Happy New Year!

It's a long standing tradition that I go out photographing to start the new year! I was especially excited to get out for some picture taking as I've too busy moving into my new home to get out much lately.

So of course I had to head down to my favorite place to see what was going on. Now since I moved to Longmont, I figured it would take about a half hour more to get to Lakewood. Boy was I wrong! It only took about an extra 5-10 minutes. While I was happy that it did not take much longer, it was still pretty dark when I got there. Oh well, I listened to NPR for a few minutes and waited for the sun to come up......

It was a balmy 15' as I started around the main lake. Only about half of the lake was open water and it was filled with geese!

I did a lap around the whole area but everything was frozen except for the main lake. So I headed back to the main lake.

Yes, that is frost on the goose...BRRRRRRR

 There were at least 1000 geese, both cackling and canada geese. As I looked closer, I spotted some other waterfowl mixed in!

Here's a handsome golden eye dude!

and here's a lesser scaup napping.....

goose taking a bath....BRRRRRRR

The shovelers were all around too!

and my favorite, the hooded merganser.....

and the very cute bufflehead.....

Not much else was going on, so I decided to drive up to Prospect park in Wheat Ridge. On the way to the car, this cute rabbit said hi.....

I got to Prospect park and was planning to walk towards Tabor lake. But a kingfisher was was flying over the nearby creek. So I walked over the bridge to try for a pic. Of course he flew away just as I got focused in...typical! They hardly ever sit still very long.

I decided to walk along the creek and saw this female gadwall......

Well, then the kingfisher returned and allowed me some pics!

close by was a female golden eye...

and I loved how the light reflected off the mallard's head......

I headed down the path and noticed this tree had some Christmas decorations...very cute!

This boardwalk looks very frosty!

and at the end of the boardwalk I spotted this sharp shinned hawk!

I was heading back towards the parking lot and this handsome kestrel gave me some pics!

There's a good sized lake right near the parking lot. So I took a quick look and was pleasantly surprised to see a couple of pair of canvasback ducks! These are the male canvasback....

A female hooded merganser was napping....

and a couple of ring billed gulls were hanging around.....

Those handsome hooded merganser dudes!

and finally this male shoveler. He looks like he has a hangover :)

After enjoying Prospect park, I headed into Boulder. I stopped at Walden ponds and 75th St but not much was going on. So I decided to go say hi to my owl friends. As I turned onto Twin lakes Rd, I saw this red tailed hawk perched on top of the tree!

I met up with Georgia and her dog Amber. Then we went in search of the owls. Sonny was enjoying a nap! We did not see Cher but I'm sure she was around.

Well, that was a great way to start the new year! Happy New Year everyone!