Wildlife Wednesday - Happy New Year!

by Andy Ames

Wildlife Wednesday. 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.

For me, 2024 was the year of the deer. I started a streak of taking a photo of a deer every day. Some days were easy, spotting a deer first thing in the morning before even going outside. Other days were a challenge and ended with a photo at dusk. Every day brought a lot of joy, exploration, and learning as I was able to follow the yearly lifecycle of deer. This was one of my favorite photos.
To learn more behind the story see:

https://www.evwatershed.org/.../wildlife-wednesday-deer...

Before this day I had never seen a Northern Saw-whet owl. While out on a trail, for some reason I looked down and saw these two bright eyes peering back at me. The owl was perfectly quiet and still and we shared this brief moment together. Only later, when looking at the photo, did I realize it had just caught a mouse.
For more on Northern Saw-whet owls:

https://www.evwatershed.org/.../wildlife-wednesday...

Not all highlights are from something unique. Pine squirrels are a fairly common in the forests of the Estes Valley and it is not unusual to see one chewing on a cone or chattering away from high in a tree. A few times I had the privilege of just hanging out and watching one feed on a cone, meticulously stripping it flake by flake. Routine for the squirrel but pretty special for me.
For more on squirrels:

https://www.evwatershed.org/.../wildlife-wednesday...

What were your highlights or what do you look forward to seeing in the coming year. Share in the comments below or by submitting a post.

Happy New Year!