Tag Archives: Wildlife

An Early Spring Day

April 12, 2020 Troy

With many people taking shelter in theirs homes, the need to get outside for a little change is needed more and more. Fortunately getting out for a walk is encouraged when possible causing parks to be very popular places now. I’ve been able to explore a few places nearby on weekends and I’ve never seen these places so busy. Parking lots are full beyond capacity and signs of people out in nature are visible on many trails with napkins or tissues littering the ground. Whether it’s intentional or accidental I’m not sure. Wildlife must be a little confused on why their normally quiet places are now over run with people out wondering through. Hopefully they can still manage to find calm places as they prepare to raise their newborns soon. While joining these people out visiting nature, I’m reminded of why spring is such a great time of year to view wildlife.

Typically things become a lot more active as birds are migrating north and other creatures are emerging from hibernation. In addition leaves have not yet sprouted making them easier to locate. You can almost see these creatures enjoying a beautiful day taking in the suns rays finally warming up after enduring many cold months. While perched next to my car trying to find a little warmth myself on this cold morning, it was 19 degrees when I arrived, I noticed a large bird take off from a dead tree that I hadn’t noticed before. It flew a short distance and landed on the ground acting kind of like a Northern Harrier Hawk to me. A few minutes later it lifted from the ground returning to its form perch. By this time I had the camera pointed towards it capturing a photo of it landing again. When I went to view this picture on the camera screen I was surprised to identify this bird as a juvenile Eagle. Another surprise when viewing this picture was that another Eagle was also perched in this tree on a branch below.

Watching these Eagles for awhile became less interesting as they just stood their doing what appeared to be a whole lot of nothing. After awhile I caught movement in the sky above me which turned out to be an adult Eagle. I focused the camera on this Eagle in the sky and watched as it approached these two young birds. With appeared as though it wanted to land on this same tree which seemed a bit strange to me as Eagles tend not to want to be that close to other birds during the spring and summer. With only a quiet sound it came in for a landing and the two juvenile Eagles took off. Almost as if the adult was telling the young ones to get out and do something you lazy birds. They began flying around circling the adult a few times and then disappeared. As I continued my drive a little while later, I found these two lazy birds perched in another tree away from where the adult was. It brought a smile to my face thinking that Eagles have to motivate their young from time to time also.

Earlier in the morning I stopped to explore a prairie area looking for the earliest spring blooms of a Pasque flower. It was my goal the week before, along with finding colorful mushrooms, but I did not succeed in locating a plant in bloom as it was a bit too early yet. The trail had some heavy frost on it confirming the cold entering my hands and nose. It was beautiful but not the awe inspiring frosts I’ve seen before. Again I must be too early. No sign of the beautiful Pasque flower even thinking about raising it’s light purple blooms towards the sky. My short hike continued through the prairie without seeing any signs of life but still enjoying all the birds chattering in the trees nearby.

As I continued on my journey through the park I encountered some Sandhill Cranes. These are such fascinating birds to me and I just love watching and listening to them whenever there’s a chance. During the fall migrations through this same area there will be thousands of these birds congregating together but now they mostly stay in pairs warning other cranes this is their territory at the moment. My first indication that other cranes where flying nearby was the head raising squawks of those on the ground I was watching. Fortunately I was able to capture such a moment as two Sandhill Cranes were crossing the road in front of me.

Those cranes continued on into the nearby wetlands where they’re commonly found pecking here and there at what must have been things to eat. They made a wide circle around me eventually continuing on to wherever it was they wanted to go. Meanwhile I just stood next to my car glancing now and then in their direction and occasionally lifting my camera to capture a shot. My goal is to disturb wildlife as little as possible so I try not to chase after them attempting to get a better picture. I would rather miss a shot and let the animal stay calm when possible. Patience is often rewarded as these cranes paused in some nice sunlight allowing me to grab a few photos of them before they moved on. I could have stayed here all day just watching and listening as the animals continue to meander around.

