Kiwi Visitors June 5


We had the pleasure of sharing a little piece of Colorado with visitors from New Zealand early this summer. Angela and Tim stayed one night and took our whirlwind highlights tour of Rocky and Estes Park.

Kiwi visitors, Angela and Tim

Tim especially enjoyed the high alpine experience on Trail Ridge Road where we walked around at an elevation higher than the highest point in New Zealand, Mt Cook.


Angela and Tim enjoying a snowfield along Trail Ridge Road

Angela is a bird lover so along the way we sought out species she wouldn't have an opportunity to see back home, which is just about any bird except the House Sparrow and Mallard!


Great Horned Owl on a cliff in Estes Park



Great Horned Owlet in its nest before fledging



Broad-tailed Hummingbird at the Baldpate Inn

Broad-tailed Hummingbird on its nest


Williamson's Sapsucker

New Zealand comes up a little short on mammals, so we took them to one of the local beaver ponds where the little guys put on a good show.


North American Beaver


Beaver heading to its lodge with dinner

The next day before they headed up to Wyoming, we did a very quick birding tour of the Lake Estes area. They got to see a raven mobbing an immature bald eagle, among other things.


Susan and Angela at Lake Estes



A Raven buzzes an immature Bald Eagle at Lake Estes


The eagle found a better perch

Angela is also an artist and sent us an original drawing of a Pileated Woodpecker in her thank you note. I have collected quite a few of her art cards and enjoy her whimsical interpretations of birds and other species.


Angela's pileated woodpecker art

Angela aka "Lemurkat" has a wonderful blog with many more of her original art cards.