Happy August

Yeah, time to go photographing! I decided to go back out to Barr lake. Hopefully the clouds would not roll in like last week....that was so weird!

Of course, I had to check in on the burrowing owls just outside of the park. This one reminds me of a little butler.....so damn cute!

This one is not sure about me.....

I pulled myself away and drove into the park. I hustled over to see if the barn owl would give me some nice pics. I begged and begged but she just kept snoozing.....

The ospreys were quite active.....

Here's their nest. I hope the rangers or volunteers fix this over the winter.....looks like the leaning tower of Pisa.

I was heading back to the refuge area and spotted this bird. Looks like a youngster. I wasn't sure who this was, so when I got home I looked it up. Sweet, it's a brown thrasher...a new bird for me!

I walked over to the refuge area but it was pretty quiet. This eastern kingbird said hi......

And this female goldfinch said hi.....

Since it was feeling pretty quiet at Barr lake, I decided to head over to my favorite spot to see what the coopers hawks were up to. I drove by the burrowing owls and spotted a swainson's hawk perched nearby. The owls did not seem upset by her presence.....

I also stopped by a spot I know on Tower road. I had seen burrowing owls there last year. No owls but there were some red tailed hawks hanging around. This one was very close to a bunch of mourning doves and they were not nervous. Hmmmmm maybe they are friends????

I think this is a young red tail.....love the markings!

 

I finally made it over to my favorite spot. It was already 9am, so the light was pretty harsh. Oh well, I always enjoy seeing what's going on even if I don't get good pics.

I quickly spotted a kestrel. Very cool birds!

Then I spotted one of my cooper hawk friends flying across the lake being harassed by a barn swallow.

And a snowy egret was chillin.....

I always see dragonflies but today they posed for me....

A black crown night heron was looking for breakfast. I learned today that they open their mouth and make sounds in the water to attract frogs and fish.....cool!

I didn't get any pics of the heron nests but all is well.......all the kids were sleeping and the parents were off enjoying some free time.

So I checked on my cooper's hawk friends. Just this one was available for pics.....

A very fun day! Thanks for reading!