B N Sullivan Photography

A Fritillary Butterfly visiting an Arrowleaf Ragwort

2011-11-09T08:10:00.000-07:00

Fritillary Butterfly (Speyeria sp.)

Location: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA

I am not certain of the species of this pretty insect, but I believe it is a kind of Fritillary butterfly, probably of the genus Speyeria. Fritillaries belong to the Nymphalidae family. The wildflower this individual is visiting is called Arrowleaf Ragwort (Senecio triangularis). which is abundant in the western United States.

Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, ready for hibernation

2011-11-07T06:55:00.000-07:00

Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus lateralis)

Location: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA

My friend and I were hiking on an established trail around Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. We spotted a bench that overlooked the small lake, and decided to sit there to eat the sandwiches we had brought with us. As soon as we unwrapped our food, this little guy appeared to beg for tidbits. Although he was persistent to the point of being somewhat a pest, we didn't feed him. Judging by his girth, he certainly was not starving! In fact he looked very plump -- all ready for his winter hibernation.

Here is another photo of a Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel that I posted earlier this year.

Summit Lake, Mount Evans, Colorado

2011-11-05T10:00:00.000-06:00

Summit Lake, elevation 12,830 feet

Location: Mount Evans, Colorado, USA

Mount Evans is one of 55 "Fourteeners" in Colorado - i.e. mountain peaks with summits higher than 14,000 feet above sea level. The summit of Mount Evans is at an elevation of 14,265 feet (4,348 meters). This small but picturesque alpine lake is situated somewhat below the actual summit of Mount Evans, but at an elevation of 12,830 feet, a hike along the trail that skirts the shore of the lake still can leave you a bit breathless!

Here is a different view of Summit Lake, posted last month.

Leaves and fruit of the Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)

2011-11-04T11:55:00.000-06:00

Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)

Location: Standley Lake Regional Park, Westminster, CO, USA

The Russian Olive tree is a very common species in Colorado, especially in the eastern half of the state. These trees, with their silvery leaves, flourish near streams and at the edges of marshes. This photo was taken in September. Later in the season the fruits, which are edible, turn a golden yellow.

Native to southeastern Europe and western Asia, the Russian Olive was introduced in the United States in the nineteenth century. Originally cultivated in the U.S. as an ornamental plant, it eventually spread to the wild.

Here is a link to a fact sheet about the Russian Olive (2-page pdf) from the Plant Conservation Alliance's Alien Plant Working Group.

Bull Elk In Charge

2011-10-23T14:20:00.017-06:00

Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni)

Location: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA

The photos above were taken in succession just a few seconds apart. I had been photographing a small group of Elk cows that were grazing in a clearing in a pine forest in Rocky Mountain National Park. Suddenly this bull Elk came crashing through the trees at the edge of the clearing, and he was heading straight for me. He trotted toward me at a pretty good pace, vocalizing as he approached. I got the message immediately: "You leave my women alone!"

I made a hasty retreat -- probably not a moment too soon! Satisfied that I had withdrawn an acceptable distance, Mr. Elk slowed his pace and then stopped, but he remained vigilant until I was completely out of sight.

Rabbit Ears Peak - A Colorado Landmark

2011-10-19T17:05:00.002-06:00

Rabbit Ears Peak

Location: Routt National Forest, Colorado, USA

The two stone pillars on top of this mountain peak are said to have served as a landmark for travelers across the Rocky Mountains since pioneer times. When the feature was named initially, the two pillars were taller and looked more like real rabbit ears, but over time they have eroded. The peak, which is part of the Park Range of the Rockies, is situated within the Routt National Forest. The area is popular with hikers.

This photo was taken from Rabbit Ears Pass, which is located on a stretch of U.S. Highway 40 between the Colorado towns of Kremmling and Steamboat Springs. The Pass is at en elevation of 9,426 feet (2,873 meters).

Prairie Spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis)

2011-10-16T15:15:00.019-06:00

Prairie Spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis)

Location: Larimer County, Coloado, USA

I spotted this pretty wildflower on a roadside a few miles west of the town of Loveland, in Larimer County, Colorado. The delicate blossom was about one inch across. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Plants Database, this species is widely distributed throughout the central regions of the United States and Canada.

Male Black Witch Moth (Ascalapha odorata)

2011-10-15T14:05:00.000-06:00

Male Black Witch Moth (Ascalapha odorata)

Location: Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii

This moth is a member of the 'Owl Moth' family (Noctuidae). It is a large moth, with a wingspan of about six inches. One way to tell the males and females apart: the female has a bright white stripe across its wings, while the male does not. Some time ago, I posted a photo of a female Black Witch moth. If you have a look at that earlier photo, the difference in coloration between the sexes will be obvious.

