wildlife Archives

Colorado Time … Various Places for Fun!

May 15, 2025April 30, 2025Posted in adventure travel, bicycling, blogging, environment, Travel, wildlifeTagged bicycling, travel, wildlife1 Comment

Colorado landscape varies as you travel south to north in this state. I had snow in the Pueblo area, brisk weather in Fountain and Lakewood, and finally conditions good enough for bicycle rides three days in a row!

Pueblo, Colorado did have some snow. While I was sleeping in my winter sleeping bag in my van, I chose to let solar energy melt away enough of the snow and ice from the windshield before I took off from the campground that morning. I had my newly purchased ice scraper but did not use it.

Fountain Creek Regional Park and Fountain Creek Nature Center were on my “to visit” list. While the nature center was not open, the numerous trails at the regional park were great! I need to remember this place for future “to stretch my legs” stop and hopefully visit the nature center some day.

Lakewood is where some friends live, but since they were elsewhere I stayed at a Harvest Host location. (If you camp with an RV or camper, more info about Harvest Host is a click away right here.) There I enjoyed conversation with a science teacher and natural/wildlife resource person along with a meal and beer before hitting the sack.

Fort Collins area is my favorite place to bicycle ride from a campground onto the Poudre River Trail. For 3 days I bicycled various parts of the trail plus some trails off the main trail. Temperature was 55 – 60 degrees Fahrenheit, so I kept moving! The wind was more of an issue at times, but as they say … wind at your back is great … did someone say that? Not sure.

Then drove through Nebraska and Iowa to Wisconsin to visit with friends. Here are photos from my Colorado days:

Bicycling on boardwalk section on the Poudre River Trail

Bird watched me while I was eating my entire meal!

Alpacas, Snow and Beer … Never A Dull Moment!

May 11, 2025April 30, 2025Posted in adventure travel, Animals, Birds, blogging, environment, Mountains, Travel, wildlife, writingTagged alpacas, Nature, snow, travel, wildlifeLeave a comment

Travel continued; my upcoming days uneventful, thankfully. I enjoyed a night at a Harvest Host location. Alpacas are the most calming animals, so I spent time chatting with them upon my arrival. Then had a good night sleep at this location.

Weather reports were for snow where I would travel through a mountain pass in a few hours in New Mexico into Colorado. I hadn’t packed my ice scraper on this trip since I was leaving weeks later than past years. Off to an auto store and luckily they had one long-handled scraper and brush. Better to have one and not need it, then to think a credit card could scrape my huge van windshield!

I drove through snow. Despite reports of low visibility, I got through the mountain pass fine. About 5 inches of snow had fallen as I drove through. The next morning I did have ice on my windshield. Fortunately I parked my van so solar energy could melt the ice by the time I ate breakfast, took a walk at the campground … observed killdeer and other birds, like a beautiful western meadowlark, at this site!

I love mountains. Seeing snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains was wonderful! So fitting also as I was listening to an audiobook: Tap Dancing on Everest by Mimi Zieman, MD. It brought back my memories of travel in Tibet, China and trekking in Nepal to Everest Base Camp so many decades ago. (If you follow mountaineering expeditions, this is a good book to read.)

I stopped at Fountain Creek Regional Park to take a driving break. I walked some of the trails; no snow here! This park and nearby nature center needs to be a future stop. There are plenty of trails and a nature center to visit. Another Harvest Host location for the night. Enjoyed dinner with a beer and talking with fellow travelers from Wisconsin. Great conversation! Now to enjoy 3 days and hopefully bicycle ride. If not, then to at least hike and take a break from driving!

Trail by creek and many trails from here. A beaver came up here from the creek?

