Secrets of Redtail Cove
No, that is not the title of the latest popular YA novel but it sure sounds like it should be. Rather, it’s a small, picturesque inlet of Redtail Lake that is located in South Platte Park in Littleton dubbed “Redtail Cove” by fellow photographer Maureen. This cove is occasionally self-standing when the water level is low and its narrow west “passage” becomes a strip of land. Its eastern passage is dammed up, effectively creating a barrier between the cove and the South Platte River behind it. This cove is especially striking in the Fall when the trees surrounding it cast reflections rich in colors that serve as lovely backgrounds for any birds in or near the cove. As always, click on any image to view fuller screen.
Above - View of the width of Redtail Cove. Note how the Fall colors of the trees reflect into the water
In the summer, birds are rarely in the water as our waterfowl generally don’t arrive until October and November. Instead, I look for Great Blue Herons, Black-Crowned Night Herons and Snowy Egrets to line the shores. The images below show how popular the strip of land on the east end of the cove is with large shorebirds. The large blue-gray bird is a Great Blue Heron, the white bird is a Snowy Egret, and the brown bird is a juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron.
Above - The late light caught this Great Blue Heron just at the right time to create this peaceful scene
Above - I took this several years ago when the water level was really low and Great Blue Herons were easily snapping fish out of the water
Below are some more recent images of the juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron that made this area its home in late summer and early fall.
Above - This juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron almost seemed to be skulking in the shadows when he suddenly got into a patch of great light
Above - This is the last photo I got of the juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron on its way out of the park in beautiful golden early evening Fall light
This current Fall yielded a few Wood Ducks and even a Pied-Billed Grebe that found the shallow waters of the cove perfect for plucking fish out of the water. In fact, a female Wood Duck and a Pied-billed Grebe of indeterminate sex (the male and female look alike outside of breeding season, which this is) hung around together and seemed to be best buds. That’s unusual for the grebe which despite its cuteness can be aggressive.
The first two rows of images below show the Wood Ducks from this Fall (the male is the really colorful one) while the rows below that show the Pied-billed Grebe.
Above - This image makes me chuckle. Pied-billed Grebes rarely fly, opting usually for a cross between running, scooting and low-altitude flying. The Grebe wanted to make sure it got past me so it resorted to that hybrid movement, creating quite a wake behind it.
Above - Possibly my favorite reflection shot ever from this location shows this Pied-billed Grebe that created rings around itself when it dived for fish.
Above - This image is from a few years ago and was the first time I saw a Pied-billed Grebe catch a fish! I was shocked to see it easily get the entire fish down its throat.
Northern Shovelers and Mergansers, both Common and Hooded, become plentiful as the temperature drops, swimming in the water daily until Spring calls them to their summer homes. Conversely, many Double-crested Cormorants leave Colorado in the Fall for warmer climes.
Above - This mated pair of Hooded Mergansers (the male is on the left) glided into some perfect light here earlier this year.
Above - Even a Double-crested Cormorant found his way to Redtail Cove to pose for me in the golden reflected water
Well, going to make this short so I can get to work on my next mythical YA novel, Secrets of a Bird Photographer. Nah, too dull! (Feel free to drop a comment or question below)