Reflections at the edge of Summit Lake, Mount Evans, Colorado

2011-10-08T09:20:00.001-06:00

Summit Lake, elevation 12,830 feet

Location: Mount Evans, Colorado, USA

Summit Lake is an alpine lake situated above the tree line on Colorado's Mount Evans at an elevation of 12,830 feet above sea level. It is surrounded by steep cliffs and rocky hills covered by tundra. This lake is about 2,000 feet below the actual summit of Mount Evans, which rises to an elevation of 14,265 feet (4,348 meters).

Rocky Mountain Goat - Mount Evans, Colorado

2011-10-07T11:05:00.001-06:00

Rocky Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus)

Location: Mount Evans, Clear Creek County, Colorado, USA

This Rocky Mountain Goat probably is a male. The two sexes of this species look very similar, but the males may have somewhat longer horns than the females, and males are most likely to appear alone rather than in small family groups. We saw this solitary goat surveying the tundra at an elevation of about 12,000 feet, on Mount Evans, Colorado.

Mount Evans, not far from Denver, is one of Colorado's many "fourteeners" -- i..e. mountains whose summits rise to an elevation of more than 14,000 feet above sea level. The height of the Mount Evans summit is 14,265 feet (4,348 meters).

Early Autumn Colors in Summit County, Colorado

2011-09-30T11:10:00.007-06:00

Trees in Early Autumn

Location: Summit County, Colorado, USA

It is till September, but many of the trees in the Colorado high country already are sporting their Autumn colors. Most of the trees on this hillside are aspens, famous for bright gold foliage at this time of year. The photo was taken outside the little town of Blue River, Colorado.

Rose Hips - Fruit of the Wild Rose (Rosa woodsii)

2011-09-29T09:30:00.027-06:00

Rose Hips - Fruit of the Wild Rose (Rosa woodsii)

Location: Coal Creek Canyon, Boulder County, Colorado, USA

This is the fruit of the Wild Rose (Rosa woodsii). Called Rose Hips, the fruits are edible, although I did not try them. The entry for this species on the Southwest Colorado Wildflowers website says:

Lovely flowers are replaced by dark red fruits ("rose hips") that range from mealy to sweet depending on the amount of rain and sun the plant receives and the time they are picked. The fruits are usually best after several frosts.

These rose hips were photographed in early September. The color darkens later in the season.

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

2011-09-23T07:10:00.008-06:00

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

Location: Jackson Hole, Wyoming, USA

I was on my belly in the grass, inching along, trying to sneak up on a certain Canada Goose so I could take its picture. I glanced off to my left just in time to see this other goose sneaking up on me! I quickly decided to photograph this curious onlooker instead of the bird I had been tracking.

Principal Peaks of the Teton Range

2011-09-21T06:45:00.054-06:00

The Teton Range

Location: Jackson Hole, Wyoming, USA

The peaks that form the Teton Range of the Rocky Mountains are located in western Wyoming. This photo of the central massif was shot facing west from a spot in the Jackson Hole valley known as Windy Point. The peaks in this image, from left to right, are:

South Teton -- summit elevation 12, 514 ft (3,814 m)
Middle Teton -- summit elevation 12,804 ft (3,903 m)
Grand Teton -- summit elevation 13,770 ft (4,200 m)
Mount Owen -- summit elevation 12,928 ft (3,940 m)
Teewinot Mountain -- summit elevation 12,325 ft (3,757 m)

The Teton range is situated within the borders of Grand Teton National Park.

American Pika (Ochotona princeps)

2011-09-19T07:45:00.002-06:00

American Pika (Ochotona princeps)

Location: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA

This cute little critter, which somewhat resembles a guinea pig in size and body shape, is a threatened species residing in rocky areas of the Colorado mountains. We saw this one scurrying about on a steep rocky bank near the Rainbow Curve Overlook on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Pikas do not hibernate, so they must gather and store food to sustain them during the harsh Rocky Mountain winters. During the summer, they collect bunches of grasses and other plants and set them out on rocks to dry into hay. They store the hay in piles under boulders.

Scientists from the University of Colorado recently assessed "69 historical sites known to host pikas in a swath of the Southern Rockies ranging from southern Wyoming through Colorado and into northern New Mexico. The results showed that 65 of the 69 historical sites that had hosted pikas — some dating back more than a century — were still occupied." Here is the link to an article about that study of the Pikas' habitat.

Here is a YouTube video about the University of Colorado team's study of the Pikas.

Museum of Science, Boston

2011-09-16T07:10:00.004-06:00

Museum of Science

Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA

I photographed this image of Boston's Museum of Science from a boat on the Charles River. This is not a new photo, but I still like it -- perhaps because it evokes the memory of a clear October day spent in the company of good friends.