Adventures, Isle Royale National Park, Troy's Blog

Isle Royale – A Moose Close Up and Personal

March 29, 2020 Troy

A day after hiking into Siskiwit Bay I wanted to back track on the trail we came in on the day before. We passed a beautiful meadow in full bloom that I wanted to take a few photos of. On the way I was talking with my cousin, who was also coming with, and noticed something unusual out of the corner of my eye. There was a line of trees to our right. Studying this cluster of trees I saw something move on the other side of them. It turned out to be a bull moose grazing. We stopped to watch it for awhile. A couple of other hikers appeared on the trail at this moment stopping in there tracks wondering what we were looking at. After spotting the moose they watched until it laid down in the trees and then they continued on. We decided to move on also and see if we could locate the moose on our way back.

Wondering around the meadow, all that was missing was a nice blue sky with a few soft, white clouds passing by. Unfortunately there were more clouds than sun making the meadow less spectacular but still beautiful. We spent about 20 minutes taking pictures and decided to head back towards our shelter. On the way back I headed towards the trees where the moose was earlier in hopes of being able to find it in a more photogenic place. As I was nearing the trees my cousin began to yell in a hushed voice “He’s still there!” I immediately stopped, looked up and spotted him close to where we left him but he was standing now. Watching him again he was just following the tree line away from us while foraging for leaves along the way.

I decided to quickly walk down the trail trying to get ahead of this moose. There was a clearing in the trees and if he continued to move in the same direction, would give me an opportunity for a nice shot. Successfully moving into position, I crouched down near a clump of trees and got my camera ready. My cousin continued down the trail and found another spot to potentially photograph the moose also. In a matter of minutes the moose was nearing the opening as I was hoping for. I began to shoot away and enjoyed watching as the moose lingered near this opening in the trees. He seemed to be continuing on near the tree line but suddenly stopped. I could see his ears now above his head pointed towards my cousin. I could hear my cousin shifting from time to time and the moose seemed to be able to hear it also.

Now the moose backed up and looked back and forth through the opening in the trees which began to make me nervous and excited at the same time. It provided a nice opportunity to get some close up photos of a full sized bull moose but I’m feeling in the way of where the moose may want to go. After glancing my way the moose turned once again towards his original direction bringing a small sigh of relief. I was now ready for the moose to continue on allowing me to exit without a confrontation being quite sure which one of us would win in a direct confrontation. The odds were not in my favor. A few steps towards the trees and the moose stopped again and paused with ears pinned forward.

Once again the moose retreated a few steps and turn towards me. Only this time he took more steps in my direction causing my heartbeat to pick up. A thrilling and unnerving situation to be in. I continued to take advantage while I could and photograph the moose. My camera was on manual focus in order to minimize the noise as I snapped pictures. This monstrous animal continued to move in my direction heading straight for me. At this point I stopped focusing my lens in order to keep as still as possible hoping the approaching moose wouldn’t notice I was there. As the moose got closer and closer I was trying to figure out my escape plan. What are my chances if I play ring around the trees with this large animal? Just a few lengths away, I snapped one last photo before this adult bull moose turned feet from me and ran around the clump of trees I was crouching behind.

Breathing a sigh of relief I realized I had been holding my breath for some time now in an effort to remain still as the moose worked his way towards me. It took me a few seconds to regain enough strength in my legs to stand up and begin to walk towards my cousin. Turning around to look back at where I was and where the moose traveled, I wanted to figure out just how close it was. Fortunately the moose’s footprints were still in the grass allowing me to track exactly where it went. In the picture below, there’s a clump of trees just to the right of the trail with a downed tree in front of it. I was right next to this clump near the trail. The moose came close to the other side of that clump wanting to exit the forest on this side. Stepping off his closest point to me, I measured about 15 feet between me and the moose before it changed direction. WAY TOO CLOSE! Fortunate for me there was no incident. My adrenaline started pumping at this wild experience. Later that day I wondered, “did the moose also sigh relief believing it almost got killed?”

Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

A May Morning Watching Migrating Birds

May 25, 2019 Troy

A beautiful early May morning was begging for my attention as the landscape around me was coming back to life with plants finally leafing out after a long, cold winter and birds returning from their southern hiatus seeming to finally relax a little as the sun continued to warm the air. I was hoping to find a few ducks stopping by a local pond to refuel before continuing North to find a good spot to nest however there were few to be found. In their place were many different types of birds. Some I’ve seen before and others were a new find.

