I took a stroll down the Audubon Trail in Grand Junction in hopes of viewing some wildlife and I was not disappointed.

I wasn't really sure what to expect, but it seemed like a good day for wildlife viewing. It was a cold, cloudy afternoon in Grand Junction. I wanted to do a hike, but I didn't want to go too far, so I chose the Audubon Trail in the Redlands. The trail leads to the Connected Lakes at James M. Robb Colorado River State Park.

There were plenty of ducks on the water, and I did see a rabbit, but I wanted more. Shortly after exploring an area that deer were obviously using to bed down, I saw a buck prancing along in the distance. I didn't feel my chances were good of getting close, but it was worth a try.

I watched him going in the opposite direction for as long as I could. As he disappeared into the thick brush, I paused and waited to see what would happen. I figured he would slow down and stop once he reached cover.

The next thing I knew he had reversed direction and was now going the same direction I was on the trail. It looked like he was heading to the area I had just explored, and sure enough, he continued on and crossed the trail about 50 yards in front of me.

I zoomed in as close as I could, but my camera was inadequate for the task at hand. I captured a photo of the buck as he crossed my path and disappeared. The photo isn't the greatest but the experience of having a successful wildlife excursion made my day. You just never know what you may encounter on the Audubon Trail.

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