The natural areas of Fort Collins are hotspots of bird activity in the spring. Cattail Chorus Natural Area has a colony of blue herons in the surrounding cottonwood trees that are entertaining to watch. While I was there, I observed them coming and going building their nests, courtship rituals, their fancy plumes bobbing in the air along with their gawky bodies, and even a beaver swimming in the pond.

I’d been so excited by all the heron nests easily accessible around town that I hadn’t given the eagles much thought. All that changed one morning as I heard a snap, crackle, pop and looked overhead to see a bald eagle flying through the air with his prize held tightly between his talons. Mid flight, he grasped this twig and kept on flying right over my head! I was amazed and then started wondering what would happen if he bit off more than he can chew? Has an eagle ever tried this maneuver and then been stopped midflight by a branch not breaking and tumbled ungracefully to the ground or into a tree? I’ll probably never know…it’s a bit like the question, “If a tree falls in the woods and no-one is around to see it, did it really happen?” Either way, it was a great experience!

I know it’s not Thanksgiving yet but I ran across this wild turkey strutting his stuff for his female friend and was able to get some lovely photos! When I first spotted him, his tail was up and he was sending out his call. I didn’t see the female for a bit but she was following about 50 feet behind. Occasionally, he would slow down, fan his feathers, call out, check to see she was still there, and then continue on his way.

It never ceases to amaze me when I have extraordinary chance encounters with wildlife. My golden rule should be if you don’t get out there, you won’t ever see anything! I spent a lovely morning in April walking around the Riverbend Natural Area in Fort Collins, Colorado. It was about an hour and a half after sunrise, not exactly the ideal time to catch wildlife waking up, but it was the earliest I could get out that day. Either way, I thought I’d at least see and hear the red-winged blackbirds chirping from last years leftover cattails and get a little dose of the outdoors to tide me over for the day I had planned, parked in front of my computer. There’s something about their never ending loud calls to each other in the spring that makes me realize spring really is here even if the weather is not indicative of that.

I can’t tell you how excited I am for spring! I love when the blackbirds return, the animals start frolicking outside again, the bulbs start blooming, nests are built, and the baby animals hatch or are born. Every day in the spring is an adventure and I plan to record my outings and post here on my blog. The first edition of my spring blog will focus primarily on the blue herons return to Northern Colorado and their nesting habits.