Several of these Lessor Yellowlegs were combing the shoreline looking for their next meal. After initially taking off from the area they quickly returned once I was settled in a downed tree waiting for wildlife to begin moving again. In a short amount of time these shore birds continued on with their tasks with little concern for the new creature invading their temporary place allowing for some nice close up photos as they seemed to continually fight over this particular log jutting out into the shallow water. They were very entertaining!

Occasionally I would have visitors to nearby trees, at times even in the same tree I was perched in. The bird above is a Yellow Rumped Warbler in full breeding plumage. Several of these warblers visited my area, each one unique and beautiful. I would watch for the few seconds they would remain still as they returned my gaze attempting to figure out what I was doing before continuing on in their quest for food.

Throughout the morning a few other warblers flew by and stopped for a brief moment to say hello. At least that’s what it seemed like although the Palm Warbler above seems a bit confused while trying to figure out what this big eye was doing pointed right at it. I’m not sure if it could see it’s reflection in the lens or not. The Yellow Warbler below flew by me multiple times. Finally during one of those passes it decided to land in the tree I was crouched in and gave me an opportunity to get my camera in place capturing a few pictures of it and then it was gone.

After residing among tree branches for over four hours it was difficult to stand up and get walking again. Well worth the morning enjoying a spring day with all of this wildlife moving around me. Over the course of the morning there were some ducks, swans, eagles, a mink, and a deer swimming across the pond to add to all of these birds coming and going. A lot of fun!

New Experiences, Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Returning to the Rookery

April 21, 2019 Troy

This past winter I was talking to some photographers who mentioned a Great Blue Heron rookery (nesting site) relatively close to me and that no matter what the weather, herons begin to return in March. One nice early spring day, the first day of spring in fact, I took some time to stop by and see where this place was and if the herons were indeed returning yet. To my surprise there were many birds already there squabbling over which nest they wanted. There were several nests still unoccupied so I expect there will be more birds migrating to the area as spring progresses.

While watching several pairs of Great Blue Herons it was interesting to observe how they interacted with each other and with other herons in the area. Each checking different nests trying to pick just the right one to raise new little herons and defending that nest from others. I focused on one pair for awhile, watching and photographing some of their behaviors, as I continued to learn more about these larger birds. After checking a few nests thoroughly, they seemed to settle on one. However, that one nest still required some work before it would be suitable to lay eggs into.

At one point there seemed to be a discussion and disagreement over an aspect of this nest which you can see from the photo above. I couldn’t tell what the issue was but the result was one of the herons flying away from the nest to find solitude in the river banks below. The picture below shows the Great Blue Heron taking off from the nest while the other one continues to inspect parts of the potential nest. While away, the remaining bird made some adjustments to the sticks improving this chosen nesting site.

Five minutes later this heron returned to the nest and the pair seemed to make up and act as though they missed one another. For a couple of minutes they spent time kind of cuddling with one another before returning to the task of re-enforcing their nest. In the picture below you can see them with their heads crossed almost as if they were hugging. Maybe this is just some sort of method of checking out if they had been near another bird or reconnecting their bond. Whatever it was it was interesting to witness.

Part of reconstructing their nest involved flying to another vacant nest, and stealing branches that could be used on their own nest showing why getting to the rookery earlier in the year was beneficial and worth risking exposure to bad weather which could include snow. And lots of it!

It’s interesting to watch as they would check several branches for just to right one for their own nest. Once the branch was chosen they would, not so carefully remove it from the nest and fly back with it in mouth.

After several sticks added and repairs were made, the nest was deemed suitable allowing for some rest before the real work of raising young arrived.

New Experiences, Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Spring Eagle Migration

April 7, 2019 Troy

A couple of weeks ago I spent a Saturday in Wabasha, Minnesota photographing Bald Eagles as they return north after the cold winter. The National Eagle Center in Wabasha tracks Eagle numbers throughout March and the count for this weekend looked really good provided many opportunities to watch these magnificent birds of prey. After finishing my commitments on Friday night I quickly ran around the house gathering equipment and gear I might need for a day along the Mighty Mississippi tracking and photographing Eagles.

