The Maiden Voyage

We headed to Jackson Lake State Park on Saturday instead of Friday to avoid the crappy weather conditions forecast (we nevertheless froze our bottoms off on the first night).  We didn't make any reservations so we ended up camping at the Fox Hills Campground where there are no electric hookups.  Pete tried to turn on the furnace Sunday morning and for some weird reason, it triggered the propane gas alarm.  He turned off the tank and then scuffled with the manual to find out what was going on.  The battery was flat and fortunately, we had just bought a new one as a reserve.  Unfortunately, it required a bigger wing-nut.  Pete drove to the grocery store and as luck would have it, he was able to get exactly what we needed.  Whew!  The maiden voyage proved to be a learning experience indeed.  We are very fortunate to be guided by friends who are veteran RVers - J and R.  They selflessly share tips and knowledge which we greatly appreciate.  As they suggested, we walked around the whole campground and took note of the best spots.  So, next time we come, we know precisely what sites to book.

Are we there yet ... are we there yet???

View of the sunset from where we were camped

Hey, that's for din dins later!  Brontë sniffing (and trying to sample) the walleye that R caught.

The Wrights with J and R in front of their home away from home

Brontë seemed to enjoy camping.  We're so proud of her for behaving very well.  Her physiological system was screwed though as she didn't get on with her business as she would normally do.

The wind started picking up so we decided to have our dinner chez nous.

Grilled Walleye ... absolutely yummy!

Off to fish after dinner.  We went home empty-handed :-(

I think the solar eclipse was in progress when this photo was taken.

Enjoying the bonfire with popcorn, "Boy Bawang" and our preferred beverage - J and his beer; Pete and his tea; the ladies and their hot chocolate

"It Ain't Me Babe ... It Ain't Me Babe... "

We didn't catch any fish but we did encounter new bird species!

Bullock's Orioles

Bullock's Oriole

Western Kingbird

Eastern Kingbird (previously spotted)

Lark Sparrow

Great Blue Heron (previously spotted)

          

Prepping Matilda

Yes, I christened our camper Matilda (A because of her brand name and B because Pete’s been working on Tommy Emmanuel’s arrangement of Australia’s “unofficial national anthem” for a while now that it’s been deeply ingrained in my subconscious).   She joined the family in January and ever since then, I’ve been looking forward to exploring the wilderness during the warmer months.  The thought of this undertaking helped me through the loads of assignments and projects I had to accomplish during the spring semester. 

Finally, the long wait is over.   This weekend, for our very first adventure, we are heading out to the Jackson Lake State Park.  Pete’s been prepping Matilda up with a little help from Brontë and me!

Beautiful Birds of Prey

The Rocky Mountain Raptor Program is a non-profit organization that offers injured birds of prey "a second chance at freedom" by rescuing, rehabilitating and eventually releasing them if the disability is not permanent.  Those who remain in the care of RMRP become educational ambassadors of wildlife preservation for future generations.  Today, the raptor hospital/medical facility held an open house to celebrate Mother's Day.  The magnificent creatures took our breath away!

Merlin

Burrowing Owl

Female Rough-legged Hawk

Northern Goshawk

Carin Avila, RMRP's Education Director with a Barn Owl

Male Rough-legged Hawk

Prairie Falcon

Ferruginous Hawk was taken by someone from her nest when she was very young and was kept as a pet.  The Department of Wildlife heard about her situation.  She was rescued and awarded to RMRP. 

Feeding on a rabbit

Happy Mother's Day, Animal Kingdom!

“Ang mga nanay, isusubo na lang, ipapakain pa sa mga anak,” so goes a popular saying in Filipino.  It can be literally translated in English as “mothers will not think twice in giving the food that they are about to put in their mouths to their children.”  The imagery vividly depicts the pinnacle of a mother’s selfless love for her little ones (unfortunately, I could not capture exactly its essence in the English translation).   

Here’s to all the moms – human and/or otherwise!  Maraming salamat at mabuhay kayong lahat!

Mother House Sparrow feeding her newly-fledged baby.  A very different image from what I normally witness.  I've remarked that sparrows can be quite aggressive.  They "bully" the finches in the feeder.

Horsing Around

On Sunday, we discovered a natural area, North Shields Pond, inconspicuously situated in the northwest part of Fort Collins.  As soon as we started our walk, we were greeted by a Great Blue Heron flying gracefully just a few meters above the water, making the fishes jump out of their skin.  I was as slow as a tortoise though to capture the commotion in a photograph.  Towards the end of the trail, Brontë met a new friend.  And in between, we soaked up the greenery and the serenity of the surroundings. 

"Hiya!"

Sniff ... sniff ... sniff!

"Daddy, could we please take him home with us?"

"Pretty please."

"Sorry, booboos, we can't do that."

Delighted to Be Distracted

The spring semester is almost over (woohoo!!!) and I've  been working like a beaver on my projects and requirements.  I've taken over our dining table that offers a spacious area where I can spread all my junk and that faces a window with a view of our backyard and beyond (i.e. there's a field that backs up to our yard).  There are times when school work can be very tedious indeed and I am just too delighted to be distracted.

Male and female Goldfinches can't get enough of the Asian thistle seeds and sunflower chips. 

"Hey ... how you doin'?"  A lot of male birds (mostly finches) are hitting on our fake feathered friend on the feeder.

Sparrows normally visit our yard in small flocks.  This particular one, a White-Crowned Sparrow, always feeds by himself.

Our new neighbor, a thirteen-lined ground squirrel, is watching me watching him.