This week’s featured bird is the White-crowned Sparrow.

While most waterbodies of the Estes Valley are frozen, Lake Estes can still be counted on for wildlife entertainment.

Lately, it seems like the wind makes the only sound in the Estes Valley. Another ubiquitous sound, however, is that of the Steller’s Jay.

It is that time of year again. Mule deer bucks are beginning to shed their antlers.

Brrrrr! It has been a cold week here in the Estes Valley. Do you ever wonder how our feathered friends stay warm in these conditions?

If you’ve been to Lake Estes lately, you might have seen 3 large, white Trumpeter Swans mixing and mingling with the Canada Geese.

The Estes Valley is home to three species of the order lagomorpha. Lagomorphs are comprised of rabbits, hares, and pikas.

This week’s featured bird is the common raven. These large corvids are extremely widespread and versatile.

Ushering in the new year is often a time of reflection and a look to the future. Below are some of my wildlife highlights of 2024.

Now that most of the summer breeding bird species have left the Estes Valley, it is time to focus on the hearty birds who stay here during the “off” season. One of the more commonly heard, but rarely seen, species is the Brown Creeper.

A Throwback Wildlife Wednesday seems appropriate for today.

Happy Holidays!

We often use the term “watershed”, but what exactly is a watershed?

Happy International Mountain Day! To celebrate let’s recognize some of our alpine residents.

While the recent temperatures are not “normal,” many aquatic bird species are relishing the unfrozen waters and ample food that is still available. This is especially true of the Belted Kingfisher.

No matter how long you have lived in the Estes Valley, you soon realize how different each day is.

Let’s talk turkey. Turkey has long been on the dinner menu. Turkeys are native to North America and were domesticated by the Aztecs over 2000 years ago. Spanish explorers then brought turkeys to Europe in 1529. They became an instant hit and their popularity spread throughout the continent. The pilgrims brought turkeys with them on the Mayflower to the New World only to find they were already there!

Pictured here is another example of “facultative mutualism” you may see in the Estes Valley - the pairing of a Black-billed magpie and a Mule deer (or often an elk).

Interspecies relationships are always interesting. For example, skunks and foxes hunt together in a mutualistic relationship.

When I’m seeking solace, I hit the trails. As the Estes Valley’s most famous naturalist put it “The trail compels you to know yourself and to be yourself, and puts you in harmony with the universe.

“You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.” We all know a back rub feels good. For Mule deer grooming has physical and social benefits and starts the day they are born.