Awaking well before dawn, on a short nights rest, I got my remaining gear and some food together and headed out the door. It was just after 4:45am which would give me enough time to make the nearly 2 hour drive to Wabasha and arrive there to see the sun rise above the horizon as Eagles begin to take to the sky for the day. It was a nice day for an adventure with temperatures reaching above freezing making for a comfortable day outside without excessive layers of clothes. The drive went by quickly with the horizon beginning to cast light into drifting clouds as I got closer bringing out some beautiful pinks in the sky. Reaching the first stop for the day at Reeds Landing, the sun was only moments from breaking above the trees across the river. Getting set up to take some pictures of the sunrise, Eagles were already flying above distracting me from the first mornings’ light.

While the sun continued to rise I attempted to capture an Eagle in the photo as they flew overhead but was unsuccessful as it was still too dark and the Eagles turned out blurry so I returned to focus only on the sunrise for the time being. One of the nice things about Eagle watching at that time of year is if you see a large bird, it’s likely an Eagle. During much of the summer I’m often fooled by larger birds that turn out to be Turkey Vultures and then disappointed. In a short time the light from the rising sun increased enough to begin capturing birds in flight. Just at that time a young one flew into view heading right in my direction. Focusing the camera on it I began to snap away getting some beautiful photos as it got closer. The result is the picture at the top of this post.

The biggest challenge of photographing these Eagles is to find a spot to get close enough for some great photos. Often times they will fly away from you or land on the other side of the river where they are too far away to get great shots. Even with that, opportunities did become available from time to time. The trick was to be ready and have the camera settings right for the situation. Sometimes it works out and other times I was frustrated with a blurry shot wanting to slam the camera and lens to the ground. All in all it was a lot of fun to photograph these beautiful birds and watch as they interacted with each other and flew overhead. Listening to their calls, which sounds very little like the sounds you hear on TV shows, wondering what they’re saying to each other. Sometimes they called one another to the tree they’re in and other times it was letting anther Eagle know they are not welcome to land in that tree. But many of the calls I couldn’t figure out the purpose of.

After awhile the Eagles seem to move away from an area requiring getting back into the vehicle to search for more elsewhere along the river. There are several nests in this area also. These are quite impressive to see as they’re so large. Almost like a tree fort. All of this just for an little Eagle or two. These nests are constructed over several years, increasing in size each time. There was one nest being guarded by an Eagle giving some perspective on how large the nest is.

Throughout the day there were many Eagles soaring in the warming sun. Every once in awhile there would be a couple of birds arguing over a particular fishing spot or certain territory in a tree or on the remaining ice along the river making for some interesting and entertaining behavior. Several times I attempted to capture this with the camera but often it was over before I could capture the event. There were a few that I managed to photograph but they were often far away allowing the Eagles to avoid a close-up shot. The picture below is one of the best shots I managed to capture. These two were arguing over this location on the ice. It lasted for less than a minute.

As the day got later I continued to work on capturing an Eagle swooping down to catch a fish. Unfortunately I had little success. The bird, captured below, has a fish in it’s talons while heading to a tree away from all the other birds to feast without being disturbed by another Eagle trying to steal the fresh meal. I watched this one gliding over the water and then circle around before plucking a fish out of the river all the while snapping away. Unfortunately those pictures are all a little blurry and the actual moment of catching the fish was missed. I have a photo of the Eagle touching the water and another one just after it caught the fish. While it’s nice to see those shots, it’s also disappointing as they are not great compositionally or completely in focus. Something to continue to work on. Even after this bird caught the fish I didn’t stop tracking it and luckily I didn’t. It ended up flying almost overhead as it headed towards the hills behind me giving me more opportunities to grab a picture with a fish in the talons.

Near the end of the day the light was getting too low for good picture taking of the Eagles so I headed to a spot to enjoy the last rays of the sun for the day before making the trek back home. Thankfully it was a beautiful sunset over the vast Mississippi River as you can see in the small Panorama below.

