And the Saga Continues ...

Third weekend into our camping saga, we were left to our own devices since our RV buddies were tied up.  We decided to explore the Poudre Canyon sites and after reading about them on the Internet, Pete picked Mountain Park where electric hookups are available, where he could practice fly fishing and where there’s a proper hiking trail called Mt. McConnel to take Brontë for a walk.  We found out that the area is a bear country so we included bear spray to the provisions to be procured before the trip.  Alas and alack, Jax ran out of it and we couldn’t get it from anywhere else.  That’s not good.

Bear-spray-less, we headed out Friday afternoon and reached the place around 1.30.  As soon as we pulled over the entrance to check on the fees, the Area Manager was putting up the “CAMPGROUND FULL” sign.  Oh, man!  She suggested going to the next campground, Kelly Flats.  As if trying to appease our sheer disappointment, she told us “it’s also beautiful there and it’s by the river.”   Three miles further down, the place was jam-packed as well but we managed to find a semi-private spot.  We were going to be OK on our own.  

Access to the river from our campsite

Chipping Sparrow?

We drove back to Mountain Park to walk Brontë.  She met a full Border Collie named Jack.  They sniffed each other, roughhoused (mostly Brontë)  and finally settled down.  He and his parents turned out to be the lucky ones who secured the last spot in the campground (the culprits!!!).  They were actually very pleasant people.

We tackled a portion of the William R. Kreutzer Trail, one of the two overlapping trails of Mt. McConnel Trail.  I was a little bit scared because were weren't armed with a bear spray.  I couldn't get the images of a grizzly mauling us out of my head.

Pete didn't really have a lot of chance to practice fly fishing.  He tried Saturday morning but he didn't feel comfortable standing in the fast rushing water.

Cache la Poudre River

Quaking Aspens

Pine beetles' invasion :-(

Enjoying a glorious day!

Pete and I staked out this tree for a long time because we saw a small, nimble bird going through a hole in a branch.  It was quite active and yet secretive.  I wanted to take a photo, of course, and to identify our feathered friend.

We waited and waited and waited ... almost ready to give up when suddenly...

... an intruder came - a Norther Flicker!

That did the trick!  The rightful resident appeared and shooed the trespasser away.

It stayed on the branch for a few seconds to make sure that the nest was safe, giving me enough time to snap some photos.  Yay!!!

Western Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

Happy Campers

Happy campers (literally and figuratively speaking) - that's what we were when we went home from Delaney Butte Lakes on Sunday, the 27th.  A 3-hour drive west of Fort Collins, it is the ultimate site for ardent anglers according to friends who love to fish.  It is where one would catch monster trouts.  We didn't have any luck (yet again!) although Pete almost caught one on Saturday night but it was lucky enough to escape.  Despite this and the strong winds that pounded on us continuously throughout the weekend, our hearts were full of content.  We'd been presented a lot of opportunities to marvel at the amazing wildlife teeming in the area.

Calm Saturday morning, a respite from the howling winds of the previous night.

Muskrat, the first critter we came across during our walk on Saturday morning.

Chipmunk

White Pelicans, probably non-breeding because of the absence of a ridge in their bills 

Pronghorn Doe

Tree Swallow

Brewer's Sparrow?

Female Greater Sage Grouse appeared from nowhere.  I think she scared us more than we did her.

Clark's Grebe

Avocets

Cinnamon Teals

Female Wilson's Phalarope

Testy bullocks giving each other a head butt

A raptor I can't identify :-(

Pronghorn bucks.  The one on the left has a big wound on the chest.  He probably entangled himself in a barb wire during the migration.

Cowbirds hanging out with mother cow and calf who are enjoying their siesta

Bald Eagle.  I hope to snap a much better photo next time.

Swainson's Hawk?

Gadwalls?

Killdeer

Solitary Sandpiper?

Black-necked Stilt

Juvenile Spotted Sandpiper?  I was barely awake when I took this photo.  I opened the door to get some drinking water to make coffee and there it was, bobbing its tail up and down and up and down. I grabbed my camera quickly and snapped.  It turned out that my equipment was in the wrong setting; hence, the blurred image :-(

Male Common Merganser

We braved the gusty winds on Sunday morning and walked around the lake.  This is a view from the opposite side of our camping site.  Our trailer is on the right side.

Brontë loves the outdoors!!! 

Cliff Swallow

Great Black-backed Gulls?

Yellow-headed Blackbird belting it out

Identification in progress - the quality of the photo doesn't make the job easier :-(

Turkey Vulture (definitely not a great shot, for record-keeping purposes only :-).  A clearer photo can be found here.

Cramped caterpillars

Driving back to Fort Collins, we spotted Mr. Moose right before Cameron Pass.

We spotted numerous bird species and small mammals but they were either too far or too quick to be photographed.  I look forward to the next encounters as we'll definitely go back to Delaney Butte Lakes and its surrounding areas.