The dragonfly photo is amazing! Almost as pretty as Irving's poop. :)
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The dragonfly photo is amazing! Almost as pretty as Irving's poop. :)
LOL! We thought the dragonfly was dead/frozen, as he was tucked away in the fabric shown in the photo, when I went to pull his "tail" out, he started moving (albeit very slowly). I'm certain this little guy was nearing the end of his days, but he allowed for a good shot. All of the wildlife including the bird were really slow, I guess everything is about ready to freeze over.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bailey Guns
Planned to go to the Tetons but turns out it was all on fire
http://i.imgur.com/fgOpIlJ.jpg
So I decided to press on to Yellowstone, though I had to go west through Idaho (which owns btw) as the road to the south entrance was closed due to fire.
Turns out Yellowstone is fucking cool, man
http://i.imgur.com/7QECsrd.jpg
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http://i.imgur.com/ju0h6QA.jpg
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How the HELL did you catch hummingbirds???Quote:
Originally Posted by Hummer
Verrry carefully, with mist nets and traps around flowers and feeders in the gardens. And, with the appropriate federal and state research permits. We have banded 12K+ hummingbirds of 12 species in six states and have discovered new aspects of hummingbird biology, added two new species to the CO state list and might soon tally the 500th species to the official list of Colorado birds. High drama in the ornithology world.Quote:
Originally Posted by rondog
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...irds/BUFFY.jpg
Thanks for taking us along on your trip thru Yellowstone, waffles. Gorgeous.
Yeah. Wow. Stunning pictures!Quote:
Originally Posted by Bailey Guns
Thanks! I'm really glad I took a break in spending on guns to buy a nice camera haha
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hummer
I have an old book with 500+ different hummingbirds. They're almost like snowflakes, so small yet so different.
They are amazing animals, like us in so many ways and with most of the same organs. But proportionate to their size, hummingbirds have the largest brain, heart, lungs, breast muscles, kidneys and liver of any animal on earth. They've fascinated me since childhood.Quote:
Originally Posted by Great-Kazoo
A 4-gram hummingbird has a basic metabolic rate of 1,400 calories per kilogram. If a man had as high a weight-specific metabolic rate his daily intake of food would be about twice his body weight. Also, his temperature would be over 750 degrees Fahrenheit and he would use up to 155,000 calories per day. If a hummer weighed as much as us, we would be a tender little morsel for them.
Waffles, your Yellowstone photos are fantastic. The buffalo migration is amazing, must have been a sight to see. What was the story behind it?
Another wildlife rescue today, of a young Great Horned Owl on the ground and unable to fly. It was pretty seriously injured, possibly from a night time collision with the wire fence in the background. Powerlines and wire fences take a toll on raptors, especially night flying owls. It was taken to the wildlife vet with hope for a recovery.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psfjt22k8r.jpg
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...ps97ta28ra.jpg
I asked one of the rangers I ran into about it, and the explanation I got was basically they're big and stubborn and if one of the lead animals gets the idea it wants to be somewhere, they'll all get there. They're neat animals, but you can really see how a bunch of motivated people with rifles could do the damage they did to the wild population.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hummer
Also not really wildlife, but I posted these in the other thread. Zion is just as cool.
http://i.imgur.com/c6nOIP2.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/HpoxHCF.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Oq7sIk5.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/h6WhQ7l.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/GXyxZhn.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/sSVCFqM.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/b0n7R6D.jpg
Great stuff, and hey there's wildlife in there somewhere, just have to zoom in. Aren't digital cameras great?
Sure are. The full-res photos are much better, just a pain to host them and maintain the resolution and still have them usable in a forum. The pictures are neat, but obviously the real thing is better. Anybody who gets the chance to go to Zion in Utah should absolutely go for it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hummer
We had fun in Zion when we went a few years ago.
Wow! I'm envious of the work you do.
