Hat & Badge

And finally back home....picture of most awesome hat & junior ranger badge...the latter will be worn on Monday! 

Homeward bound...but flight delayed!!!!

Well this is my last blog entry...I think. Ste and I are currently delayed at Denver, bored and very, very, very tired....can't emphasis this enough....I am beyond exhausted.....tried to sleep but other passengers are most inconsiderate and will not keep the noise down! So have propped self upright and decided to add to Blog.

Birding Update 

Total 157 species and 14 lifers..so pleased! 

Trip Wafflle 

Well I think I have waffled enough already on previous posts....hugs to all the great people on trip! Theresa thanks for the wonderful Owl Hat...which I adore and will be eager to wear at home! Pic of hat may appear on blog...minus my head in it...as exhausted facial features will take at least 6 months to ping back to normal! 

Mary, I will be having toast in the am...in homage to Mitch! 

Anyway just wanted to post some photos of trip so here they are...shame I can't run sound track behind them...80 bands of course! 

First hotel...before official start of tour...and first bird ticked....Wood Duck! 

Loved this picture....shared a lot of very random moments over the past 10 days! 

Ste....I see no ships... Or birds for that matter! 

Firing of long range weaponary...how do I get that job! 

White-Tailed Ptarmigan...the reason we were in the path of long range weaponary...photo by Eric Hynes our Field Guides...Guide! What a stunner! 

Evil kick boxing ninja Greater Prairie Chicken...another one of Eric's photos! 

Ok...my attempt at being arty with IPhone...spent many happy but fattening breakfast, lunch and dinner in American Dinners! 

10 days of truly spectacular scenery 

You can never photograph birders from the front...you get in the way of the bird...or in this instance would have fallen a very long way to the bottom of the canyon and would have made a nasty mess! 

Post not complete without photo of guides...Eric (left) Jesse (right)... Traditional back view of course! 

Well I think that's a wrap from Birding Capers from Colorado...Farewell x 

The King of the Chest to Impress...and the final days birding!

Birding Update 

Groan....another earlier morning! I am booking into the sleep clinic when I get home, as deprived of wonderful snoozes! Anyway, coffee'd up and match-sticks supporting eyelids...we whizzed off in search of the stupendous Greater Sage Grouse...a full 6lb beastie! Much discussion on roasting times...but the general agreement was 20 mins per 1lb so take a good two hours to cook one! As the veggie of the group, I abstained from this conversation! 

This guy is the king of puffing chest and shaking booty...his tail is truly awesome...a real haute couture statement! We were lucky enough to see around 50 birds doing their best to impress, they came strutting in from all directions to join the disco! 

The Greater Sage Grouse

Sunrise over the plains of the Greater Praire Chicken

Also added Three-Toed Woodpecker & Red Crossbill to life list yesterday as well as the Sharp Tailed Grouse. The latter is my favourite bird of the trip, somewhat demented and scatty like my goodself! 

Trip Update

To continue on the birding theme, we are trying to encourage our young Canadian, Mitch, to dress up as a Gt Praire Chicken tonight at our last evening dinner, for some reason he is not keen on the idea! My fellow Ranger, Mary, and I have offered to raid our suitcases for clothing items to assist with the transformation! Much discussion was had on this at dinner last night accompanied by lots of giggling at the naughty end of the table, which is where Ste and I find ourselves most nights! I could not have picked a nicer bunch of people to bird with, some are really quite mad! 

Signs of the Day

Not entirely sure why you need to be advised not to drive your skiddo into the side of a logging lorry...but apparently you do in Colorado!  Also note additional sign...when shooting Moose be sure of your target..oh dear...seems a few things other than Moose have been shot!

Also liked this one...the safety of shopping trolleys?!!!

Menu of the Day

Ha! Don't know how many people told me I needed to order the Clamity Jane Burger...hello I am a vegetarian!!!!..but agree I am pretty much like my namesake!

Magazines of the Day

Not entirely sure one will find these at WH Smiths anytime soon!

love this one as had an excellent article on boots (foot ware not the chemist) and lets face it ladies one can never have enough boots! Also quite fancy being a cowgirl...just for the boots! 

Farewell Dinner 

So tonight we had our farewell dinner, lots of hugs all around...there were some very mad people on this trip who we will miss!...Awesome! Sadly Mitch did not dress as a GPC, but dude please no growing a beard again...it's makes you look scary....Enjoy Arizona. To my fellow Ranger, Mary, we will never look at a circuit board in quite the same way again...and high five to all those 80,s bands! 

Wind up Chickens who do Flamenco!!

Short Update...as somewhat exhausted! 

Today it was the turn of the Sharp Tailed Grouse and they did not disappoint. These guys are true excitable nutters. Their display is a cross between an unchoreographed ballet and flamenco with a bit of bare knuckle fighting thrown in for good measure. In the middle of their dance they suddenly stop, tails in the air, then it's like someone blows a whistle and they go scooting off in all directions....love em!!!!

