We were in the Estes Park area for several days and were fortunate to partake in the abundant beauty of this mountainous region. As a bird and nature photographer, I was excited by this landscape that is so different from our beloved South Carolina Lowcountry.
Check out my video shot with my new Go Pro Hero 8 camera!
This post will focus on the animals I was able to photograph, starting with…
ELK
I read that Colorado has more Elk than any state in the U.S. with some 290,000.
I spotted and photographed this massive animal three times. The Elk is one of the largest land mammals in North America.
What is bigger? Bears maybe?
Twice we saw Elk in the Rocky Mountain National Park.
There seemed to be good eating up here in the high elevation of this 415 square mile preserve.
From the RMNP's Alpine Summit Ridge, I photographed this male pair from the 12,005 foot peak looking down. The antler racks are quite impressive.
Roadside encounters like this are not uncommon, but it was quite a surprise for us East Coasters. This sighting was outside Estes Park on our way to Glen Haven.
Early in our visit to Rocky Mountain National Park we spotted this young spotted Mule Deer with, presumably, its mother.
This one came up to the window as we were inside the park’s visitor center.
Long range from my sister’s patio I snagged a few images of this Mule Deer.
I like this deer’s black-tipped tail!
The point of interest was this…a Marmot. More specifically, the Yellow-bellied Marmot. It is also called “Rock Chuck.”
From the cliff seen in my first shot, this Marmot made its way to the people path. That’s Alesia standing on the left. She did an awesome video of this unusual creature (below).
The Marmot held court for several minutes. I think it was looking for food, a no-no at the park, as far as humans giving food to the animals.
This little girl had a close-up look.
CHIPMUNKS
These were also something different for us to see! And I love this photo I took of a chipmunk while on a hike with Alesia and my brother-in-law Paul. This one has a piece of straw or grass in its mouth, maybe sucking out some juice from it.
I like the small animal’s stripes and coloring. This scene was outside the visitors center at Rocky Mountain National Park.
Chipmunk on the run here. Researching this critter online, I saw the question posed: “Are Chipmunks good for anything?” (Blunt aren’t we!). The response surprised me. “Wherever they poop, they spread tree and other plant seeds, as well as mycorrhiza, a fungus that’s vital for increasing water and other nutrient absorption in plants.”
Speaking of cute! How about this bunny, the Mountain Cottontail Rabbit? This was on the Bridal Falls trail.
I, unfortunately, didn’t get a shot showing the white puffy cottontail.
I’m pretty sure Peter (or Petra) Cottontail saw me before hopping on its way, and we hiked on our way.
Wild Turkeys are also part of this region’s animal kingdom. We spotted this one on the same trail as the rabbit sighting above.
Based on my research, this seems to be a Merriam’s Turkey. This type is also called Mountain Turkey.
MYSTERY SQUIRREL
This one, I’m not sure what it is. I don’t see the stripes of the chipmunk. It may be a Ground Squirrel but the ears don’t look right for that species.
GECKO
I snapped these pix with my iPhone as we were leaving my sister’s house after our wonderful weeklong visit.
We have Chameleons in South Carolina. Actually, the green lizards we see at home are called Carolina Anoles.
BUTTERFLIES
I was excited to see and photograph some beautiful butterflies in Colorado. Here are three types that I will try to identify. And the flowers too.
Here we have a Clouded Sulpher butterfly, not to be confused with the Cloudless Sulpher species we have in the Carolinas.
No flower here. This butterfly likes the gravel hiking path.
BIRDS
I was excited to score three “lifer” birds in Colorado. Two of them I photographed from my sister’s house in Glen Haven.
I needed help from Whatbird.com’s bird identification forum with this one. I was surprised when, after posting a couple of my new photos, to learn the photo above is a Western Kingbird.
I took pictures of Western Kingbirds three or four times during the week, all when they were on the power lines.
Hummingbirds are not easy to photograph. This is the only image I was able to capture, but it worked and proved to also be a first-time lifer bird for me.
This is a Broad-tailed Hummingbird. It has a look similar to the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds that come to our feeders in Charleston.
My third new bird is the Spotted Sandpiper. This was at Lake Estes in Estes Park. A fellow birder, also checking out the Matthews-Reeser Bird Sanctuary, pointed out this handsome fellow (or gal) to me.
These Magpies were on a neighbor’s roof.
HORSES
The final animal photos to share are these! Alesia and I did a fun horseback ride amid spectacular views of Estes Park and the Rocky Mountains.
Sombrero Stables is the outfit that took care of us, We had an intimate ride led by a very nice and knowledgeable wrangler named Megan, who we learned is in equine studies at Kansas State University.
The colorful hat I’m wearing is a birthday gift from my sister Mary. Thank you, sis!
Many thanks to Paul for taking us to Rocky Mountain National Park!
Twice we saw Elk in the Rocky Mountain National Park.
There seemed to be good eating up here in the high elevation of this 415 square mile preserve.
We took these shots from inside our car. Alesia made two excellent short videos of this Elk family.
From the RMNP's Alpine Summit Ridge, I photographed this male pair from the 12,005 foot peak looking down. The antler racks are quite impressive.
Roadside encounters like this are not uncommon, but it was quite a surprise for us East Coasters. This sighting was outside Estes Park on our way to Glen Haven.
