All posts by Sheila

I have a passion for the outdoors and I am most happy enjoying what nature has to offer. Hobbies include photography, birding, Pickleball, astronomy, biking, and hiking. I have been happily married, for 50 years, to an amazing person.
At Home, Poetry

~Obsession and Neglect

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~

An Obsession is,

tiring, stressful, addicting,

exhilarating.

~

Neglect happens ,

when you are Obsessed,

no time for other things.

~

And, so it has gone lately with my Obsession to learn and play Pickleball; everything else has been Neglected.  I’am not kidding. I haven’t been this obsessed, with learning something new, since getting my cameras. The game is fun, great exercise, can be social and is extremely addicting.
It has been a few weeks since my introductory Pickleball class and since then I  have been playing whenever I get an opportunity.  Joining the Loveland Pickleball Club has helped me meet people that love the game and is a great resource.
This past Tuesday I played for the first time on an outdoor court, which I love. I have also driven to a nearby town that offers dedicated, beginner, indoor,  play. I have read a couple of books on the topic and have watched, more than a couple, videos. Played three times this week – so far.  Obsession! 
Not posting on my blog is where my Neglect comes in (I won’t mention what else I have neglected). I need to get outside, in between our unusual for Colorado, rain showers and thunderstorms, and take some photos so I can get back to posting.
As I sit at my desk and type this post, two Flood Alerts beeped their warning.  The rain we just experienced was a doozy! Our local rivers are swollen running over their banks in places, Lake Loveland is full and our temperatures are more normal for this time of year causing the snow in the mountains to melt! Our spring weather has been most unusual!
My apologies in not being a good blog friend and posting on the many blogs I so enjoy reading! I promise to do better. Just know I do read them! Thanks Gay for checking on me!
 So beware if you pick up a paddle and ball! You might just become Obsessed and Neglectful!
Uncategorized

The Class of 2014’s Happy Ending to Spring Migration

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Dear friends, I am sharing the blog address below with you, written by WISReader, about Whooping Cranes.

Read about the Whooping Cranes’ migration south and then back north, and about the dedicated and talented people that assist with the hatching of eggs , migration, and other goals to  increase the Whooping Crane population.

From the website listed below you can link to Operation Migration and read about the capture and rescue mission of five young cranes that made their way south for the winter, but got LOST finding their way back to Wisconsin for the summer. Enjoy!

The Class of 2014’s Happy Ending to Spring Migration.

At Home, Photos-Birds

~A few remaining photos from our day trip to Rocky National Park with out-of-town friends

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Yellow-rumped Warbler

Looking for food.
Looking for food.
IMG_3733
Trying to hide
Notice the beautiful yellow throat, and the yellow patches on the sides and on top of the head.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet looking for food in the pines.
IMG_3774This little guy was flitting around from branch to branch and tree to tree, so this is the best photo I could capture of his ruby crowned head.
The header photo is a Pink-sided Junco, which was busy hunting for food in and around patches of snow. I was lucky it decided to get a better view of its surrounding by hopping up on this boulder.
It was a fun day that will be treasured always!

Sharing with:

Stewart at paying-ready-attention for Wild Bird Wednesday

Michelle at Rambling Woods for Nature Notes #312

 

f

At Home, Photos-Birds

~A new bird, Willows and an old Beaver Dam

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On Monday, while visiting Rocky Mountain National Park, I observed two small sparrow like birds in a bush near the water. Turns out they are Brewer’s Sparrows. I was grateful to get these photos; they sure didn’t want to be seen.

I haven’t seen this bird before so it becomes number 386 on my Birding Life List!

Brewer's Sparrow
Brewer’s Sparrow. Note the complete and conspicuous white eye-ring.
#386
Brown crown with fine black streaks. Upper parts buffy-brown and streaked.
Hiding
Hiding! Number 386.
Close-up of a Willow Bush, just starting to bloom.
Close-up of a Willow Bush, just starting to bloom.
Willows are the dominant woody shrub on almost all wet meadow or riparian areas in the park. They establish on point bars, abandoned beaver ponds, and abandoned channels or ox-bows.
Fun Facts:
  • Willows can establish from seeds or from willow roots or stems that implant into the ground. Shoots from the roots are important because they allow existing willow plants and root systems to maintain themselves for long periods of time.
  • They provide shade to streams and critical habitat for a large number of terrestrial and aquatic species.
  • They slow water flow and allow the ground to absorb water and nutrients.
  • They stabilize stream banks.
  • They provide food and construction material for beavers and their dams which benefit ecosystem processes.
  • Willow growth and height in the park is determined by large ungulate and beaver browsing. Willows have evolved defenses against browsing. They can grow tall very rapidly beyond the height of browsing or they can produce defense compounds that make them less palatable to large ungulates like moose and elk.
  • Willow have declined in Rocky Mountain National Park meadows because there are fewer beaver and elk overbrowse their leaves and stems.

Info taken from park web-site:

An old Beaver Dam
An old Beaver Dam. Notice the Willows.