Refuge Tuesday

An overcast day by the mountains but blue skies over the refuge. The first yellow-headed blackbirds are back along with a lot of RWB's.  Couple of harriers flying around playing with each other and a lone red-tailed hawk sitting sentry.

The fun was watching a female weasel, pregnant it looked like, running around my car. Then onto a couple of sandhill cranes that were eating by the road and paying no attention to me. Turned out to be a really good day!

Enjoy!

First the yellow heads..

Then the Redwinged ones...

The star of the show - momma to be..

Young sandhill cranes..

A lone Tundra swan floating around..

A few backyard birds..

 Cedar waxwings, a late winter visitor..Beautiful

Ducks - walked into our backyard and fed on dropped birdseed..

Yellow-rumped warbler, Myrtle, visited also..

Dancing Cranes

Sandhill Cranes dancing while gleaning a field...Vernal Utah..

 

Ouray National Wildlife Refuge

Diana and I drove to Vernal Tuesday and visited the Ouray National Wildlife Refuge. It's a place that has interested me for quite a while, mainly because I had been told that Loons would migrate through here. The reality is that loons have never been here, according to the Refuge manager. 

What has been there are a lot of Sandhill cranes..along with Antelope, deer, porcupines and other wildlife. We were fortunate to see a large flock of cranes in a field just outside the refuge. Some were doing the crane dance while others are just eating. Fascinating to see so many prehistoric animals in one place. 

Further on in the refuge we found porcupines, antelope as well as a few horses. The refuge is suffering from the drought so there normal amount of water was not there. So no shorebirds. 

Fascinating terrain..wetlands, meadows and then suddenly sagebrush and sand and rocks. A beautiful place. 

Here's a few of the photos I took..

Dancing Cranes...

A nice pastoral scene with the horses..

Porcupine...

A large herd of antelope - wary but not scared..

Horse in the haze..

Sweet melodies..

Visiting Antelope Island

 It was an overcast day with storms in the offing, but still being out on the island was invigorating. A fairly quiet day for wildlife, with the exception of buffalo. They seemed to be everywhere. 

Finally found the Great Horned Owl at the ranch again. This time a bit more photographable, but still challenging. 

Enjoy!

Springtime and the meadowlarks are singing..except this guy!

Big!

Finally, the owl...