• landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  quotes,  sunrises

    While the city still sleeps…

    The God of creation goes on creating us.

    Joan Chittister

    I awoke early this morning, way too early. Unable to go back to sleep I made a pour over then headed to Pineridge Natural Area. I would spend the next hour and a half in this sacred place while the city still sleeps. A couple of baby cottontails dashed across the road when I pulled into the parking area. After parking the car I could see the silhouette of bats darting in the dim light feasting on insects. A croaking frog belted out from the shallows of the reservoir. The meadowlarks now share their songs of joy. I had maybe an hour before sunrise so I moved to the north end of Dixon Reservoir because nature was gathering a few clouds in the northern sky. After taking a few predawn images I moved to a spot along Dixon Canyon Road and set up my camera looking out over the reservoir where I wanted to watch and photograph the sunrise. As I left this sanctuary an hour later the clouds had filled the sky and the beauty of the new day’s sunrise was more than I expected. This is one of the predawn images and I will post one of the sunrise images later. Next I had a wonderful conversation with Dan and an Old Town mocha latte at Mugs coffee shop. It has been a lovely morning but I do believe there will be a power nap later today. May you have a fabulous day!

  • landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  sunrises

    A Feeling of Joy

    In the dim predawn light I watched bats darting about, snatching mosquitos out of the air. Amazing to watch their agility and quickness. I made my way to a favorite rock, set up my camera and tripod then sat down on the rock. This rock sits low to the ground so I’m almost in a squatting position. I settle into being a part of this natural area and not just its observer. Beauty surrounds me: the bluestem grass rising above my head, blue-gray colored sage, yellow prairie sunflowers, yucca plants, yellow blossoms of the cactus, rabbitbrush and the white blossoms of milkweed. The air is cool, refreshing. A couple goldfinches blast past me as a silent yellow blur. Mosquitoes annoyingly buzz around me but they do not bite. A pack of coyotes begin howling to the south of me as they coordinate their hunting efforts. I watch a solitary Canada Goose lead the way in front of two paddle boarders, all three making waves across the reservoir’s surface. The sun breaks out above the clouds that sit along the eastern horizon. The arrival of the sun seems to excite a meadowlark and they begin to joyfully sing. I rub one of the stems of the sage brush between my fingers so I can take its spiritual fragrance with me. The spirit of this place stirs a song and prayer within me, it’s called morning prayer, it’s my lauds. Grateful I came to this intimate meeting in this sanctuary. I feel the same joy as the meadowlark. I will meet Brett later for coffee and conversation. Have a great day!

  • quotes

    The Songsters

    “In the spring, when the thickets are green … One of our sweetest, loudest songsters is the [Western] meadowlark; this I could hardly get used to at first, for it looks exactly like the Eastern meadowlark which utters nothing but a harsh disagreeable chatter. But the plains air seems to give it a voice, and it will perch on top of a bush or tree and sing for hours in rich, bubbling tones.”

    Theodore Roosevelt
  • Avian,  meadowlark,  nature

    My Favorite Bird

    Western Meadowlarks seek the wide open spaces of native grasslands and agricultural fields for spring and summer breeding and winter foraging. I find them along the weedy sides of roads, marsh edges, and mountain meadows on the eastern plains and along the foothills. They seem to share the marshes with the red-winged and yellow breasted blackbirds. Which make sense as they are in the blackbird family. Since their diet consists mostly of insects and seeds they really are almost everywhere. As you can tell in this image this one has dinner already. They were perched on fence post as I drove along Weld County Rd. 15. Their song is my favorite of the song birds. It just resonates with me. I was surprised to hear it sing even with the worm in it’s bill. Again, have a super day!