January 28, 2026

I did my usual route at the river today.  It was apparently bring your dog day.  Lots of people and the vast majority had a dog, most had two.  It started out cloudy and cool and then the sun came out and it got quite warm.  The Jeep said 39 when I headed for home.  It was a good day.  I saw a small flock of Western Bluebirds, got some very mediocre shots of a Woodhouse Scrub Jay.  At the pond there were a couple Buffleheads - I really like the colors on their heads when the sun hits them.  I also saw a Barrow's Goldeneye there but couldn't get a good shot.  There are usually lots of them during the winter.  But this has been anything but a normal winter.  The variety of birds and colors - even though it's not that varied around here - amaze me.  What a brilliant mind the Lord has in all the wildlife and insects He has made.  How could anyone think this all just happened by coincidence?  Nikon P950

 January 27, 2026

Today I headed down to EWR (Escalante Wildlife Refuge).  It's really not much of a wildlife refuge.  But there are a few birds.  I saw a couple bald eagles in a tree near Transfer.  I spooked a great horned owl, but where he settled I couldn't get a good photo.  They were running two masticators back in the trees.  It will be nice to get some of the tamarack and Russian olive knocked down.  Since there was so much noise there I then headed over to the other side of the river.  I had fun with a bunch of little birds there.  On the way home I stopped to get a shot of the sandhill cranes.  I also saw one of the eagles back in the same tree but I didn't stop this time.  I saw several newborn calves along the way.  Spring is just around the corner here.  What a wonderful day outdoors.  I was thanking the Lord all day.  It was about 35 degrees when I left down there.  I probably got in about 5 miles - nice day!

 January 26, 2026

Today we headed out to see some of the recent snow. It was a chilly day. We went up both Cimarron as far as we could. There was more snow up there than we thought. It was a winter wonderland. We didn’t see ant animals and very few tracks. It was 0 degrees at the turnoff on Big Cimarron. It was nice…very few people. On the way back into town there was a lot of haze. The ditch burning has begun and we’re having an inversion so it’s not a nice clean air situation. I feel for people with lung issues.  Thank you Lord for the snow!!!!