Oh Look!! An LBJ!

Posted on by Joy

Hello and hope you are doing well in this strange summer minus much travel and vacationing. I thought I’d take you to a few local places in search of LBJs. What is an LBJ you ask? If you have never spent time looking at birds or searching field guides to find their official names, it is a name you can use and people will think you have an inside scoop on bird ID. How can that be bad? I know, rather lame, but still fun.

Actually LBJ is a fun as well as good initial identifier–Little Brown Job. With so many darting brown to grayish brown smallish birds, it is a quick naming start as we look for indicators that will lead to identification such as its size, body shape, size and shape of bill, color pattern, habitat, and behavior.

So here we go, looking at some of the many LBJs here on the Front Range of the Rockies. I’ll be giving you a link to each LBJ to explore more as you desire. Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology has wonderful online bird guides which explain so many amazing aspects of their unique lifestyles!

Let’s Go!

Songbirds–Gems of the Sky

Posted on by Joy

Hi all, have missed you! Hope you are well, taking precautions, and figuring out life again. While staying closer to home longer than I’m used to, been hiking locally and seeing many new birds in the parks and open spaces. Some staying for the summer, some just passing through, some year-round residents. Come along to see the beauty of these Gems of the Sky!

Look, over there!

Relishing Small Wonders–COVID–Changing Our Perspectives

Posted on by Joy

Hi there and welcome back. Hope you are well and staying sane during these very different days. All my 2020 trips have been canceled which has lead to reimagining life with the coronavirus and reflecting on what is truly important. Are you having similar thoughts?

For the last years I’ve been sharing the “big stuff”. Bison, wolves, Pronghorn antelope, Bighorn sheep, Sandhill Cranes, Harlequin Ducks, Yellowstone, Glacier, and amazing landscapes in the East, West, and all along the way. Slide down the right column to view past adventures–relax, smile, and enjoy.

For now, however, it is time to explore the close by. Beautiful county park’s trails, although closed visitor centers. Amazing city parks and open spaces plus close-by state parks. Taking the time to enjoy the often-overlooked close-by places and abundant small wonders they hold.

Come along and enjoy our amazing natural world as we explore Fountain Creek Nature Center and surrounds late winter into early spring this year. Many birds migrate through, some stay to have young, others make it their year-round home along with many plants and small mammals. Remember my friend, to really enjoy the great outdoors you MUST slow down and look around. Never know, you may find “friends” in other forms along the way.

Let’s explore!

Respite from Sheltering: Ute Valley Park

Posted on by Joy

I am praying you are well! Staying home even if gritting your teeth over isolation, staying safe, and even taking time to re-explore hobbies and learn new ones. Now is the time to catch up on all types of things busyness has pushed out of sight and out of mind.

Last Friday, this Monday and Tuesday, I took sunrise walks in Ute Valley Park, a 200-acre city park 2 miles from home. It has wonderful vistas, fascinating geologic formations, and lovely bird-filled meadows. Although our city mayor and governor encouraged us to be outside, staying 6 feet apart and spreading across the many parks available, Tuesday afternoon that changed. We can still enjoy all the outdoor spaces, as long as access is a SHORT WALK away. Sigh . . . Well, here is lovely Ute Valley Park which I won’t be visiting for a while. Doing the right thing is more important now, so let’s enjoy the views from earlier this week.

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