Exploring, Troy's Blog, wildlife

In Search of Winter Birds

February 3, 2019 Troy

It take a lot of motivation to purposefully venture out in subzero temperatures with a brisk north wind blowing. Getting up before the sun on a cold January morning seemed like a good idea until the alarm goes off and you see exactly how cold it is outside of the window. And to voluntarily do that on a weekend is not always the most thrilling way to spend those dark hours unless there’s something you’re looking for more than sleep. The motivation this morning was to find birds that migrate to this area for the winter. It does seem a little weird that birds fly to Northern Minnesota during the winter. This day began at –15 degrees Fahrenheit with wind making it feel more like –30. Once again would the vehicle start at these temperatures? Turning the key created some noise under the hood but nothing near starting, at first. A few revolutions of the starter and the engine came back to life but you could hear the hesitation as it whined as if it was begging to be turned off until a warmer day. Sax Zim bog was the destination which is world renown for winter birding. Nearing the bog the temperature had dropped to –25 degrees with a slight wind making it seem much colder. Would the birds even be moving in this cold? How will the camera function?

Arriving at the bog there wasn’t much for signs of life however there were tracks all over the place bringing promise to the adventure. The goal of this day was to witness the Snowy Owl which travels here from the artic during the winter. There had been posts online showing Snowy Owls so they were in the area but finding them may be a bit of a challenge. The morning was spent driving to the “hot spots” searching on top of power line poles, hay bales out in fields, and scanning fields for any sign of an owl possibly snagging breakfast. No success! As the morning grew longer it was time to focus on other birds that fly into the area. Fortunately there’s a nice map showing where people feed these winter birds and where owls may be present other than the Snowy. A couple of other owls on the list to see were the Hawk Owl and Great Gray Owl both known to be in this area. Until I saw Sax Zim Bog myself it seemed rather odd that people set up elaborate feeding stations during the winter so that people from all over the United States and the world can see these magnificent birds. While heading to a promising group of bird feeders I spotted something out of the corner of my eye that didn’t seem to fit the roadside which has been flying by. Quickly stopping and looking more intently, there just sitting by the side of the road was a Pine Marten. I did not even expect to see one of these here. The first opportunity to see if the camera and lens would cooperate with a nice photo. Slowly the camera turned on and became ready to photograph but the lens had other ideas. Focusing was not one of them. The auto focus was extremely sluggish and having difficulty finding something to key in on. After a little time it did finally get close to focusing on the Pine Marten but still didn’t get it as sharp as I wanted. A few shots and the Pine Marten decided it was time to retreat back into the trees it had come from. That was a little disappointing start with the camera but a great start to a day of exploring the frigid bog.

Continuing down the road there was a couple of cars stopped and talking with one another. What could they be discussing? Eventually they parted ways continuing on down the road and stopped to inform of a Northern Hawk Owl located just down a ways. Turning around to follow these new found birding friends until they stopped and discovered several other cars parked in this area just along the side of the road. There was a trail, which had been discussed earlier if that should be explored further, leading off into the forest. Now there was a great reason to follow the footprints of others into the unknown area. Spending a few minutes collecting the necessary clothing and camera equipment in an effort to stay warm while hopefully capturing a nice photo of this owl. Following the two people that pointed out this spot into the snow covered forest searching for an owl perched where it had been seen before but this day there was no owl. A couple of other bird enthusiasts were walking in the opposite direction on the trail able to provide more encouragement explaining the owl was a little deeper today but it would be obvious where because of all the other large cameras pointed towards it. They were right! Getting close the first thing visible were cameras perched on tripods each hold what appeared to be cannons but were really just very large lenses. The kind that could pick out a mosquito from 100 yards away. Following the direction of these and there it was – a Northern Hawk Owl! A beautiful bird watching over the landscape. Almost like it was entertained by the constant motion of people traveling to this one area and then stopping like there was some sort of invisible wall preventing them from going any further. As a courtesy to other photographers and birders no one wanted to risk getting too close and spooking the owl.