Birds Need Road to Recovery, Part 2

April 27, 2025April 27, 2025Posted in Animals, Birds, blogging, environment, Travel, wildlifeTagged birds, conservation, Nature, wildlife2 Comments

Birds are declining in population … some faster than others… thus we need to be aware of the issue. Google “state of the birds” or click here or here for two different websites to learn more about the action we should be taking. I appreciated the awareness with an artist who made me aware of the various organizations compiling the information. I continued on with 2 more art pieces for the art project and here they are: Rufous hummingbird is a beauty:

Pinyon jay is not as often seen as the Steller’s jay, and now I know why!

I was on a roll and added more birds!

Before I get on the road and do some traveling, I decide to look for a few of my favorite birds and see what their status is. I traipsed all over California to find an American oystercatcher. Here is learn it is at the “yellow” alert. This means a large loss of over 50%, but now stable as population has increased over the last 3 generations. It still does require conservation efforts.

The pyrrhuloxia can be seen on few occasions in our backyard, but it is “orange” alert. Apparently there has been a loss of over 75% and still over the next 3 generations. We need to be concerned.

Finally, I love loons. So I checked in on the yellow-billed loon. This is a bird I spent hours looking for while in California. I caught a glimpse and a photo of it while it spent time diving. Unfortunately, this bird is “red” alert. Low population, high vulnerability and population is steeply declining. I surely dd not want to read that information, but now I know!

Birds to be concerned about as I love them!

Bird habitats must be protected. Appreciate the farmers and ranchers who keep their lands open and available for birds to land, reseat and then fly on; greenways are important. We need to not use lead bullets, a cause for California condor and other bird deaths. During bird migration, turn your outdoor lights off so birds are not confused by the light. Add window treatments to your windows so birds do not fly into your windows at home or work.

I am sure there are many more things we can be doing, along with supporting the agencies that are doing the conservation work day in and day out. When I am in a place and I hear not one single bird, it is almost eerie … and then a bird flies in … yes, we haven’t lost the birds! When you think about it … birds need air and land, just as you and I … let’s protect it all for the living things on this earth!

Bird Strikes at Window! Let’s Prevent Them.

April 24, 2025April 2, 2025Posted in Animals, Birds, blogging, environment, safety, wildlife, writingTagged birds, Nature, wildlife, window strikesLeave a comment

A leading cause of birth deaths in North America is window strikes. Almost a half million to a billion birds die from window collisions every year in the USA alone. Birds see what they think is real habitat for them, yet it is a window reflection and not where they should head. Or a transparent glass can create a false appearance of a way for a bird to fly through to another spot. Light can also distract and confuse birds, especially during migration seasons.

Home owners can help protect birds. Here are some ideas:

Break up the reflections by installing external screens or blinds.
Do not put feeders within 3 feet of your window.
Shield outdoor light and direct the light to where it is needed.
Create designs on reflective or transparent windows … here are some ideas:

Since single decals on a window do not deter birds, it is important to space window designs.

Purchase dotted tape/decal designs or create your own with dots such as those below. Space them 2” by 2” apart.

Space these dots on your window 2 inches apart.

2. Painting a design on your window with tempera paint allows you to be creative. You can use bar soap or chalk markers and switch to match holidays.

3. Collidescape tape can be put onto the exterior of your window glass. Or hanging cords, string, or ribbons at least 1/8 inch in width and spaced 2 inches apart.

After noticing where birds are striking our window, we placed these decals and have had no bird window strikes. I actually did see a bird flying toward the window with the 2 decals and veer off to not strike the window. Then I knew this was a great idea for our windows.

These are placed in an area where birds more often flew into. No longer!

You can make a difference! Please make your windows visible to birds by strike-proofing your windows! If you want more info, check out tucsonaudubon.org/window-strikes The birds and I thank you!

Birds Need a Road to Recovery

April 13, 2025April 7, 2025Posted in Artwork, Birds, blogging, environmentTagged birds, evening grosbeak, mountain plover, Nature, science, wildlifeLeave a comment

Bird population has declined dramatically in the last 50 years. Fifty percent of the bird population has been lost in that time period. The birds need a road to recovery!

