Exercise and Hunting

For two weeks I didn't run and I walked as little as possible. I am dealing with an episode of plantar fasciitis. When rest didn't get rid of the pain, I searched the internet for suggestions. I followed the advice and last Friday began running again. It feels so good to be outside, exercising and experiencing nature. Exercise is good for both my body and also for my spirit.

Today we rode our bikes and went hunting—not with guns, but with cameras. Lathrop State Park includes land managed by the park but owned by the Colorado Department of Fish and Wildlife. Horseshoe Lake is there, as well as several wetland areas, one with a duck viewing blind.

We started out crossing the Horseshoe Dam, where we have been running the past week. We can't ask for a more beautiful place to get our exercise. This morning we saw a Blue Heron and a Western Grebe. This is a picture of Horseshoe—it is a wake-free body of water. There were at least six boats out fishing when we went hunting.

The trail over the dam also looks down on the pond at the end of the Wetlands Nature Trail. What a peaceful place.

On the west side of the lake, we took a path down to the water's edge, startling a Red Racer snake. We have never seen one before. This is a link to a photo I found on the internet. www.members.tripod.com/jrreptile/id83.htm

The snake is really red and was about 4 feet long. We watched it slither down into its hole. While John waited to try and get a picture of the snake, I took pictures of birds in the trees.

We stopped at a next pond we found Cedar Waxwings. I couldn't get close enough to get a decent picture. However, at the next pond, we had a spectacular view of several Yellow-Headed Blackbirds. Isn't this a striking bird?

We also got close to the duck blind. We'll have to wait a while to use it, unless we want to go wading.