It is gratifying to be able to help animals, but also sad and tragic when they're so injured that they have little chance to survive even with good veterinary care. Like the Great Horned Owl pictured above, this Barn Owl had apparently hit a fence at night. Unfortunately, these things happen beyond anyone's control but they are significant impacts on wildlife due to human development. Sometimes all you have left is to educate people about how to minimize risks to wildlife, and to know when not to interfere and instead let nature take it's course.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bailey Guns
Today the magpies were raising a ruckus in the yard and I figured there might be a predator nearby. Sure enough, about 20 yards from the house was a Great Horned Owl that just wanted some peace and quiet.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...pszvc9n7ml.jpg
A little while later I spotted this Rock Squirrel that was happy to have found a pile of peach pits by the wood pile.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psy9jy9lhy.jpg
My wife and I spent a couple nights in Estes Park last week.
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Nice, I want to see a big fella like that during 2nd season.Quote:
Originally Posted by T. B. Turner
Driving home from the Millsite this evening I spotted a bull moose move into the aspens. I don't see bulls very often so I stopped hoping to get a view. There was a cow with him, and Bullwinkle was intently focused on sniffing out her love canal. It must be getting close to the moose rut. I thought he might get lucky.
It was getting dark and I was shooting handheld so the pics are disappointing, but you get the idea. Sure is fun watching those huge majestic animals.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...ps9bnspqck.jpg
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http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psbcibk3ob.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/TK9bOdl.jpg?1
From today in RMNP
And just to keep it wildlife related, caught it while he was bugling
http://i.imgur.com/ePVDzzP.jpg
Beautiful water. Nice bull! Can hardly wait for the upcoming elk season.....
Last evening we hiked up a favorite glacial kettle pond to look for moose, elk and whatever else. Only saw a single mallard hen in the lilies, and a snipe moving through the sedges.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...ps1qhpgozr.jpg
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This evening I walked along the driveway and heard some noise in the timber across the highway. A big bull moose walked across the road and toward me, then down the driveway and through the yard. It was getting dark at 6:45 p.m., but I got some quick images courtesy of the flash and photoshop. Another younger bull followed him down through the yard. Always exciting!
They smell funny, a distinctively different pungent character than elk, deer or antelope.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psp4vwru8f.jpg
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...pslmlu7ti7.jpg
Nice, but I'm more interested in that Toyota pickup! 85?Quote:
Originally Posted by Hummer
Yes, an '85 SR5 Xtra Cab with a fiberglass cap and Meyers Two Meter snow plow. Five speed, cruise control, electric windows, air conditioning and an openable skylight. Starts easily and runs smoothly at 269,900 miles on the original engine. Well, until the starter crapped out a year ago. I just put a new starter-solenoid on. Starts much faster now and I think the battery drain issue is solved. The 1985 was the first year for the Toyota EFI, and the last year for the front leaf springs. Best of both worlds for a snow plow rig. I put an extra leaf in the springs all around to toughen it up for snow plowing. The old Toys were the best snow plow trucks in the business for most private and small business applications.Quote:
Originally Posted by hurley842002
I bought the plow new for my 1980 SR5, then later transferred it to the '85, which I got for $700. Best investment ever.
Do you have one?
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...pstk3kvtut.jpg
Thanks for the rundown, sweet rig indeed. The 85's were definitely the best year, for the reasons you mentioned. My buddy in high school had an 85, awesome truck. I had an 86 4runner that was awesome, good 22RE motor, but first year of the independent front suspension. I'd love to get another old Toy someday, maybe just for a back and forth to work truck. My brother has a 1980 Toyota 4x4 I'm trying to talk him out of, but it's not going well lol.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hummer
Sorry for the derail.
My friend has an '88 SR5 like mine but in better condition all around. He needs a plow for it, but is still pushing a snow blower to clear his 250 yd. driveway. Helps to have both options when you live in snow country.
The obligatory wildlife pic, a cow moose gnawing on aspen in the yard:
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psd6664f4e.jpg
That bull moose is a big boy. Damn!
Little background:
About 900' of Cottonwood Creek runs thru our property. The house sits about 20' feet or so above the creek bed. It tends to flow very heavily in the spring during the rainy season. Earlier this year we were outside and heard the crash of a large tree falling somewhere in the creek bed. The undergrowth was already heavy and the creek was flowing too hard to get down there to see what it was. We assumed it was a weakened or dead tree falling due to the water flow.
