Wildlife & Related

The Christmas Bird Count is held all around the country in 15 mile diameter count circles to survey bird populations. I do the owl count portion of the CBC and here we specifically look to tally Western Screech-owls. From about 5:30-7:15 this morning I made 11 stops and called in 5 owls using recorded Western Screech-owl calls. Sometimes two owls will come in and it's fun to watch their interactions.


http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psnlmfpohh.jpg


When I got home I put out some cracked corn and bird seed for the bunnies and the Gambel's Quail.


http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psx8eqcznv.jpg

Had some pre-Christmas visitors when I got home from work last night. They've been back all day eating the red berries (don't know what they are) out of this tree. Two are in the tree and they knock lots of berries to the ground where a couple of bully toms are running everyone else off. Thinking about inviting one of them to Christmas dinner. :)

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/t...psaiedsbuv.jpg

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/t...psvq2hq9rv.jpg

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/t...pstjvxappt.jpg

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/t...pstye5i38s.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by foxtrot

Just visited with Mark a bit as he was doing the same. [As I gave him access to the DOE compound]. For a second I though he might be you after I read this post, had to look up his name.

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Mark's a good friend, an avid birder, hunter, shooter and martial artist. We both have roots in the mountains of Boulder County. I'll probably see him this evening. That DOE area and the OM cemetery are thick with screech-owls. Thanks for helping us out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bailey Guns

Had some pre-Christmas visitors when I got home from work last night. They've been back all day eating the red berries (don't know what they are) out of this tree. Two are in the tree and they knock lots of berries to the ground where a couple of bully toms are running everyone else off. Thinking about inviting one of them to Christmas dinner. :)

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/t...psaiedsbuv.jpg

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/t...psvq2hq9rv.jpg

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/t...pstjvxappt.jpg

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/t...pstye5i38s.jpg

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Bailey, those are GREAT photos of the turkeys. I only seem to get shots of their backsides as they're moving away from me. You are lucky to have them as yard birds and it would be very tempting to take one for Christmas dinner!

Yeah, they normally don't come this close to the house. I think their bellies are controlling them in this cold snap. I actually took those thru the bedroom window. All the other pics I have of them are as you described...running away.

Meanwhile, in Estes Park

http://i.imgur.com/GgihSFX.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/6mL0GJn.jpg

Always someone who wants to really walk up on them

I'd get that close, but probably not much closer. Looks like he's got some barbed wire in his antlers.

It's not barbed fortunately, but its definitely some kind of wire/fencing components stuck up there.

How's this for getting close to a turkey? I couldn't believe how close he let me get to him.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xF...=w1634-h919-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gw...=w1634-h919-no

Then again when I left.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1J...=w1634-h919-no