Just a short post today. I’ve been reading this morning about the fires in Colorado, a state that I loved living in. I’m dreadfully sad about the destruction the Waldo Canyon Fire is leaving in its wake and the huge number of homes lost in the High Park Fire. My friend Bob Berwyn who lives in Colorado has been writing in double time about the fires in Colorado, in this article; Colorado: Waldo Canyon Fire rages into Colorado Springs, he has a recent image from the Pike’s Peak summit web cam. I remember well the view from the summit. It is a good thing I have those memories because that view has been changed dramatically.
Here in Utah I am constantly watching the sky for billowing clouds of the smoke of a new fire. We need rain, we need a good soaking.
Western Grebe and chick – Nikon D200, f8, 1/1000, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light
Looking at this Western Grebe and chick image helps some to keep my mind off of the fires here in the west. For a little while anyway.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Western Grebe photos plus facts and information about this species.
I have a friend in Colorado Springs… This photo of the fires on Pikes Peak surely is horrific in comparison with one he took last year to send to me… I have a friend in Albuquerque and one in Santa Fe too. I sit on tenter hooks waiting for word from them … hopeing against hope that the fires will soon be contained and vanquished. I just heard that the hard news is that they are just entering their dry season… they haven’t even begun the normal fire season…so I just hope that some of the crazy weather this year will do something helpful for them all.
Merrill, I’m heart sick about the damage the Waldo Canyon fire has caused in Colorado Springs. It is awful to look at the images. We all need rain here in the west to put these fires out.
The growing wildfires in various states is so very heartbreaking. I do hope rain drenches these areas soon.
A most magnificent photograph of beautiful grebes, Mia! Perfection!
Thank you Julie, I love seeing grebes with their chicks.
Wonderful portrait, with nice reflections, Mia.
An ornithologist acquaintance of mine just got back to Indiana after a road trip to Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming. He mentioned seeing all of the babies on the GSL, as well as the dryness in the west. The fire devastation is just awful-for people and wildlife.
It is dry here too. It has been weeks since we had rain. 100 degrees tomorrow! I have plans to go to Crested Butte next month after the wildflower festival. I can only hope that the fires on the Front Range have subsided somewhat by then.
Julie, we have been hovering at or going over 100 degrees for what seems like a long time with no rain in sight. I hope that the monsoons will bring us rain without lightning soon. There are more fires popping up all the time. Thanks for your comment on this image.
the photos are fabulous..very interesting eyes..Mom has red eyes and baby still has dark eyes..will have to study up on the Western Grebe. Yes, our fires are really bad..we have some locally here in Pagosa Country that are still uncontained. Air is smokey, but so far no injuries to people. Our wildlife is taking a beating though, especially the elk and bear. We all are continuing to pray for rain..had a few drops last evening…maybe today will bring more..sorry to hear Utah is having fires also.
Syl, we can hope the monsoons bring us some rain (no lightning thanks very much), I sure hope they do. I’ve been following the fires in CO as well as Utah because I still have many friends who live there. I’m sickened of the Waldo Canyon fire and what it has cost in lives, property losses, wildlife and the scenic views that used to be there.
What a magnificent looking adult! A tack sharp shot. I just posted a Least Grebe, the one I’ve been seeing here in Puerto RIco.
Thansk maria, I loved your Least Grebe image!
These Grebes look so Regal.. great shot as always Mia.
Thank you very much Stu!
I hope and pray that you and everyone in the drought-plagued areas get rain and soon. Great photo!
Threecollie, there isn’t any rain forecasted for this area in the foreseeable future, all we can do is hope we get some moisture from the Monsoons when they came… if they come.
Mia, I just love your bird photography. What a fantastic image you have here.
Yesterday, I was on the ABA Staff Mtg conference call. The ABA office in in Colorado Springs. Jeff Gordon and other staff members talked about the nearness of the fires there. Crazy stuff! Utah has a ton of fires going right now too. Looks like it’s gonna be a bad year for fires. In my effort to always look for a silver lining, fires do allow for a renewal of habitat that gives many species a place to live and feed.
Robert,
Thank you for your kind words on my images, I think I have the most amazing subjects in the world!
I’ve been sickened by the images of the fire in Colorado Springs, I lived there for 4 years and I knew those places and the views of them so well. The loss of lives and property has been horrific.
I had hoped that there would be a statewide ban on foreworks here in Utah, we are going to see more fires this week and during Pioneer Days because of them. How many lives and property losses does it take for the government to use common sense and say NO to fireworks.