Retreating from the cold forest back into a warm vehicle, it was time to venture to some feeding stations and discover what kinds of birds were out today. Slowly approaching the first one, there was all kinds of activity there but it was difficult to see exactly what types of birds where fluttering about because of the shade protecting their identities. After a few minutes they moved into more light revealing Evening Grosbeaks. The color of these birds was amazing. Yellows, whites, and blacks typically reserved for summer migrants but here they are in the middle of a harsh winter day in Minnesota. Typically the birds living through the winter are more drab waiting until spring time to show off their beautiful plumage. Not these grosbeaks! There were numerous birds flying in between surrounding trees and the bird feeder offering a full supply of sunflower seeds to get through a difficult January day. Chickadees and Blue Jays accompanied the Evening Grosbeaks in gorging themselves on these black seeds moving back and forth as if they’re being orchestrated by a control tower so each can safely land, grab a few seeds, and depart making room for another bird to do the same. Occasionally there’s a conflict quickly resolved as a pecking order becomes established for each trip to the feeder. At this point the camera seemed to have woken up and accepted the cold as it began to focus more accurately on the fast moving creatures revealing these beautiful colors flashing in and out of the bird feeder. Watching the activity started to make the cold disappear bringing out the enjoyment so many people come here to find among the winter inhabitants.

There was much excitement now to see what other bird feeders held so it was off to another area spot. Driving down the road you could tell when there was something of interest as there would be several cars parked on the side of the road with people watching a particular spot. It reminded me of being in a national park and there was an animal browsing along the road. A traffic jam! At this next spot there was a multitude of birds I’ve never seen before. At first the Blacked Capped Chickadees were easily spotted. Joining them were a flock of Pine Grosbeaks in their vibrant colors. It was so much fun to watch as they hopped between the trees nearby to the ground and up to the feeders themselves in search of their next morsel of food. In an instant you could hear excitement among those watching and there was another species high on the list of wanting to see – a Boreal Chickadee. There were not many spotted this winter so to see at least one was a special treat revealing why there was so much excitement when this one was spotted. Taking a few seconds to listen, there were cameras busily shooting all around as the sound of their clicking filled the roadside. In the picture above of that chickadee you can see small pieces of wood flying behind the bird as it pecked away to get at the food hidden inside. In an instant all of the birds disappeared as if a warning bell had gone off.

Scanning the trees the reason for their departure quickly became apparent. A pair of Gray Jays, otherwise known as Canada Jays, entered the feeding area. They were quite entertaining to watch as they perched in nearby trees almost as if they were posing to say “look at me” and giving everyone an opportunity to snap their photos. Soon they moved from their perches to begin consuming the nutritious nuts capable of giving them the necessary energy for the day. As they moved on, other birds returned and everything appeared normal once again. Still a few birds remained elusive. It was time to venture into the Visitor’s Center (which is only open during the winter months) to get information on possible spotting earlier in the day and potential locations to see more birds. With this information more exploring began without much success. As the sun moved towards the horizon, the snowy owls should be reappearing for the night. Following recommendations there was an area targeted on the map to find one of these beautiful owls. Getting closer to the specified trees, there perched at the top of one of them was a larger bird. Getting closer it was revealed to be a Snowy Owl on time like it had a schedule to keep. Once again there were several vehicles on the side of the road with tripods containing cameras or spotting scopes all directed at the owl. Grabbing some photographs, the owl flew off into the setting sun bringing an end to a fun, cold day. One that hopefully will be repeated soon.

Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Duck Migration is Here

October 27, 2017 Troy

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been in pursuit of ducks beginning to move south stopping by local lakes to rest and feed before moving on. In this particular area there have been flocks of hundreds of ducks making it very enticing to set up the camera and wait for them to move closer.

It’s been fun to photograph them and then try and identify what type of duck it is afterwards. This particular flock of ducks has included Widgeons, Gadwall, Mallards, Wood ducks, and one immature pintail. They sure are pretty to watch with the different colors and patterns as well as listen to. Each with a unique sound identifying the species further.

While most of the ducks on this particular lake seem to be widgeons there are some gadwalls mixed into the flock. I wasn’t sure at first if it was a different duck or if it was just an immature widgeon still coloring up. Looking further I noticed the bill on the gadwalls is darker than with widgeons. Also the white spot on the back of the duck is different and the head has slightly different colorations confirming a different species later identified as gadwalls. Ohh and they make a different sound which helped figure this out.

