Discovering the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge
![2015.02.11RMANWR06](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7302/16342672187_ee47abcde4_z.jpg)
For a while now, I've been following a wildlife photography group here along the Front Range of Colorado. Some of the fabulous photographers there alerted me to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. I had seen the signs for it and remember when they cleaned up what used to be a huge weapons arsenal on the northeast side of Denver, but I had never been there.
It turns out that I drive very near it on my way to and from work, so last week, I decided to stop on my way home after my last night of work that week. I like to try and stay up that day so I can be more functional for the rest of my days off, but I always need something to keep me active and interested in order to do so! It was a beautiful warm mid-winter day with interesting clouds and some blue sky away from the hazy mountains. The view across some of the ponds was lovely. I sat here and watched two coyotes hunting in a field behind me and saw my first Northern Harrier hawk!
![2015.02.11RMANWR07](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8595/16341122060_1379c1b1a4_z.jpg)
The drive through the refuge is about 9 miles long and takes one past many ponds filled with a nice variety of waterfowl.
![2015.02.11RMANWR02](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7444/16342682877_e50d660e14_z.jpg)
On the west end, a bit of open prairie looks back towards downtown Denver.
![2015.02.11RMANWR01](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7400/16340909328_7ae5de498f_z.jpg)
There is a large variety of wildlife from the small critters like cottontail rabbits;
![2015.02.11RMANWR03](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8574/15906014824_81cb8352c0_z.jpg)
lots of prairie dogs;
![2015.02.11RMANWR09](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7448/15908393253_2697b13669_z.jpg)
a herd of enormous buffalo, lots of deer, both white tail and mule deer, and an ever changing variety of birds!
![2015.02.18RockyMtnArsenalNWR](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7333/16386466560_33ce6cf808_z.jpg)
I enjoyed it so much that I decided to repeat the drive on my way home this week. The bit of snow that Denver had this past week caused it to look much different!
![2015.02.18Deer](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7433/16572268801_27d0d63d1a_z.jpg)
The deer were very active and I saw at least four herds of mule deer and one of white tail deer.
![2015.02.18MuleDeer](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7392/16386470180_f8cde92d2d_z.jpg)
This doe has a lovely face! They have tagged a few animals in each herd to track their movements.
![2015.02.18HoodedMerganzers](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7398/15951363364_ccd7e98b17_z.jpg)
Driving past one of the lakes, I had to stop and do some birdwatching. How wonderful to see these fun Hooded Merganzers! I had never seen them before, so quite a treat!
![2015.02.18Bunny](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7304/16386287258_1c73dc9d6b_z.jpg)
But the biggest joy of my morning was to watch the cottontails! This one thought she was hiding from me while enjoying the early morning sunshine.
![2015.02.18BunnyDance01](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7301/16573957035_cff62d802c_z.jpg)
Nearby, I watched this pair of cottontails leaping and dancing around one another! They went on and on for the longest time, till at last they went their separate ways. I so wish that my camera had been able to do video as it was something to watch them bouncing way up into the air, under and over one another!
![2015.02.18BunnyDance02](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8675/16573954355_4498a747bd_z.jpg)
Such leaps!
![2015.02.18BunnyDance04](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8576/16387638679_58c825305b_z.jpg)
And flying snow...
![2015.02.18BunnyDance03](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7392/16547938096_bbd6a879e8_z.jpg)
While it looked like a wonderful dance of fun, I suspect that it was actually more of a territorial dispute! Witnessing this was definitely was the highlight of my week so far!
What a delight to discover this large natural area so close to Denver and just a few short minutes off my usual path home! It has been a wonderful way to unwind from the stresses of work before I head home for the rest of the week!
Comments
I loved seeing the buffalo with the city in the distance.
The bunnies were a real treat! You captured them well.
Thank you so much for sharing ~ FlowerLady