My Wildlife Sightings in Colorado

The Week of the Hummingbird: Part 3

Tommy V — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:26:15 GMT

ABC "E"
The Hummingbird flew in from the East to stop buy for a bit to Eat

and

Wordless Wednesday

The Week of the Hummingbird: Part 2

Tommy V — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:09:07 GMT

I am continuing with my weeks theme of Hummingbirds.

These 2 Hummingbirds spent about 10 minutes coming, going,
eating, fighting and even sharing every once in a while.

Ruby Tuesday

The Week of the Hummingbird

Tommy V — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:21:11 GMT

This weeks my theme is Hummingbirds.

I finally hung my feeder and have had lots of action. I am starting out with a few pictures that I took from inside my house looking out. This is the only time I have seen three Hummingbirds feeding at one time. Most of the time they are fighting. They remind me of fighter jets. It is so cool to watch. They have been to fast to catch a picture of them fighting.

Be sure to come back and check out my other Hummingbird pictures.
They get much better. Colorado

The Bald Eagle Chase

Tommy V — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 07:27:09 GMT

I decided to end the week with a few more pictures of the Bald Eagles I captured from my trip to Minnesota. To see more about my Minnesota vacation check out my other Blog: Tommy V's Stuff

We were out, on the pontoon boat, when we saw this eagle fly over and land in a near by tree. We decided to try to get closer and take some pictures. We did get pretty close before he took flight again. We took off and chased him across the lake until he landed again. We slowly moved in for a few more pictures. After a few minutes the eagle took off and headed back across the lake. So we headed off after him until he landed in a tree right next to our boat dock. Karen pulled up close and I jumped out of the pontoon boat to try and get some more pictures. I was able to get right underneath him and capture a few more pictures. After about 5 minutes Karen and the kids, still on the boat, started pointing up in the sky. I looked up and the Bald Eagles mate swooped down and landed in the same tree right above my me. I could not believe both eagles were so close. I was able to get a few more pictures before they headed off. We had a great time chasing the eagle.

Looking straight up, at the first Bald Eagle, through a couple tree limbs.

This is the second eagle that came over to visit.

This one was taken from the pontoon boat.

Sky Watch

Tommy V — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:30:18 GMT

Visit Sky Watch

This weeks Sky Watch picture is from my vacation in Minnesota. This is looking from the end of the dock over West Fox Lake in northern central MN. Almost every night there would be a wonderful sunset like this. The only problem is as soon as the sun went down the mosquitoes would come out in full force. My daughter would count her mosquito bites each day and I think see got to 28 or 30 by the end of the week. I only got a few... I guess its because I would take a bath in DEET.

To see more about my MN vacation check out my other Blog: Tommy V's Stuff

Gull Fishing

Tommy V — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:08:25 GMT

Today's post is more from my trip to Minnesota.
To see more about my MN vacation check out my other Blog: Tommy V's Stuff

Several Gulls would fly up wind looking for fish.
When they got to a certain spot, on the lake, they would
make a large circle back to there starting point and do it
again. The funny thing is they would fish along the same
weed bed that I would fish in the evening. They may have
caught more fish that me but I caught bigger ones.

It is ABC Wednesday - D is for...
Diving for Dinner

Green Heron

Tommy V — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:29:29 GMT

Today's post is more from my trip to Minnesota.
To see more about my MN vacation check out my other Blog: Tommy V's Stuff

I was just finishing up a little fishing, before dinner, when I noticed this bird
hanging out. He did not move a muscle while I was taking pictures. I was
amazed how still he was. I hope he had better luck fishing than I did.

These pictures are of a Green Heron.

Flying Squirrel

Tommy V — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 20:44:51 GMT

Today's post is more from my trip to Minnesota.
To see more about my MN vacation check out my other Blog: Tommy V's Stuff

We went up to the cabin, a few days, before the others and Grandma told Sydney her job was to keep the squirrels out of the bird feeders. Well we did not see many squirrels during the day but each night this strange animal showed up on the "squirrel proof" bird feeder. Sydney told us it was a flying squirrel, but we thought she was crazy. I looked it up on the internet, the next day, and to my surprise it was a flying squirrel. Since the flying squirrel only weighs a few ounces the "squirrel proof" bird feeder did not work correctly and he could eat all the seeds he wanted. Sorry Grandma we could not chase this wonderful animal from the feeder, I enjoyed watching it too much.

