Friday, May 22, 2020

A Wild Run


When it's springtime in the Rockies, you are guaranteed a wild run of weather:
Thunder and hail storms, hot sunny days, spitting snow, whipping winds,
and late afternoons when cumulous clouds build into towering anvils.
It's a great, ever-changing show that I never tire of watching.

Here are some of photos of this year's show
near and along a stretch of Piney Creek in Aurora: 


Drenching Rain 
Aurora, Colorado
May 15, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved







Pounding Hail 
Aurora, Colorado
May 15, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved






Noisy Grackles 
Aurora, Colorado
April 9, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved






A Strutting Grackle 
Aurora, Colorado
May 16, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved






Watching the plains cottonwood trees having a spring fling is always fascinating.




The trees are dioecious,
with male and female flowers
occurring on different trees.



Male Catkins 
(staminate flowers) 
Aurora, Colorado
May 8, 2013
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved







Pollen from male cottonwood trees is carried on the wind.
Plains Cottonwood Tree 
Aurora, Colorado
May 15, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved







Emerging Female Catkins
Plains Cottonwood Tree 
Aurora, Colorado
May 3 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved






Wind-born pollen pollenates female catkins (pistillate flowers).
Plains Cottonwood Tree 
Aurora, Colorado
May 15, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved






Cottonwood seed capsules develop after fertilization.
Plains Cottonwood Tree 
Aurora, Colorado
May 17, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved







Seed Capsules and New Leaves. 
Along Piney Creek
Aurora, Colorado
May 17, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved






Bursting New Leaves 
Along Piney Creek
Aurora, Colorado
May 17, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved






Snow in June
Cottonwood seeds are released on the breezes. 
Along Piney Creek
Aurora, Colorado
June 25, 2013
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved






Harbinger of Spring
Male Robin 
Along Piney Creek
Aurora, Colorado
April 26, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved







Our Local Fire Station
"Thank You First Responders!
You Are Loved!" 
Aurora, Colorado
April 25, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved






Local Heroes
"Thank You First Responders!
You Are Loved!" 
Aurora, Colorado
April 25, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved






Male House Finch 
Aurora, Colorado
May 17, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved



Earlier this month I spotted the first muskrat I have seen
since a flash flood scoured Piney Creek in our area almost eight years ago.
That doesn't mean muskrats disappeared after the flood.
It means I couldn't find them.

I've been trying to capture this pesky rodent
with my little point-and-shoot Canon ever since.
All I've captured are the ripples marking its dive
and a glimpse of its head in the reeds.



Muskrat Ripples
Along Piney Creek
Aurora, Colorado
May 17, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved





Muskrat Feeding on Reeds
Along Piney Creek
Aurora, Colorado
May 17, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved






Squirrels Frolicking 
Along Piney Creek
Aurora, Colorado
March 24, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved






Spring Equinox 
Along Piney Creek
Aurora, Colorado
March 21, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved






Blue Jay 
Along Piney Creek
Aurora, Colorado
April 9, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved






More Happy Talk  
Aurora, Colorado
May 17, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved






Spring Butterfly 
Aurora, Colorado
May 17, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved







Spring Butterfly  
Along Piney Creek
Aurora, Colorado
May 17, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved







Baby Green Leaves 
Bursting Out  #1
Along Piney Creek
Aurora, Colorado
May 17, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved






Baby Green Leaves 
Bursting Out #2
Along Piney Creek
Aurora, Colorado
May 17, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved






Comforting Rock Talk
for a Challenging Time  
Aurora, Colorado
May 17, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved







Cumulus Clouds 
Aurora, Colorado
May 20, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved






Male Plains Cottonwood
Flowers Gone, Baby Leaves Bursting 
Along Piney Creek
Aurora, Colorado
May 17, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved





If anyone had told me that I would spend well over a decade
snapping photos in all seasons along a small stretch of Piney Creek,
I wouldn't have believed it.  But I have.
Springtime is my favorite season,
until the next, and the following, even winter!


