The locomotive in the photograph was made in Chama, New Mexico. It was not a very nicer morning, overcast and slight drizzle not what I wanted. Locomotive 487 was switching passenger cars that were going to take some children on a train ride.

I decided to put my 80 to 400 mm lens on my camera, to get a close up view, without getting run over by a train. I made this capture. When I got home I decided to crop the photo very tight, then convert it to black and white resulting in what appears to be a locomotive coming out of the haze.

They get a lot of snow in the high country where the C & T runs, hence the very large snow plow pilot (cow catcher) and note all of the dents.

The Cumbries & Toltec is owned and operated by the states of Colorado and New Mexico and crosses the state line 13 times between Chama, NM and Antonito, Colorado.

Herb and Nada Mahler Family Aviary
Milwaukee County Zoo
December 2021

The Baikal teal is a dabbling duck that breeds in eastern Russia and winters in East Asia. A dabbling duck feeds mainly at the surface rather than by diving.

Baikal teal by Paul Sager, on Flickr


The Milwaukee County Zoo originally opened as the West Park Zoo in 1892. In 1900, the zoo expanded and become the Washington Park Zoo. Although still located in Washington Park, the zoo changed its name to the Milwaukee County Zoological Gardens in 1953.

Inca terns are native to the same region of South America as the ancient Inca Empire —- hence their common name.

Inca tern


The Victoria crowned pigeon is distributed in the lowland and swamp forests of northern New Guinea and surrounding islands.

Victoria Crowned Pigeon


Chevrotains are small even-toed ungulates found in forests in South and Southeast Asia. They are solitary or live in pairs, and feed almost exclusively on plant material. Chevrotains are the smallest hoofed mammals in the world.

Chevrotain


Herbert Mahler retired as president of the local and family-owned Henri's Food Products. Both Herb and Nada Mahler passed away in 2004 after 52 years of marriage. When the Mahlers sold the business, the sale brought $41.5 million. In 1996, the Mahlers donated $1 million to the Milwaukee County Zoo for the Mahler Family Aviary.

The spotted whistling duck resides in Indonesia, New Guinea and the Philippines.

Spotted Whistling Duck