MULE DEER
Early in our visit to Rocky Mountain National Park we spotted this young spotted Mule Deer with, presumably, its mother.
This one came up to the window as we were inside the park’s visitor center.
The mule part of the Mule Deer’s name comes from its large mule-like ears.
Long range from my sister’s patio I snagged a few images of this Mule Deer.
I like this deer’s black-tipped tail!
MARMOT
This critter, which I had never heard of before, was probably my favorite animal encounter. At one of the scenic stops in the Rocky Mountain National Park I noticed people gathered and pointing at something.
The point of interest was this…a Marmot. More specifically, the Yellow-bellied Marmot. It is also called “Rock Chuck.”
It is a large member of the squirrel family.
From the cliff seen in my first shot, this Marmot made its way to the people path. That’s Alesia standing on the left. She did an awesome video of this unusual creature (below).
The Marmot held court for several minutes. I think it was looking for food, a no-no at the park, as far as humans giving food to the animals.
This little girl had a close-up look.
The Marmot hibernates for eight months!
CHIPMUNKS
These were also something different for us to see! And I love this photo I took of a chipmunk while on a hike with Alesia and my brother-in-law Paul. This one has a piece of straw or grass in its mouth, maybe sucking out some juice from it.
This was along the Bridal Veil Falls trail in Estes Park.
I like the small animal’s stripes and coloring. This scene was outside the visitors center at Rocky Mountain National Park.
Chipmunk on the run here. Researching this critter online, I saw the question posed: “Are Chipmunks good for anything?” (Blunt aren’t we!). The response surprised me. “Wherever they poop, they spread tree and other plant seeds, as well as mycorrhiza, a fungus that’s vital for increasing water and other nutrient absorption in plants.”
I think Chipmunks are cute and worth much more than their poop!
MOUNTAIN COTTONTAIL RABBIT
I, unfortunately, didn’t get a shot showing the white puffy cottontail.
I’m pretty sure Peter (or Petra) Cottontail saw me before hopping on its way, and we hiked on our way.
MERRIAM’S TURKEY
Wild Turkeys are also part of this region’s animal kingdom. We spotted this one on the same trail as the rabbit sighting above.
Based on my research, this seems to be a Merriam’s Turkey. This type is also called Mountain Turkey.
Colorado also has Rio Grande Turkeys, which are found more in the eastern part of the state.
MYSTERY SQUIRREL
This one, I’m not sure what it is. I don’t see the stripes of the chipmunk. It may be a Ground Squirrel but the ears don’t look right for that species.
It could be a Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel. The head and ears look right for this type but I don’t see the stripes on the body similar to a Chipmunk’s.
GECKO
I snapped these pix with my iPhone as we were leaving my sister’s house after our wonderful weeklong visit.
We have Chameleons in South Carolina. Actually, the green lizards we see at home are called Carolina Anoles.
This Gecko has a different look, for sure. The coloring certainly fits the rugged landscape here in Colorado.
I was excited to see and photograph some beautiful butterflies in Colorado. Here are three types that I will try to identify. And the flowers too.
This is the Small Wood Nymph. It is enjoying a lovely Aspen Daisy.
The butterfly has company on what I think is a Showy Goldeneye flower (though it could be a Lazy Susan). several small beetles or some such insect are on the red stem or sigma part.
No flower here. This butterfly likes the gravel hiking path.
This one is the regal Aphrodite Fritillary.
I was excited to score three “lifer” birds in Colorado. Two of them I photographed from my sister’s house in Glen Haven.
One is the Western Kingbird. Within 20 minutes of arriving at her beautiful mountain chalet, I spotted an unfamiliar bird on the power line across the way.
I needed help from Whatbird.com’s bird identification forum with this one. I was surprised when, after posting a couple of my new photos, to learn the photo above is a Western Kingbird.
This is because I’m very familiar with the Eastern Kingbird (left) that I have seen and photographed many times back home. The two types don’t share much of a resemblance, in my opinion.
I took pictures of Western Kingbirds three or four times during the week, all when they were on the power lines.
Hummingbirds are not easy to photograph. This is the only image I was able to capture, but it worked and proved to also be a first-time lifer bird for me.
This is a Broad-tailed Hummingbird. It has a look similar to the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds that come to our feeders in Charleston.
With her many fresh flowers in planters, Ann has lots of visits from these lovely little birds.
My third new bird is the Spotted Sandpiper. This was at Lake Estes in Estes Park. A fellow birder, also checking out the Matthews-Reeser Bird Sanctuary, pointed out this handsome fellow (or gal) to me.
At the sanctuary, I also photographed an American Crow and a Mallard (below).
Another bird sighting of note: the many Magpies we saw in the area. This is a large white, blue and black species that I have seen in only one other place- Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Neat bird, for sure!
The final animal photos to share are these! Alesia and I did a fun horseback ride amid spectacular views of Estes Park and the Rocky Mountains.
Sombrero Stables is the outfit that took care of us, We had an intimate ride led by a very nice and knowledgeable wrangler named Megan, who we learned is in equine studies at Kansas State University.
She took this photo about halfway through our one-hour ride.
The colorful hat I’m wearing is a birthday gift from my sister Mary. Thank you, sis!
I carried my GoPro camera on the ride (and other places we visited). I put together a video that is now on YouTube. See the link to it early in this post.
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