Recent Gifts of the Day

One of my favorite things to do is immerse myself in nature and photograph the beauty around me. I recently took a boat trip on the Silver River with some photography friends and the day was filled with unforgettable moments. A few of my favorites are below.

Today marked the final day of our BioBlitz challenge, so I headed to Vaill Point Park this morning to see what I could find. I added a few new species to my personal list, but one encounter stood out above the rest.

While standing on the dock, a red-shouldered hawk landed about ten feet away carrying a branch in its talons. It pecked at the branch for a moment, almost as if it were practicing how to handle prey, and then remained perched nearby long enough for me to admire such a beautiful bird up close. I suspect it was a juvenile learning to fend for itself. A branch may be good practice, but it will need something a bit more substantial to fill its stomach.