A Wondrous Vagrant in Colorado

The last time I checked, Colorado was not considered a tropical wetland, even if the entire state has officially been drought-free for a few weeks and it has been hot. But for a bird in flight, off its regular course and looking for water, Ramah Reservoir, located some 40 miles (about 70 kilometers) east of … Continue reading A Wondrous Vagrant in Colorado

Baby Birds

Spring and summer in the northern hemisphere bring not only beautiful blossoms, bees, and butterflies, but also baby birds observable by all of us if we pay a little added attention to our surroundings. Some species are exceedingly furtive and keep their nests well concealed, but others have been habituated to humans and even make … Continue reading Baby Birds

The End of the Drought?

One wet spring does not (necessarily) equal the end of the twenty-plus year megadrought, but one may be forgiven for a case of cautious optimism after repeated and copious rains in May and June. As of June 20, the Colorado Springs airport, where the city’s official precipitation is recorded, lists a month-to-date of 7.72 inches, … Continue reading The End of the Drought?

Where to Nap?

…during the day is a dilemma each porcupine faces after a nighttime of activity. As an herbivorous, nocturnal rodent who stuffs her tummy with roots, stems, twigs, bark, leaves, buds, flowers, seeds, or nuts of various plants in darkness, when the solar orb rises above the horizon in the morning it’s time to find a … Continue reading Where to Nap?

Welcome to San Luis

During an April road trip with Taos in New Mexico as our destination, my husband and I revisited San Luis, Colorado’s oldest continually inhabited town, founded in 1851. Like many settlements in southern Colorado, it carries a Spanish name, as this part of the state once lay in the territory of New Spain. The farther … Continue reading Welcome to San Luis