Wild Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

2011-09-14T10:05:00.001-06:00

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

Location: Big Dry Creek Trail, Jefferson County, Colorado, USA

Close your eyes and imagine a flower. What does it look like? For me, it is something like the flower in this photo. To me, the sunflower is the prototypical flower.

This nearly perfect sunflower specimen was growing wild beside a hiking trail that runs through a suburb of Denver, Colorado. This species of sunflower is commercially cultivated in the region, but this one was miles from a sunflower farm.

The Egg of the Common Myna is "Robin Egg Blue"

2011-09-12T07:45:00.001-06:00

Egg of Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)

Location: Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii

You may know that the American Robin lays eggs that are a pretty pale turquoise color. You may not know (until now) that the Common Myna also lays eggs that are, um, "robin egg blue." We spotted this one under a shrub near the edge of our garden in Hawaii.

Forest Canyon Overlook, Rocky Mountain National Park

2011-09-07T06:45:00.003-06:00

Forest Canyon Overlook

Location: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA

Trail Ridge Road, the main east-west thoroughfare through Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park, climbs high into the mountains and crosses the Continental Divide. Along the way, there are a number of overlooks where you can stop to enjoy spectacular views. One of those is the Forest Canyon Overlook, pictured here. Located above the tree line in an area dominated by tundra, this high perch affords the visitor unobstructed views in every direction. The sights include huge mountains, several alpine lakes, and a dramatic gorge formed by ancient glaciers.

From the Rocky Mountain National Park website:

Like other high mountain valleys, Forest Canyon was filled with ice and shaped by glaciers during the past two million years. Here, ice flowed through a stream valley and followed the straight line of the ancient faults. Side valleys contributed their own rivers of ice, and carved the canyons of Hayden Gorge and Gorge Lakes. The Rolling terrain of the high country was untouched by glacial ice.

Our Backyard Bunny: A Desert Cottontail

2011-09-05T07:20:00.004-06:00

Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii)

Location: Westminster, Colorado, USA

This is a Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii), a rabbit species found in the southwestern and Rocky Mountain states of the U.S., as well as northern and central Mexico. One of this rabbit's noticeable features is the rust-colored patch of fur on the nape of its neck. And like all cottontails, the underside of its tail is pure white.

Several times each day, we see this bunny hopping about in the yard at our house in Colorado, munching on grass and clover. If someone approaches, the rabbit scampers away to hide beneath the lowest branches of a Colorado Spruce tree near the edge of the yard. Most of these visits are in the early morning or very late in the afternoon.

The Many Colors of Slate

2011-09-02T06:55:00.002-06:00

Dry Stack Slate

Location: Westminster, Colorado, USA

This is a section of a fireplace constructed from slate quarried in Colorado. If you thought that slate was necessarily black or dark gray, think again. As this photo shows, slate occurs in a myriad of colors.

Waxflower (Jamesia americana)

2011-08-31T06:40:00.012-06:00

Waxflower (Jamesia americana var. americana)

Location: Lookout Mountain, Jefferson County, Colorado, USA

This perennial shrub is a member of the Hydrangea family. In some regions, the plant is called Fivepetal Cliffbush. It is drought tolerant and the fragrant flowers attract birds, bees, and butterflies.

According to the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Jamesia americana var. americana is native to several states in the western United States, including Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming. It can be found growing wild in drier areas, but it is also becoming a popular xeriscaping plant in the southwestern US.

European Starling in non-breeding plumage

2011-08-29T06:20:00.014-06:00

European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

Location: Jackson Hole, Wyoming, USA

Here is a little factoid about this very common bird that I'll bet you didn't know. According to the entry for the European Starling on WhatBird.com's Field Guide to Birds of North America:

All of the 200 million European Starlings found in North America today are descendants of approximately 100 birds released in New York City's Central Park in the early 1890s by an industrialist who wanted to establish, in the U.S., all birds mentioned in the works of Shakespeare.

Who knew??

Scenic Endovalley, Rocky Mountain National Park

2011-08-26T08:55:00.015-06:00

The meadow at Endovalley

Location: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA

This is a view of an area of Rocky Mountain National Park known as Endovalley. Large animals like elk and Bighorn sheep are often seen grazing in this meadow. The photo was taken near the base of the Old Fall River Road. At the back of the valley, that's Sundance Mountain (summit elevation 12,466 ft) on the left, and Mount Chapin (summit elevation 12,454 ft) on the right. Endovalley is popular with hikers and rock climbers.

Elk portrait

2011-08-24T06:10:00.002-06:00

Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni)

Location: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA

Here is a female Rocky Mountain Elk. Although elk are members of the deer family (Cervidae), the female is called a cow, not a doe. This elk was photographed in early June, thus she is still sporting her shaggy winter coat.