When my sweetheart visited me a few days ago in the middle of a cold Colorado winter, we went out for a birding walk at one of the few lakes or streams not covered with ice. Sue and I had met as each of us was returning to the lower 48 in August from Alaska on the M/V Kennicott, and this was her first visit here.

Fortuitously, Sue was here at the same time that my friend Marveen was visiting Colorado. Marveen’s invitation for me to visit her and her husband in Alaska had made it possible for Sue and me to meet. And Marveen took this shot of this loving couple.

My Sweetheart and Me

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Under the circumstances I might be forgiven if I had skipped the bird photography. But we found many colorful birds on Clear Creek in Prospect Park. My favorite was this little teal.

A Green-winged Teal Quacks as it Swims Past Us

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We saw lots of northern shovelers in the distance on the lakes at Prospect Park, but only one on Clear Creek. But this one colorful male was enough.

The Broad Beak Explains Why We Call This Bird a Shoveler

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Gadwalls are easy to confuse with the much more common mallards. In fact, I don’t remember ever photographing one before, although I guess that I’ve seen a lot.

The Understated Feather Pattern of a Male Gadwall Has a Subtle Beauty

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No wonder I’m happy!