Scientists for the Road to Recovery have categorized 112 birds, labelled as “tipping birds”. The “tipping birds” are those most in need of swift conservation efforts or we’ll be losing them forever.

When you think about the facts: birds breathe the same air, occupy the same ecosystems, and use many of the same resources as us … especially water and food. So, it may be best to realize, if birds don’t thrive, in time neither will we!

I am participating in an April art project where others will make art however one wishes to celebrate the birds we love. Click here for the list of “tipping birds” from the Scientists for the Road to Recovery. During the month, I will draw/paint a bird from the list and post on my personal Instagram and also at the hashtag #stateofthebirdsart2025 If you are interested, join in! Some people are posting once a week; however, do what you wish to celebrate the birds you love and not want to see gone forever.

Here are my first 2 birds to be posted:

Mountain plover: it is near threatened on the “tipping bird” list. My painting is a male with his breeding plumage. Poorly named bird as he is never seen in the mountains. Instead, he’s in short prairie grass in the southwest USA and central Mexico.

Evening grosbeak: on the “tipping bird” list as vulnerable with its population declining dramatically. It’s a large finch and I drew an adult male. He has a bright yellow and black body, whereas females are a drab gray. They have a strong thick bill and love sunflower seeds if you happen to have them in your feeder.

Think about how you can help birds and especially those on the “tipping bird” list. Which birds are in your neighborhood or nearby? What can you to do help them? Plenty of resources are available for help. Let’s support agencies that also are focused on scientific action in helping these bird populations! Thanks!

Ecuadorian Bird #’s Are in!

April 3, 2025March 31, 2025Posted in Birds, blogging, environment, Travel, writingTagged birds, Nature, photography, travel, wildlife3 Comments

Bird watching during my visit to Ecuador was not the priority. But heck, birds were everywhere so I couldn’t help but see them! Earlier I mentioned 66 new birds added to my eBird checklist… right…

Will I only ever see a Nazca booby in the Galápagos? Always heard so much about the blue-footed booby… and would not be by the island where there are red-footed boobies… you read that correctly! They exist and never to be seen by me. The sighting of a Nazca booby…. Yes I did! Even got a photo!

Five new birds seen in Quito, 40 in the Amazon and 21 at the various Galápagos Islands. Now while home reminiscing about my travel, I spent time sketching some of the birds I saw. Some birds were numerous and others were a once in a lifetime opportunity to see. Bird photographers would have a wonderful time in Ecuadors. Quite honestly though, so would other travelers as I think I only skimmed what Ecuador has to offer.

Galápagos Wildlife, Beyond Birds

March 20, 2025February 28, 2025Posted in Animals, blogging, environment, Travel, wildlifeTagged Ecuador, Nature, travel, wildlifeLeave a comment

Galápagos Islands offer a safe haven for wildlife, plus some wildlife you will only see on a Galápagos Island. As we walked the trails along an island’s shoreline or inland, we saw yellow land iguanas, marine iguanas, Sally lightfoot crabs, sea lions, Galápagos fur seals, giant tortoise, and Pacific green turtles all in the wild!

Many of my fellow travelers enjoyed snorkeling at various locations. That activity is not for me so I could only enjoy their information with some underwater photos and stories. Lots of fish and rays were seen, but the white-tipped sharks seemed to be their most unsettling observation. No harm done; it seems the 17 sharks or so may actually have been sleeping …. And apparently it is the black-tipped sharks one should be concerned about.

Galápagos Island Birds

March 16, 2025February 28, 2025Posted in Birds, blogging, TravelTagged birds, Ecuador, Nature, travel, wildlife4 Comments

After flying from Quito to Guayaquil to Baltra Island, we are at a Galapagos Island! Cruising around the western Galápagos Islands on our small ship allowed us opportunities to see land and water wildlife. So many birds, along with yellow land iguanas and black, salt-encrusted marine iguanas. I enjoyed the nature walks on each island with our guide. We rode a dinghy to each starting point per day. An hour or two later, we caught a ride back to our ship.

