6 & 50 Reservoir was another one of those places I discovered online while looking for new bird photography locations. Managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), it takes its name from U.S. Routes 6 and 50, which share the same roadway through this part of western Mesa County. Human traffic is usually light, though over the course of my visits I did encounter a few people there. On one evening, I even helped a man jumpstart his pickup truck—the same evening I spotted my first Burrowing Owl.

Finding and photographing the owls became my main reason for returning. It took several visits before I finally spotted one, and I drove the thirty miles back the next morning hoping for another chance. This time, I found one perched at the edge of a prairie dog burrow. After several more trips, I had managed to build a nice collection of photos, but the best moment came when I was fortunate enough to watch four baby owlets emerge from the burrow.

Although the reservoir is not far from I-70 and the little town of Mack, it can feel surprisingly isolated. The Riverfront Trail is much busier, and people often stop to ask what I am looking for. I almost always welcome those encounters, but this quieter place gives me something different: the chance to be alone with nature, to slow down, and to let the outing unfold on its own. There is something healing in those solo excursions.

On my last visit, the reservoir was already well on its way to drying up. Others who know the place told me that is fairly typical, especially under the drought conditions we have been experiencing. I know the water will return eventually, and when it does, I look forward to going back to see what birds and other surprises may be waiting there.