Bright morning on Barr Lake

What happens when you arrive somewhere before sunrise? Well... you wait... because without light, there is no photography :) But sometimes you can find something else to do while waiting. Perhaps have a bite to eat and fuel yourself for the hike ahead...

 

Blackbirds... steel birds… all kind of birds...

Cherry Creek State Park is a great place to spend a couple of hours on a Sunday (click here to see a previous hike there from a couple of years ago - Mountains and trees). And it’s an even better place for birdwatching… or simply admiring the mountains :)

 

Birds, Mountains, Lake...

Early Sunday morning, I left my car in the parking lot and walked toward the lake. Just a few yards down the trail, I was greeted by a small group of house sparrows wandering about. The tiny birds were perched in the middle of a large bush, chatting to one another. It was such a pleasant encounter, they instantly lifted my mood.

 

Beautiful morning and some unexpected finds :)

I know - it's the middle of February, and it’s supposed to feel like winter, right? But it feels like... just kidding, I have no idea what it feels like, but definitely not like any winter I remember :) Last Saturday morning I woke up with the strange feeling that something interesting was waiting for me. I didn’t know what it would be, but the feeling was there. So I drove to City Park, hoping to find some cormorants. Unfortunately, I was disappointed, they haven’t arrived yet. The lake was iceless, and geese were everywhere. Just ordinary geese, not even snow geese. That was a bummer for sure.

 

Around the lake...

That morning I was driving past Washington Park when something made me slow down, pull over, and step out of the car. No plan. Just a walk around the lake. Just to look. Just to breathe the cool December air.

 

What a view...

I have no idea what this Northern Harrier saw while soaring high in the sky, but the view across the lake was simply amazing...

 

Morning birds

What can be better than walking around the lake early in the morning and watching birds...The birds that have just woken up and started their day?

 

Everybody is flying, swimming or perching ;)

Barr Lake is one of my favorite places to spend a few hours walking around the water and enjoying the fresh air and abundant wildlife. The lake is famous for being a winter home for bald eagles (don’t believe me? check it out - Bald Eagles on Barr Lake), but in November you can find all kinds of birds here - waterfowl, raptors, and everything in between. So, walking along the trail, we hoped to see them all…

 

Code orange...

It was an absolutely gorgeous Saturday morning, and I was heading toward Belmar Lake. Unfortunately, I was late for the sunrise (which was simply stunning), and by the time I arrived, the sky wasn’t even close to what I had seen on my way there. But, surprisingly, as I walked around the lake, I discovered that some orange colors still lingered in the sky and made it glow…

 

Birds and Flowers at Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat

I had heard of this place but hadn't had a chance to explore the area until a few weeks ago when I went there one morning and walked around for a couple of hours learning about the ponds and habitants...

 

Beautiful morning...

One Saturday in May, I was on my way to Barr Lake State Park and asked myself - why do I keep coming here? And the answer was simple: cuz I like this place... yep, just like that :) Hiking around the lake always rewards you with such nice views... water and mountains... isn't that a perfect combination?

 

Well... boring blue sky and busy birds...

It was a nice Saturday morning when I drove out to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge again, hoping to find something interesting. What I found first was a perfectly clear blue sky and still water on the lakes…

 

Different parks... different birds...

I wandered around different parks capturing different birds... City Park, Barr Lake State Park and Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge... Probably the most exciting find was a Snow Egret. Sometimes this bird keeps its distance, but sometimes lets you get really close.. And it's fun to watch this bird in search of food :)

 

Where Bison Graze and Owls Hide

The first time I visited the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge, I didn’t get a good look at the bison (click here to see what I mean - Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge - first time here...). They were all far away, and I left a bit disappointed. So I decided to try again the following Saturday… and this time, I got lucky with a much closer encounter.

 

Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge - first time here...

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!

 

Spring Birds...

Yep, spring is here - and so are the birds. Some of them will disappear in a month or two, while others will simply change growing up - like these adorable Canadian goose chicks. Aren’t they the sweetest?

 

Another beautiful morning and birds of Barr Lake

The best time to start the hike around Barr Lake is early in the morning. I mean it... as early as you can get out of bed, preferably right before sunrise... If you can do it, the reward is great... pure liquid gold spilling over the horizon line and everything looking like it was made of 24 karat gold.... Beautiful, isn't it?

 

Everybody has a family... small or big...

Another Saturday and another hike around Barr Lake... I had some hopes when I started out from the parking lot, but I was trying to keep them low so I wouldn't be disappointed... But almost as soon I stepped out of the car, a juvenile bald eagle swooshed above overhead and disappeared into the trees. What a good sign, I thought, and turned around to say hello to prairie dogs that had surrounded the parking lot, ready to run down the holes they have all over the area...

 

Silhouettes and clouds...

Another Saturday and another wilderness call... when you can't stay home but need to go somewhere and get some fresh cold air to recharge your batteries in anticipation of the week ahead. And Denver is a great place to do that because here you don't have to go very far. You can find what you need just in the middle of the city... All you need is to stop by some state park... Barr Lake park for example. In winter time you won't be able to enjoy the green lush trees surrounding the lake, but you can find something that you won't find in the summer - amazing tree silhouettes. Usually they are accompanied by some incredible reflections (click here to check it out - Spring Close-ups and reflections)... But not now... The water level is still surprisingly low (not as low as a couple months ago - Beautiful Saturday morning, but still low).

 

Beautiful Saturday morning

I woke up early and couldn't fall back to sleep. My mind was wide awake and the idea of going out and maybe even seeing the sunrise seemed like a good idea :). I was still high from seeing bald eagles at Barr Lake park last week (Bald Eagles on Barr Lake), so I decided to give it another try. Even without bird watching, this park is a great place to spend a few hours and even see some amazing reflections (Spring Close-ups and reflections) even though now there are no reflections to see :(. It didn't take long to get to the park and I realized that I was just in time for the sun starting its journey around the world...