Towering Anvil
Aurora, Colorado
May 20, 2020
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved










Till next time ~
Fundy Blue



On the Bay of Fundy
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved




    








For Map Lovers Like Me:


Location of Aurora, Colorado, USA




Area Where I Took the Photographs
(by the asterisk in the lower middle)
Map Data © 2018 Google United States


Southern Aurora and Northern Parker
Map Data © 2019 Google United States





Adapted from a Sign in the Park
Red-Tailed Hawk Park
Aurora, Colorado, U.S.A.
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved


22 comments:

  1. Those are some beautiful shots.
    Wondered where muskrats live. Hopefully you didn't see any spring muskrat love...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Alex! No muskrat love, only dragonflies, squirrels, and trees. Have a happy and safe weekend!

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  2. How beautiful. Oh, and just look at all that pollen.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Diane! Nature is awe inspiring. Your webinar last night was packed with content ~ very informative. Thank you! Have a happy and safe weekend!

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  3. Replies
    1. Thanks, Adam! It keeps me sane. All the best to you and Daisy!

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  4. Lovely stroll with you along the walkway. The Eastern Cottonwood, or Populus deltoides , we had one at our other place, and the cotton balls were blown onto the lawn, like fluffs of snow. So pretty.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Jean! It's always fun when the cottonwoods release their seeds. Since I'm homebound for now. I hope to catch our "snow in June" this year. It's quite something to see the cotton fluff on the female trees, floating on the air, and drifting on the ground. I hope that you and Hugh have a happy and safe weekend! Take care!

      Delete
  5. Lovely photos! You've been a busy bee with that camera of yours!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Debra! I do have so much fun with my camera. I'm stalking that muskrat. I'm determined to get a good picture, but damn it's sharp-eyed and fast! LOL Wishing you and your Rare One a great weekend!

      Delete
  6. Beautiful uplifting photo's Louise, Thansk for sharing.
    Have a good weekend.
    Take care.

    Yvonne.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You have a good weekend, too, Yvonne! I'm glad that you enjoyed my photos. Take care, my friend!

      Delete
  7. I love all of your pictures! You're a talented photographer! The squirrels and muskrat are cute.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Sherry! I have a lot of fun with my camera, and it's gives me pleasure to share my photos. Your book on "Big Dig to China" arrived this afternoon. I'm really looking forward to reading it. All the best to you. Have a fun Memorial Weekend with your loved ones!

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  8. Are you sure that was muskrat ripples? You didn't just throw a rock in there and pretend? Hmmm the cat on to you? lol

    Sure lots going on at your sea. Snow though. Bah, that can stay away for a while. Gotta love the frisky squirrels still having fun.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Pat! Yes, that was a muskrat where I'm at. I just moved my camera up to my eyes, and it was gone before I could click. And muskrats can swim a long way underwater, so I never know where it will surface. I have to find action where I can! Have a great weekend, my rhyming friend!

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  9. Hi Louise,
    you live in a beautiful place and are very talented in taking pictures. I love all creatures and get many birds in our back garden. The picture of the balcony of a house gives a lovely country view as well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Brenda! I have lots of fun with my little camera. That's our balcony. We live in a townhome overlooking a golf course. Kind of funny since we don't play golf. I grew up with nature all around me, so I am grateful to have a feeling of space and to be able to see almost 180º of the horizon. I love all creatures, too. We see all kinds of birds from our balcony (or deck, as we call it here), everything from tiny house finches to red-tailed hawks. Wishing you a lovely weekend!

      Delete
    2. You too Louise, you are very blessed, and the view from your balcony is beautiful.

      Delete
    3. Sorry, I should have said 'deck' :-)

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  10. I remember those cottonwoods—the first house in Utah had one thanks to being on an irrigation ditch. Then I moved to a yard of juniper and pinion. Great photos!

    www.thepulpitandthepen.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wonderful nature shots, Louise. Glad you were able to finally glimpse the muskrat!

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Thank you for your comments! I appreciate them very much.