Impending winter

I always hate winters, and with our first cool front, I'm already feeling "under the weather." So I'm trying to focus on the positive. 

I've enjoyed this Great Horned Owl for most of the summer in Alpine. 

There's a local artist whose work I love. I can't resist sharing his Lucifer Hummingbird painting.

"Mule Ears Sunrise" by James Mangum

There's so much beauty in the world. We just get too bogged down in life's challenges to appreciate it enough.

Fall migration produced some fun birds. Best was a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher at both the oasis and my ponds in Alpine. Shows if you build it, they will come.

 Johnson Ponds in Alpine

CMO

Other fun birds were lots of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Belted Kingfishers, and Scissortail Flycatchers. This Great Crested Flycatcher in my Alpine habitat was special too.

There was a quick visit at my Alpine feeders of a Broad-billed Hummingdbird. I just lucked out, because I was literally sitting near the feeders, documenting the Rubythroats, when it photo-bombed my shot of a Rubythroat. Never had that happen before.

I pretty much birded until I could go no longer. Had no energy to water the trees at the oasis, but luckily, we got a little bit of rain here and there that it should be ok. Hopefully, I'll be able to water when it needs it next.

The bottom line is, I'm so grateful to be able to do all that I do at my age!