Posted by bill meikle on September 4, 2009 at 1:35 PM
Not much in the way of Fall Color in Rocky Mountain national park yet, first few leaves are starting to turn in ones and twos.
Elk were not very visible this morning (dawn temp was 46F) although they might come into the valleys in the evenings.
Report of a family of 5 coyotes in Moraine Park this week but I couldn't find them today.
Plenty of birds, this is a red-naped sapsucker, note the holes it carves in the bark to get at the sap, also lots of mountain bluebirds.
I'll post a Blue Grouse female that I found too.
Posted by bill meikle on September 4, 2009 at 1:36 PM
Blue Grouse
Posted by bill meikle on September 4, 2009 at 1:38 PM
Actually I like this image better.
Posted by John Mumaw on September 4, 2009 at 2:04 PM
Excellent grouse images!
I can see why you prefer the last one, but I like the first better because of the flowers that punctuate the scene and I can see all of the bird's fine plumage.
Posted by Steven Peckham on September 4, 2009 at 3:24 PM
Nice images Bill. Like the last one the best as well. Good comp and DOF.
I also saw a few of the stressed aspens changing up high this morning. The rest must be waiting until later this month. And there were elk in Moraine Park this morning before dawn. The bulls were out of velvet as far as I could see in the headlights. Saw them there beside the road on the way back as well. But I would agree with you that the total number of elk was low. Signs of things to come.
Posted by Todd Caudle on September 4, 2009 at 4:01 PM
I also like the second grouse shot, because in the first you can recognize the asphalt it's walking on.
Posted by bill meikle on September 4, 2009 at 5:49 PM
There's a couple more linked from my Blog if you want to see.
Posted by Morris McClung on September 4, 2009 at 8:19 PM
I like the second one better as well, the composition and background blend well together.
Posted by Don Grall on September 5, 2009 at 12:22 AM
Very nice stuff, Bill. That 2nd grouse shot is the better of the two. Really like the sapsucker with its characteristic drilling technique.
Posted by Stan Rose on September 5, 2009 at 10:51 AM
All three are nice, especially the last grouse shot!
Posted by Paul Wegemann on September 5, 2009 at 10:57 AM
I love the grouse shots, Bill.
Posted by Don George on September 5, 2009 at 11:53 AM
Really like the sapsucker especially the tree its on. Good catch light and detail on the grouse.
Posted by Kelly Black on September 6, 2009 at 12:33 AM
Hi Bill,
Love that 2nd grouse shot! Thanks for the report on RMNP. I'm farther away from there now, so I prob. won't get there this year; gonna focus more on my area this fall. Nice images!
Discussion
13 repliesElk were not very visible this morning (dawn temp was 46F) although they might come into the valleys in the evenings.
Report of a family of 5 coyotes in Moraine Park this week but I couldn't find them today.
Plenty of birds, this is a red-naped sapsucker, note the holes it carves in the bark to get at the sap, also lots of mountain bluebirds.
I'll post a Blue Grouse female that I found too.
I can see why you prefer the last one, but I like the first better because of the flowers that punctuate the scene and I can see all of the bird's fine plumage.
Nice images Bill. Like the last one the best as well. Good comp and DOF.
I also saw a few of the stressed aspens changing up high this morning. The rest must be waiting until later this month. And there were elk in Moraine Park this morning before dawn. The bulls were out of velvet as far as I could see in the headlights. Saw them there beside the road on the way back as well. But I would agree with you that the total number of elk was low. Signs of things to come.
Love that 2nd grouse shot! Thanks for the report on RMNP. I'm farther away from there now, so I prob. won't get there this year; gonna focus more on my area this fall. Nice images!