Included in all these ducks are, of course, mallards which tend to be very plentiful on most bodies of water in Minnesota and elsewhere. One of the nice things of having mallards around is other ducks see them and figure it’s a safe place to land with food available so join them. The mallard below was shaking off water after spending time under the surface looking for food.

One of the unique ducks in this particular flock is an immature pintail. I wasn’t completely sure of this immediately because the coloration is different from the others but not as well defined as the photos I was comparing it too. A couple of things that helped I.D. it was when it tipped into the water in search of food the tail was more of a point and more pronounced than the widgeons and gadwalls but still lacked the characteristic long pin tail giving these there name. Also the colors on it’s head, while not completely developed, still matched well with the pictures I was comparing it to leading me to figure out this is a young pintail. This duck has continued to stay with this flock for the past couple of weeks with no other pintails in sight.

I’ve definitely been enjoying photographing each of these different species and hopefully will be able to catch a few more before these lakes freeze over.

Troy's Blog, Yellowstone National Park

Some of Yellowstone’s Wildlife

October 8, 2017 Troy

There are several reasons to visit Yellowstone National Park: The natural beauty of the landscape, geyser watching such as Old Faithful, Looking at colorful hot springs, and looking for wildlife. Most desired to see here are bears and wolves but they certainly require effort to find. Geysers and hot springs were something I was looking forward to seeing but the opportunity to see a bear and/or wolf was what I was most hoping to see. Everywhere else I’ve hoped to see a bear ended unsuccessfully and this was my last chance during our Monopoly travels.

On our third day in Yellowstone I woke up before sunrise and snuck out of our hotel in search of early morning wildlife. My plan was to enter from the Roosevelt entrance and drive to Lamar valley in hopes a wolf pack was on the move. On the way, as the sun was rising, I stopped to photograph the foggy valley as the sun rose above the horizon. Ready to continue to my destination I looked again and there in the shadows was a blacktail deer with her two fawns. What a great way to begin this morning! After watching for a few moments I moved on to get to the popular Lamar Valley

As I drove back and forth through the valley I only saw hundreds of Buffalo roaming and grazing along with the occasional Pronghorn Antelope. Some people next to me had spotted a grizzly bear but I could not see it as it was several miles away and they were using a spotting scope. A little disappointed after a couple of hours, I looked around and noticed that most of the people also in search of wolves had left so decided it was time to head back to the hotel and re-join the rest of the family. A short drive away I ran into a major road block with people all looking at a hillside miles away. Deciding to stop I found a place to park, got out, and began listening to others talk. Apparently wolves had been spotted in this area but where out of sight at the moment. After awhile of looking through the binoculars I did see one of the wolves but it was so far away it was difficult to positively identify for me. Others nearby did confirm it was a wolf though so I was lucky enough to see that.

Fortunately this was not the end of my luck in search of these great predators. On another day, driving back to our hotel from watching Old Faithful there was another encounter. We had an hour and half drive ahead and I was exhausted from the day so my wife was driving while I rested in the passenger seat. Night was falling fast so there wasn’t much to look at. About 30 minutes into our drive something was right there in the road in front of our car. Karen slammed on the brakes almost hitting a wolf staring briefly at us before moving on to the should near our car where it stopped to watch us before becoming a little uncomfortable with us still stopped. Still in disbelief we gazed at this wolf wondering if there were others nearby when another moved slighter higher up from the road. All we could really see was it’s outline and eyes as this was a black wolf blending in extremely well with the surroundings. All of us now on fully awake we continued on in complete amazement that we were that close to wild wolves which so many desire to see but don’t. Because it was so dark and all of this did happen relatively quickly I was unable to get the camera and snap a photograph. Only memories exist of this experience but one I’m sure we won’t forget.

Returning to my morning drive back towards the hotel, I drove around a corner after seeing the far off wolf and there was another traffic jam. Once again I decided to quickly find an available parking spot and see what was causing this temporary ruckus. Quickly I spotted a bear with its cub grazing near a creek below. Finally success! after all of these years hoping to see one here was a bear and cub. I watched as long as these bears remained in sight before returning again to my car. Just before getting in I heard someone say another bear was in a field nearby. After a few seconds I spotted that one and watched as long as I could photographing when ever the opportunity arose. Imagine that? Two bears! What luck. Ok now it really was time to get back with the family as the morning was nearing the end.

