Colorado holds a few records in the United States: With 6,800 feet (2,073 meters), it has the highest mean elevation among the 50 states. It is also the only state whose entire area lies above 3,280 feet (1,000 meters). El Paso County, where we live, is the most populous of Colorado’s 64 counties, based on … Continue reading A County First
Unless one is into raising chickens or other poultry, the opportunity to watch a bird develop ab ovo—from the egg—doesn’t come along every day. Up until my encounter with a pair of jelly bean–shaped hummingbird eggs during a hike at our local Cheyenne Mountain State Park on July 4, which I shared with you here, … Continue reading Ab Ovo
Out of the corner of my eye I see a fluttering movement in the green of the forest and when I espy a hummingbird, I’m not surprised, as there are a number of species who bless us with their presence during the summer months. My slightly nonchalant sensation changes once I watch this female dive … Continue reading Miracles Come in Small Packages
My recent sighting of the juvenile Northern Saw-whet Owl reminded me of last year's Great-horned Owl nest I had occasion to observe over the course of several months. Between February 16 and May 7, 2021, I watched the nest transform from egg incubator to owlet crib to too-crowded nursery. I was so excited about the … Continue reading Nest of Miracles
…is the question I pose to my husband when I return home following my first-ever encounter with the bird in the photograph above on May 25. My inaugural meeting with a juvenile Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) is made possible thanks to a fellow birder who has espied her (I’m randomly assigning a gender) shortly … Continue reading Can You See Why I’m In Love?
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