On Monday evening, we went to a backyard pizza party with our small group, near downtown Colorado Springs. The yard backs up on a ravine. After we ate, we wandered through the garden to the fence at the edge of the ravine. A young cinnamon-colored Black Bear was wandering slowly through the tall grass along the creek. It stopped to scratch and itch, then kept walking, paying no attention to us. I’d heard that bears come down into the city, but this was the first time I’d seen proof. We were perhaps 40 yards away from it.
On Tuesday morning, I birded at Cheyenne Mountain State Park. My goals were to see a Hammond’s Flycatcher (I saw two), an Ovenbird (I got brief glimpses of two and heard several others), and a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (I saw several). I also wanted to get a decent photo of a Virginia’s Warbler. I got this. I can do better.
As a bonus, I also flushed a Common Poorwill. It flew a short distance, but I didn’t realize how short. When I followed it, hoping for a photo, I flushed it again before I could take a shot. I also saw, but also didn’t photograph, a stealth bomber that was (probably) practicing for a flyover at the Air Force graduation later in the day.
Eastern Fox Squirrel (black phase) at Fountain Creek.
Well camouflaged Snapping Turtle