The Pacific Ocean waters here seem calm, yet I wear a patch behind my ear to help me not be sea sick. They seemed to be working, except for one night! Rough seas then! Some fellow travelers are fortunate to have no motion sickness.

The volcanic landscape per island is interesting. When we take walks it is a nice change of scenery and a chance to stretch our legs. We did see some birds I already knew, but I have 63 new birds added to my life list of birds. Wow! Wonderful!

We’ll continue our cruising around the islands for 7 days. More adventure ahead.

Flightless cormorants -only in Galápagos

Ecuador’s Amazon

March 6, 2025February 28, 2025Posted in Birds, blogging, environment, wildlifeTagged environment, travel, wildlifeLeave a comment

We flew from Quito to Coca, then hopped on a motorized canoe to ride an hour to our eco-lodge. The lodge is located on a tributary off the Napo River which is a tributary of the Amazon River. This is the Amazonian rainforest where one needs a machete when not walking on an already established trail. We stayed on private property at this eco-lodge. Three nights at the lodge were luxurious!

We took numerous nature walks during the days. Wearing Wellies (rubber boots) were helpful so wet material, ants and whatever did not get on or in our shoes. We saw sloths, frogs, toads, termites, monkeys and birds while also learning about the plants used for food and/or medicines. Definitely stay away from bullet ants; apparently their bite really hurts!

One night we took a boat ride and were surrounded by fireflies! They were flashing their lights as we remained silent to hear the sounds of the jungle. I loved this time.

We had no electricity at the lodge due to a recent break in the electrical line, but the lodge ran a generator from 6AM to 10AM and again at 6PM to 10PM. I appreciated the less electricity and no WiFi to truly have a sense of being away from it all. I mean, we are in Amazon’s jungle after all!

Where we stayed was a private preserve. Across the river we noticed the flames of natural gas being burned off as oil companies do their work. It’s a controversial topic here in Ecuador.

The Amazon days were busy as we maneuvered around the area. We saw a three- toed sloth, squirrel monkeys, toads, frogs, beautiful blue morph butterflies, termites, bats and centipedes.

Ecuador: See, Eat & Learn While Here!

February 23, 2025January 20, 2025Posted in adventure travel, Animals, Birds, history, TravelTagged Ecuador, travel, wildlife2 Comments

My travel begins in Quito, a city in Ecuador with a population close to 3 million people. It is the oldest South American capital, UNESCO World Heritage site. Quito is the second highest capital in the world at 9,350 feet. (There is debate about it possibly being the highest … check out LaPaz and Sucre, Bolivia for details.)

After my days in Quito, we will be in the Amazon rainforest. We follow that time with close to a week to visit the Galápagos Islands, another UNESCO World Heritage site! It’s a quick trip with plenty to accomplish while I am in Ecuador.

Quito was founded in 1534. I love old architecture, plus South American cuisine, so walking the city’s plazas will be fascinating! We’ll fly, then take a motorized canoe to a village in the Amazonian rainforest. There are 40 families at this village and my chance to learn about their shift to eco-tourism. We’ll return to Quito and fly to the Galápagos Islands. There we will board a small ship for 7 nights as we tour what we can on the islands. There are 13 islands; however, all is protected … including surrounding waters. With permission from the Galápagos National Park, our visits will be allowed on certain islands. They work to maintain low impact to the land, water and animals. No doubt, many other tourists will arrive and I’ll be looking for birds and giant tortoises!

I have begun my research of interesting Ecuadorian foods for me to try. Plus, places to visit and birds to look for while in the city, rainforest and on an island or two. It was Charles Darwin, a naturalist in the 1800’s, who first proposed the scientific theory of evolution through natural selection. Now I’ll have my chance to see finches, mockingbirds, tortoises and iguanas that prompted his conclusions!

I’ll keep you posted! Adiós!

While Columbia is to the north and Peru to the south of Ecuador, please know there are more countries in South America! This map is just a start for all to know where Ecuador is.