I've never been to Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
before, and last Saturday I thought it was a good time to check it
out. Located just outside of downtown (about 10 miles), it is one of the
largest urban refuges in the country. It is a sanctuary away from the
hustle and bustle of busy urban life where time moves at nature's pace.
With its expansive views, wildlife viewing opportunities, and recreation
activities, it's easy to take a nature escape!
I started at Lake Mary and walked along the trail that circles the lake. The weather was nice and spring had sprung.
On the other side, I looked at the island in the middle and found a
small family of Yellow-headed Blackbirds... Hm... I am not sure if I
have seen this bird before :)
This lake was surrounded by birds... A few Grackles were perched on
the branches. These birds are common guests to many parks, but I still
like their silky black-to-blue feathers...
And of course, there were Red-winged Blackbirds.... They were
everywhere. Mating season, I guess, and the males are trying to attract
females... Love watching them at this time...
I wasn't the only one trying to take photos of birds...
Looking at them made me a bit jealous :) but... the lens that big is also really heavy and not really good fit for me as I prefer to be on the move all the time...
This female Red-winged Blackbird was looking for a mate... And I'm sure she found one quickly :)
My fellow photographers were on my heels :)
Another pair of these amazing blackbirds!
I left the lake and drove along Wildlife Drive, a 10 mile loop around the refuge through bison territory.
When driving along this road, visitors often get close views of the herd. In my case, I only saw
buffaloes
in the distance, but it was still
a nice thing to see.
So... I enjoyed watching the bison from a distance. Maybe next time I'll get a chance to see them up close... who knows...
Eastern Meadowlark. Another species I don't recall seeing. A beautiful bird and a great song!
Prairie dogs followed me the entire time I was on the road. Dozens
of them standing, lying, running, eating... I think they are the most
common animals you can see there :)
Not sure about this bird... Northern Goshawk? Cooper’s Hawk? No idea... but it was nice to spot a bird
resting
in a tree next to the road.
At the end of the road I found a group of deer enjoying the shade.
Even though it wasn't a very hot day, they weren't going to be in the
sun... And... I guess I understand them :)
I finished the loop and decided to stop at Lake Ladora before
turning back home. And I wasn't disappointed as I found several species
of waterfowl...
American Coot - another first for me. I've never seen this bird so close and it looked so cool...
Wow... Yogi coot? I had no idea that even birds like stretching and doing yoga...
A Western Grebe glided on the surface looking for something. Another bird I don't see often.
It was fast and never stopped even for a second.
When this red-winged blackbird called out loudly to me, I knew he was asking me to leave... so I shut the car door closed and returned home... Until next time!
Photos were taken on May 05, 2025.
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