-crowned Warbler fest on Canon City Rivewalk

I did not notice how this warbler is holding it's left wing so far down as these birds were flitting about quickly. I hope it doesn'...

Lewis's Woodpeckers- some good looks

A few days ago I found a number of Lewis's Woodpeckers at my friend's property east of Canon City as well as near a local orchard. ...

Orbweaver spider in my yard-this one a "Cat-faced Orbweaver"

I found this neat looking orbweaver spider in my yard today. Eric Eaton, our local insect guru told me it is a "Cat-faced Orbweaver,&qu...

First American Dipper for the fall season

American Dippers come down the Arkansas River as it runs through Canon City, usually arriving in the fall and spending the winter. I have a...

Red-bellied Woodpecker at Lamar Woods

Far eastern Colorado is on the western edge of the range for Red-bellied Woodpeckers and probably the most reliable spot to find one is at L...

First of the fall Williamson's Sapsucker in Canon City

Last year I found the first Williamsons Sapsuckers (both a male and a female) in Canon City in mid-October. In 2012 I found both a Williamso...