Walker Ranch Afternoon Visit

On Tuesday afternoon I drove up to the Walker Ranch trailhead which has access to Eldorado Canyon State Park. I didn't have enough time for a long hike, but got to spend some time in the burn area between that trailhead and the Meyer's Homestead area. There was a good species mix, the most colorful of which was this Rufous Hummingbird.

It later showed off its balance and flexibility skills as it presumably scratched an itch or stretched out a stiff leg.

Do you think little creatures can't appreciate a view? With that seat the meadows and burned forest open up before him for some nice background during a snack.

Unfortunately Tuesday afternoon was tough for pictures, there were mixed amounts of cloud coming out of the west, and everything interesting seemed to stay up sun from me. That, and the bluebirds are all looking a bit drab in their worn plumage. **I just now learned a cool new fact. Mountain bluebirds molt in feathers with brown edges, which are gradually worn away. This leaves the males looking bright and fresh at the beginning of breeding season. Taken from BNA online:

"The feathers of both sexes have brownish-gray edgings that are worn away by the next breeding season, giving the appearance of the colors becoming brighter (Bent 1949)."

How smart and cool is that? What an adaptation! It makes sense to me though, bluebirds on returning to their breeding grounds are already in their fancy duds, without having to follow up an energy depleting migration with another taxing molt. All that just from normal wear and tear.

Another species whose pictures weren't worth posting here was a group of Violet-green Swallows. An add for my life list, but one that I will have to keep watching for to get some keeper pictures of.

Finally as I was driving back down Flagstaff Mountain I just had to stop for this roadside deer. I was shooting out my passenger window and it was literally three feet from my car!

2009 Count: 175

Lifetime: 183 **Corrected Count**

While reviewing my ebird data I found that I had reported a Black-throated Sparrow from my home in Broomfield, Colorado on December 16th of last year. There are so many reasons why that was incorrect, that I really don't need to check back to my photos to confirm that I was confused by a House Sparrow. Black-throated sparrows have never been reported in Broomfield, and while their breeding grounds do encompass western Colorado, any Black-throated Sparrow trying to breed in December would have been in big trouble.

I also noted that I had somehow not entered Pygmy Nuthatch from my June 8th sighting.

Walker Ranch at Dusk (Monday 1/19)

Our unseasonably warm weather continues through today, Wednesday the 21st, but I had a chance to enjoy the evening hours on Monday. As previously stated my workday ends at 3:00 on Mondays, so I have a bit of time in the afternoon to get out if I have no other pressing concerns. This past Monday I headed up to a renowned part of the Boulder County Open Space property, Walker Ranch.
I have known of Walker Ranch for years, but not really had a chance to explore it. I believe I had the first of many visits there Monday night. I parked and began walking up the Meyer's Homestead Trail. It is an approximate 2.4 mile out and back trail. I made it roughly a mile and a half up the trail before fading light made me turn back.
In the meantime I had a great evening walk. One of the first birds I saw was soaring well overhead. Squinting against the low light I took a few frames of it before it rose out of photographic range. After zooming in on him after the fact I confirmed a Turkey Vulture, Lifetime list #85.






I also realized that I had left my camera in black and white mode. I made adjustments and headed on down the trail.
While I was looking for birds I had the greatest success seeing deer.

These white-tails were crossing the into the eastern area of the 2000 Walker Ranch fire.

Further down the trail I was able to pass this Townsend's Solitaire and catch him enjoying the view from his perch at the end of a beautiful day, and a White-breasted Nuthatch, (not pictured here) doing the same.

I love Colorado for its diversity of scenery, and my trip to Walker Ranch was a welcome one-hour escape to the higher elevations. The barn ruins (above) and trail markers provide an insight to the history of the area over the past 100 years. I can't wait until the days get longer and I am able to make it all the way to the trail's end.

2009 Count: 51

Lifetime: 85