He or she (the males and females look the same) were picking the last remaining berries from a Buckthorn Tree. I've not seen a Cedar Waxwing in quite some time and it was a nice change from the Chickadees and Downy Woodpeckers that make up about 75% of all the birds I see this time of year. There was just one other item that I found interesting on this late January day, but was not a bird. 
Red-tails to me are much easier to bump than other Hawks. It seems that once they realize you are looking at them they immediately fly off which is why I have so many photos just like this! Shortly after this I spotted another Red-tailed just down the path but it too flew off the minute I looked at him through my binoculars. On the south west side a bird suddenly flew into view atop a tree inside the patch and began flicking it's tail. I seemed rather large and at first I couldn't figure out what it was. When it turned it's back to me is when I realized it was a Northern Shrike who was carrying a mouse! When it first landed it looked like the mouse was part of the bird's head thus making it's head look unusually large. This is now the 4th time I've seen a Shrike with a catch -all 4 times a rodent of some kind but I'm guessing a mouse. 
They must be easy picking this time of year for the Shrikes. Later I spotted a Shrike again and I'm not sure if it was the same one but it was singing like crazy. They make some pretty beautiful sounds for such a carnivorous bird. I ended up taking a video and capturing the sound and have posted it to my flickr page here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/59831440@N04/ Later I saw quite a few bright red male Cardinals, Downy Woodpeckers and lots of Chickadees. Oh and for the first time this season, I couldn't locate "Waldo" the Wood Duck over on the southwest side with the Mallards.
There were also ice crystals in the sky making a bit of a rainbow effect against the clouds as the sun already began to lower in the sky.
In fact he was sitting up on the snow bank by himself. I wonder how he'll fare when the temps drop. A short time later as we were walking up the west side of the park we could see some other hikers looking and pointing towards the middle. We then noticed some movement and spotted at least 5 or more Deer. 
Others appeared quickly and before our eyes more and more began to group underneath a thick patch of Buckthorn trees. It was hard to count them all but we think there were around 15 or so. This is the largest group of Deer I've seen in quite a while and we wondered if they were "herding" in regards to the pending shift in weather. The group worked it's way southward and eventually into the cattails. We didn't see a whole lot else save for one Red-bellied Woodpecker near the end of our hike.
The other thing is that it was quite cold today - around 10º with a brisk wind and he wasn't even on the leewards side of the big tree. I figured right off that he was dead but I swear I could see him breathing. I approached a bit closer and slowly he kind of rolled his head up to look at me but never quite lifted it all the way up. I wasn't sure what to do, or even if I should do anything but I decided to call a friend of mine with experience in wildlife rehabilitation. He explained that Racoons commonly suffer from distemper, at which point there is not much that can be done by anyone, even a rehabilitation facility as there is no known treatment for the virus. He further explained that the most common way a Raccoon might contract the disease is through contact with a domestic dog -though it doesn't need to be actual "physical" contact as the virus can be airborne and still infective. 
To me the Raccoon appeared to be lethargic and moving slowly which fit some of the symptoms. Apparently one of the most obvious symptoms of distemper is discharge from, or crusted over eyes, but that didn't seem to present in this guy -at least not yet. It was kind of a bummer but there was nothing we could do but let nature take it's course. It was neat to finally get a photo of a Raccoon in the park but I wish it hadn't happened this way. On the southwest side I stopped to find "Waldo" the Wood Duck still hanging out with all the Mallards. As I was looking for him, the entire group of ducks thought I was going to feed them and they ALL flew up onto the banks and walked right up underneath me. 
I thought it was kind of funny and didn't move but just let them huddle around me. It gave me a chance to grab a few closeups of the Drake's iridescent green/blue heads as the group quacked loudly. The sun was already starting to set by now and as I hurried on to the north end of the park the sky presented some beautiful orange tones with shaded dark clouds passing by. Some of the best sunset can be seen in wintertime but they are very short lived compared to summer. 
Later I met up with my friend to take another look at the Raccoon who was still in the same place an hour later but had started to actually get up and move around a bit. After this the two of us decided on a whim to hike out into the middle of the park -in the dark- and hopefully scare up an interesting Raptor or two. As we hiked out there we could periodically catch a glimpse of a Vole scurrying across the snow, looking frantically for another hole to disappear into again. I couldn't believe how easy it was to see out there even at night and without a moon of any kind. The sky was overcast so the glow of the city provided just enough light though we never did see anything of interest but was still kind of fun.