No Chickens......but Ranger Jane is sworn in!

Birding Update

A chicken free day today! Though Ste thinks selecting chicken from the menu tonight sort of counts! Anyway departure was at 6am, so a lay in! In Colorado National Monument, breathtaking scenery. Pinyon Jay was the only lifer, but few sweeties, especially Juniper Titmouse and Gambrels Quail, the latter sports a fine 1920 Charleston Feather...adorable!   

Trip Update 

Sue and Becky, if your reading this, found this book thought we could do a high balls and high heals day, at the office! Though not sure the guys would join in, then again! 

Added another string to my bow today and became a Junior Ranger. Mary and I were the only two in the group to undertake the gruelling exam. Normally takes two hours...but we were fast tracked! Passed with flying colours, have raised our right hands and sworn a pledge to protect nature and bring Ranger Lance Pizza and Ice-Cream! We both are proudly sporting our Ranger Badges, and have posed for many photos, in both the Charlie's Angles style and arms folded, shade wearing, dude rappers...looking mean! 

Lunch stop was interesting today! Choices limited as Easter Sunday! So we ended up in a Buffett! A cross section of humanity were dinning, most of which would have probably shot us if we engaged them in a debate on the origins of the species! 

Long drive to next location, just rediscovered Maroon 5 on IPod, singing to myself! Up early for the somewhat frenetic boogie master...The Sharp-tailed Grouse! 

A Grouse in the Sage....and who on earth fries Brussel Sprouts!!!!

Birding Update

Well yesterday I froze my behind as well as all my little digits, sat in a hide an hour before dawn in silent wait for Gunnison Sage Grouse. These guys prefer puffing their chests over smooth moves to impress but are awesome to watch all the same. As we waited the landscape was flooded with moonlight and a pack of coyotes called in the distance....wonderful! 

Today it was the turn of the Dusky Grouse..out @ 5am & in the bag by 7am...he is a handsome chap! 

Trip Waffle 

All the ladies in the group have adopted our young 28 year old Canadian, Mitchell, expressing varying levels of concern about his nutritional intake.  I'm  never really quite sure if he is embarrassed by the substitute mums or secretly enjoying the attention! 

Mitchell 

At our restaurant last night, Ste ordered himself a bowel of fried brussel sprouts...which attracted varying levels of response and prompted a lengthy discussion on the merits of the afore mentioned vegetable.We have also partaken, as it would be rude not too, in some rather interesting local beers! Ste has found a drinking partner,...Paul....originally from Stoke....with whom he can wax lyrical about the finer points of the afore mentioned beverages! 

With these early mornings...up at 4 am most days...I have been scouring the gas station shelves for Red Bull....considered a substitute called 'Monster Rehab' but rejected as the ingredients we decided were not of this earth...well we did not recognise any of them.

Not content with defending the fine game of cricket...we suffered an attack on Rugby today...the rules of the game are a mystery to our over the pond compatriots...their understanding was not helped when after informing them that Ste used to play Hooker...he promptly appeared from the toilet and on being quizzed responded with 'Rules...well they don't really matter' don't think he will be getting a job with the overseas Rugby Promtion Board!

At our lunch-stop requested a turkey free - turkey sandwich, which caused a deal of confusion in the kitchen, was meant to get Swiss cheese, tomato @ onion....a hushed conversation was over heard by one of the group as the waitress told the kitchen staff I think she's a vegetarian....so I got a lettuce sandwich...scoffed this down and spent the next 20 mins drooling over the pie menu...will power won the day! Awesome selection......Cindy mate you would have been in heaven!!

Yummy Pies 

Signs for the day

Love that one! 

Found this one in the ladies of our lunchtime stop....not sure why Cow Girls need to hang out in the toilet....but may have something to do with another sign which said 'Female bar staff wanted....to sit on laps and generally be lusted over'! The loo must provide sanctuary! 

A Rockie Adventure!!!

White bird on white snow fields.....errrrr......no chance! My little digits are frozen.....nose is bright red...most attractive...but the sun is shinning and there is little wind....and it's stunning...sort of speechless stunning!

Quick IPhone shot from bus! 

Jesse, our 6'7" guide, strides off up the mountain side in search of a White Tailed Ptarmigan....and yes he finds one....in true American style lots of post viewing hooting and hollering...and some 'that was most satisfactory' mumbles from us reserved Brits, followed by some quick sword fencing between Ste and I with our new sporty walking poles as a celebratory gesture. I think Jesse will be inundated with beers tonight! 

Jesse our WTP finding guide 

Amusing signs for today....

Not sure what they give unattended husbands! 

In search of Sage Grouse tomorrow...more delectable dancing dandies!!!!!