About a month or 6 weeks ago we noticed a tree appeared to have fallen. Probably wouldn't have noticed but it made a clear spot where the road was visible. A few other trees nearby appeared to be dying. At that time the summer growth was in full swing...so were rattlesnakes. So we couldn't get down there to investigate. I did take a look at a downed tree thru the binos and told Mrs BG it looked like it had been felled by a beaver. Couldn't really tell for sure, though.
Last night the power went out. We thought we heard a crash but weren't sure. This morning, the line on the power pole in our front yard was dislodged from the insulator. The energy from the line literally splintered the 6"x6"x8' crossmember that separates the lines. Apparently the little bastards dropped another tree that hit the lines causing them to break free from the insulator.
We took a little walk along the creek this morning and found the problem. Beavers. They've felled 2 or 3 dozen trees down there. At least 2 dams. A pretty impressive pond is beginning to form, too. And that's just what we can see. I can't really tell the extent of the problem but we're gonna have to do something to relocate them. I'll have to look into the best options.
All of this has been accomplished by them since March. There was no sign of them then.
Pretty good sized cottonwood:
http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/t...psr6ck1zgc.jpg
More of their handywork:
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http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/t...psondi4npt.jpg
http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/t...psw5321t85.jpg
Dam 1:
http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/t...psekwjnbnr.jpg
Dam 2:
http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/t...pscddooigm.jpg
Part of one of the ponds:
http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/t...psa9ptlaog.jpg
Productive day today. First we went hiking up in Curt Gowdy State Park just West of Cheyenne. We hiked up the Crow Creek trail to the Hidden Falls. There were what looked like some Brook Trout swimming around, and a Rainbow that was sick enough to let me catch him.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/TG...=w1689-h950-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/MB...=w1689-h950-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0z...=w1689-h950-no
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Then when we got home, I let the dog out in the backyard to do her business (she won't go anywhere but at home) and she was barking on the side of the house. I went over there and she was scratching at the fence and I looked over and saw this handsome fellow. Surprised I was able to get the dog to come back in before she got sprayed again.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p6...=w1689-h950-no
Nice little visitor by the AC. :)
Yesterday, I was driving back from pronghorn hunting in northwest Colorado, up the Williams Fork and over Ripple Creek Pass in a snowstorm, then over the Buford Road on the Flat Tops Plateau. Beautiful drive as always, and the slick muddy roads impressed upon me the need to get new tires and shocks on the truck before winter. I took a few photos along the way......
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psoc2c1cup.jpg
I hunted yesterday (Monday) morning hoping to get a shot at a nice buck I'd seen Sat. and Sun. It was the only pronghorn I saw in 3 days on the patch of public land I was hunting. Didn't spot a pronghorn within miles, even on surrounding private lands. Lots of deer though, and many nice bucks. Then a thunderstorm came in with lightning and heavy rain. Was two miles in on foot and got out of there just in time. The roads turned to mucky clay that so packed the wheel wells of another hunter's vehicle that it couldn't move forward. I helped dig out the wheel wells and got him out onto better graveled road. Then the snow started in.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psbmxt3d00.jpg
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psricnxcor.jpg
I visited my elk hunting camp in the Flat Tops area and was reminded of how beautiful it is, and that I need to be well prepared when going into the country.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...pspz2rmuwl.jpg
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psjwzcdf2x.jpg
Second season rifle elk hunt begins in 2 1/2 weeks!
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...pslimfvxv2.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/SqedAvK.jpg
One of my favorite shots from the canyonlands, though the imgur resize didnt do it any favors. The un-resized pic is super cool.
Deer vs Coyote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wnQ...71844462105622
That's a pretty amazing video. I had no idea deer would do that. I guess I knew they'd fight individually, but not as a group. Very interesting.
I've had does snort at me before, especially if I was hunting around where they hang out. After seeing that video, I have to wonder if there has been a fawn around those times I've been snorted at.