Bald Eagle Hunting

Tommy V — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:55:51 GMT

Today's post is more about the Bald Eagles we saw on our trip to Minnesota.
To see more about my MN vacation check out my other Blog: Tommy V's Stuff

All week I had been watching and photographing the Eagles. I got a few nice pictures of them in the trees but nothing that just said WOW, until the last day. The kids wanted to go out for one more tube ride before we set off on our 18 hour drive back to Colorado Springs. I decided not to go and finish the packing. After packing I took my camera down to the dock to take a few more pictures on the loons. After a few minutes goofing off an eagle flew over and headed down in a dive. I thought for sure he was going for one of the baby loons but he went past them and came down to get a fishing floating in the water. He only came up with part of the fish. It must have been floating for awhile and was soft. It was so awesome to see.

Sky Watch - Bald Eagle

Tommy V — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:27:24 GMT

Visit the Official SkyWatch Website

This is a picture from my trip to Minnesota. I was lucky enough to
have a chance to photo two adult Bald Eagles and one young one.
Check back tomorrow to see more about the eagles.

To see more about my MN vacation check out my other Blog: Tommy V's Stuff

Juvenile Bald Eagle

Tommy V — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 06:49:34 GMT

I am continuing this week with pictures from my Minnesota trip.
To see more about my MN vacation check out my other Blog: Tommy V's Stuff

We spent the evening fishing in a cove where there is an eagles nest.
The whole time we were there the young Bald Eagle called for its mom
and dad. I think it was hungry. It was fun to be able to fish with my kids
and wife and watch the beautiful young eagle at the same time. We did
catch some fish, a few bluegill, pumpkinseeds, and even a crappie or two.
Check out my family blog for more about our vacation to Minnesota.

Check back soon to see more of the Eagles.

This is the Eagle nest.

This juvenile Blad Eagle is from this years crop

Adult Common Loons

Tommy V — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 06:48:34 GMT

I am continuing this week with pictures from my Minnesota trip.
To see more about my MN vacation check out my other Blog: Tommy V's Stuff

These Loons are the parents of babies from yesterdays post.
They would let out a very loud call when any large bird flew over.
I guess they need to be concerned when Eagles live near by.

Check out the RUBY RED eyes on the Loons in the last 2 pictures.

Looking for fish before they dive

This one was taking later in the evening which gave the water a blue tint.

Baby Loons

Tommy V — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 06:48:49 GMT

This week I will be featuring wildlife from my Minnesota trip. To see more about my MN vacation check out my other Blog: Tommy V's Stuff. Be sure to check back I got some awesome pictures of eagles.

I will start off with pictures of baby Loons. We were out boating and saw a brown lump floating in the water. The kids thought is was a log, my wife thought it was a muskrat and I had no idea what it was. So I took a picture of it and zoomed in to see if I could tell what it was. Turns out it was two baby loons huddled up together. We moved in slowly to get a closer look. When we got to close they broke up and head off to find mama and daddy, which was not to far away. I think the were huddled up so the Eagles could not tell what they were from the sky. Seem to work because the Eagle never got them.

When we first saw the baby loons they were not doing much, just hanging around waiting to be fed. By the time we left they were learning how to dive. It was fun to watch. They would go under with mama Loon and the babies would come up 25 yards away from were mama would come up. Even in the wild the kids just do not listen.

Loons Calling

This is the first picture I took to find out what was
floating in the water. Far away it was hard to tell.

ON VACATION

Tommy V — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 04:39:30 GMT

Sorry I will not have any new post the week of July 28th. I will be on vacation in MN and hope to do lots of fishing.

Velvet Elk

Tommy V — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 04:37:59 GMT

This weeks pictures were taken in June a few years back at
Rocky Mountain Nation Park.

Sky Watch

Tommy V — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:30:39 GMT

Visit Sky Watch

This weeks Sky Watch picture is in Northern Colorado at a friends ski lake.
They seem to always have a great sunset when we are there.
See more pictures from our ski weekend.
Click here for Part 1
Click here for Part 2

Momma & Baby Elk

Tommy V — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:52:40 GMT

More pictures from Rocky Mountain Nation Park.
Pictures taken in June a few years back.

Hot Hot Hot

Tommy V — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:25:55 GMT

It was a hot weekend here in Colorado. Even the deer were trying to get out
of the heat. These 2 bucks found shade under a neighbors trampoline.

Twins

Tommy V — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 07:25:28 GMT

Went for a walk this weekend and ran across a new momma
and her twins. First babies I have seen this year.

Colorado Springs Zoo

Tommy V — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 08:28:49 GMT

These pictures are from the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs.
No true Colorado wildlife but it is animals I see in Colorado.

The zoo is on of the few in the country that does not receive any government funding. Income is generated from earned revenues, membership dues, donations, corporate sponsors and grants. The zoo is also America's "highest" zoo, at 6800 fee.