By mid-August the monsoon rains have usually come. Some birds are still fledging while some are beginning to migrate away. The elk start losing their velvet. Can it be that the run is only a few weeks away?
By the third week of August, the ground squirrels are almost ready for hibernation. It find it amazing how they can sleep so long but with a good layer of fat, they do quite well. Some August's are wet and chilly while others, like in 2020, are so dry that wildfire smoke can make the sun dull like an eclipse. In 2021, we were lucky enough to see two bobcats having a discussion at dusk!
By the end of August, the elk rut has begun. While it can still be hot out, the light starts to soften a bit and sunrises and sunsets become interesting again. In 2022, Andy and I visited the west side of RMNP and marveled at the destruction and regrowth of the East Troublesome Fire of October 2020.
The beginning of September is definitely a time of transition. Mule deer have started to shed their antlers and almost everyone else is taking in as much food as possible before the winter season ahead. This is also the time of forest fires. In 2012, the smoke from western wildfires made the light from the sun so filtered that you could see sunspots!
By the middle of September, it seems like everyone is out -- bears, elk, deer, insects, and a wide variety of birds. This time of year is great for Milky Way pictures.
The equinox is one of my favorite times to take pictures. The elk rut is in full swing, insects are visible and tolerant and the light is usually softer. Even the bobcats seem to come around our house more often.
The last week of September is usually when the elk rut is most frantic. The fall colors are also coming into peak! In 2020, the wildfire smoke was so thick that it colored the moon. In 2015, we had a lunar eclipse.
By the beginning of October it is not uncommon to have frost and snow in the high country. Lately, the fall colors have hit their peak at this time of year -- later than decades ago.
By the beginning of October, fall is in full swing. Snow can come at anytime in the high country and the colors are usually beautiful. In 2022, we were lucky enough to spot a mink!
By mid-October the elk rut has subsided, but the deer rut is in full swing. In 2020, the Cal-Wood fire blew up at the same time as the East Troublesome and Cameron Peak fires were burning.
By the end of October there isn't much color or many hearty animals left in the high country. In Boulder, however, the colors are peaking. In 2014, we were lucky enough to see a partial solar eclipse.
I always say that winter in Boulder begins on Halloween. This is when the wind blows, the leaves fall and the colors fade. By the beginning of November, snowshoe hares have already changed into their winter coats and snow can cover the ground. Since all the migratory birds have left the area, I really enjoy photographing whatever color wildlife are still out and about.
Can you tell? There are a lot fewer pictures to share beginning in November. Where has everyone gone? Every few years we get lucky and the fall colors stay a little longer. In 2013, I was lucky enough to go to a photography workshop with "captive" raptors.
By mid-November the light really fades. Some years we get lucky and the leaves are still colorful on the trees, though. In 2022, a frustrated coyote alerted us to a mountain lion that was on a "kill" (of a elk calf). Our first day-time sighting of a mountain lion!
By the end of November, I'm usually struggling to come up with a picture for the day. This is the time of year when I'll "make" a picture -- flames, lights and even leaves under water can become my muses. Sometimes nature provides a picture, however, and that makes it all the more exciting.
I can't think of a theme for this time of year except to say that only the locals are still around in Colorado. This is the time of year when the unlucky become dinner for the lucky, though. In 2011, we visited Hawaii and it was so nice to see a rainbow!
Cold and darkness are themes for the beginning of December. The flames from 2021actually come from a heated/pressurized side-walk washer. It was mesmerizing. I've been trying to duplicate the ice bubbles picture from 2017 but have yet to see conditions set up for it. In 2011, a trip to Hawaii made for some great memories.
For most of the year, Abert's squirrels are pretty invisible. Something about the beginning of December makes them easier to find. In 2020, a bobcat family took down a mule deer in our neighborhood, the snow and cold couldn't take them away from their feast. Winter sunsets are so beautiful!
Winter is the time for bobcats and mountain lions. Coyotes, too, are hungry enough to hunt at all times of day. For the hearty deer, birds and bunnies, this is a time to sit tight or hang together. The solstice means that warmer days are ahead.
Family often comes to visit over the Christmas holidays so this week has the fewest pictures worth sharing. Happy Holidays!
Who ever said a year has just 52 weeks? There are two days left over and I typically try to make the most of them. Happy New Year!
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52 - WEeksAfter 11 years of taking a picture every day, I thought it was time to review. Here is a post for each week of the year and my favorite pictures from that week. It is fascinating to see the passage of time and the cycles of the seasons. Each photo is labeled with the date it was taken. Don't worry about the date of the post -- it is artificial to get the weeks to be in order. Click on an image to enlarge. Enjoy! Archives
January 2023
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