It was indeed his most recent catch - another mouse! For all the years I've been seeing Shrikes at Palmer Lake Park, I've never once seen them with a catch until just recently. Today however marks the third time I've seen one with a mouse in just one short week! I wanted to know just exactly how they eat one, if they use their feet to hold the mouse while pulling at it or what. I kept trying to get closer but every time I did, the Shrike would fly off to another perch, carrying it's prey with him. I probably should have observed a bit more with my binoculars but since seeing one with it's prey for the first time only a week ago, I'm wanting badly to a get a good photo of this. So I stalked him back and forth from tree to tree while he used the time in between to pick at the mouse. Though I never did get quite as close as I would have liked, from what I can tell, the Shrike never touched the mouse with his feet at all. Instead he seemed to hook or wrap the mouse around a twig to create leverage so he could then pull it apart with his hooked beak. 
By this time he was making quick work of the mouse and when he turned it a certain way it looked like maybe he'd eaten it's head off first! This second photo is probably the most graphic perspective I got. At one point I could see him appear to tip his head back as he swallowed little chunks of the mouse. Ever since learning about Shrikes, this is what I've always wanted to witness and today I got quite the show. I suppose that they have been taking advantage of all the rodents running out through their runways in the snow just like I've been seeing myself lately. I'm sure this Shrike was annoyed at me, bumping him out from tree to tree as he attempted to enjoy his lunch. He was certainly intent on eating it now as he took it with him every time he moved. 
Eventually I lost sight of him when he moved to another section of thick branches and by now I knew I'd never get any closer than I had already gotten. I would have like to see if he ate the feet and tail or not.
Could it have been the same one I wondered? Immediately upon spotting this one, I dropped down to my knees among the bent-over cattails. I assumed he probably saw this movement but as I knelt there, camera pointing right at him, it was clear he didn't see me and started trotting straight towards me! I couldn't believe my luck as he continued coming closer and closer. As he neared maybe 35 feet, a thought popped into my head "what was my plan when he gets right up to me?" Then I thought I'll never ever get this close to one again, who cares! I would stand my ground and let him come right up if he was brave enough. Well that wasn't necessary as only a few feet further he stopped to look inquisitively at me. 
He turned his head to the side and as my shutter clicked, he abruptly did a 360 and headed the opposite way. At the closest distance he was to me, I was so nervous that my last photo turned out totally crummy, but at least I managed to get these and I was more than happy! This was by far he closest I've ever came to one but I'm now even more convinced than ever that they are completely harmless and not to be feared in any way. Once he realized what I was he, wanted no part of me. Oh I almost forgot to mention that I got a little sidetracked before walking up the creek the first time as I spotted a Northern Shrike with a mouse in his beak! I tried to get a photo but of course he turned the opposite way so that I couldn't see the mouse. Later on the north side of the park I heard an Owl "whoo" and I decided to walk into the woods for a closer look. It took me a while to spot him and when I did he immediately flew out to another tree. 
It was then that I realized there were a pair of Great Horned Owls! I then decided to stalk the one still closer to me but every time I got near, it would swoop down and up to another tree further away. The frozen snow was quite loud and with all the twigs and grasses underneath I was making quite a bit of noise, making it hard not to spook them. 
I was getting a bit frustrated being so close and then having them move on me every time. The trees here were also fairly thick and it was even harder to get an unobstructed view of them. Finally I neared one of them again and realized they were both perched in the same tree! Then another few steps closer, I thought I saw a third one! But this was another Raptor all together - a Red-tailed Hawk who seemed to be telling the pair of Owls "I was here first!" I've never seen an Owl and a Hawk this close to one another before and I just had to take a photo, though they'll look like just dots I'm sure. Click on the photo for a larger view and you can see that both Owls are staring up at the Hawk. Quite funny I thought.
It has been fun but worrisome to see him there this late into the season –as at this point I doubt he would even try to make it back south. Like many times he was swimming about with at least 50+ other Mallards. I took lots of photo of him with Mallards surrounding him but the neatest photo I got was mostly of him alone with sparkling water drops and ice crystals clinging to his bright plumage. You wouldn't think by this picture alone that the park was currently covered in snow and it was the first of January!