Continuing on there was yet another traffic jam although smaller than the previous two so I stopped to see what was there. Some of the other bystanders said it was a lone wolf. Curious I got out my camera and began scanning the area and found what they were pointing to. Unfortunately I had to inform them this was a coyote and not a wolf. They were somewhat disappointed but still enjoyed watching as it meandered among the sage brush. It was fun to see but I really needed to get back so off I went without further traffic jams. Add to this the elk from an earlier visit and plenty of bison and my thirst for seeing wildlife was temporarily filled. You can click on the links above to view those stories.

All in all I ended up seeing 7 bears during our brief time in Yellowstone over three different occasions. The top picture is from our morning driving one last time though Yellowstone National Park on the way to Grand Teton National Park. Another traffic jam alerted us to wildlife near the road so we stopped and ended up watching this bear graze for about 45 minutes. A lot of fun to see definitely making me want to return another time.

Troy's Blog, wildlife, Yellowstone National Park

Walking With a Bison

August 12, 2017 Troy

After a day filled with incredible views and geological wonders we were driving back towards our hotel for some much needed rest. Along the way we encountered several vehicles pulled over indicating an opportunity to see some of Yellowstone’s amazing wildlife so we found a spot in a nearby pull off and parked the car. After a short hike up the road we saw people watching a lone bison just lazily grazing nearby. Continuing to scan the landscape for bears or wolves I glanced towards this bison from time to time just watching and snapping a few pictures.

While watching this large animal for a couple of minutes I began to get lost behind my camera taking different pictures trying different compositions. It was getting better and better because I could get increasingly closer shots isolating this bison and highlighting its details until I briefly looked up from the camera only to realize this large, powerful animal was not within a few feet of me. The only thing between me and this bison was a low, wooden railing which would do nothing if it decided to charge me which I witnessed earlier in the day. That same morning I watched one bison charge after anther bison at full speed displaying just how fast and powerful they really are no matter how they may appear most other times.

Quickly I backed away seeking the cars behind me as a potential buffer between me and this bison. Fortunately it was more interesting in eating and continued walking away from my area. After a little more wildlife viewing we decided we were ready to get back in our car and continue towards the hotel only there was a little problem. This lone, powerful bison was walking along the roadside towards our car preventing us from leaving. Well, we might as well as relax for awhile until it passes our vehicle allowing us to drive away. Slowly we followed at a safe distance just watching as it walked among the many cars now stopped watching it. Do you think there is some amusement to the bison causing such an event? At one point it stopped and looked at our empty car. “Do you think it will find something irritating with the car and ram it?” I asked. How do you explain that to the insurance company? Glad we weren’t in the car at that point. Can you imagine how that would be? Finally it continued on down the road to meet up with a nearby heard allowing us to make it to the car.

Being one of the first cars into a pull off definitely has its advantages as you don’t have to worry about finding a place to park as within a few minutes the roadway fills with vehicles hoping to catch a glimpse and maybe a photo of nearby wildlife. Also you tend to have a front row seat for watching wildlife. Unfortunately if you decide it’s time to leave you may have to wait while the traffic jam caused by whatever wildlife you are watching has caused clears enough for you to get back onto the road and on your way to the next destination.

Once traffic began moving again we prepared to pull out just when that nearby bison heard arrived across the street from us once again stopping traffic. These are definitely not fast moving animals much of the time. This heard would walk a short distance, stop and scratch on the dirt or nearby trees, walk a few steps more, eat nearby leaves, and continue a little further. While it seemed like forever it was really only about 15 minutes before we were once again on the road heading to our hotel for the night. How frustrating must it be for those stuck in this traffic jam far enough down the road and not be able to see what was causing it? At least we got to enjoy it even though the bison were a little close for comfort at times.

Exploring, Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Getting Caught in a Small Storm While Taking Pictures

June 3, 2017 Troy

A year ago I was able to wonder around in a nearby forest taking in wildlife. You can read about it here if you would like. There have not been as many opportunities to get out with my camera this spring but recently I did get to spend some time taking in the ever greening forest in search on new life. On this particular outing my goal was to see if a mother coyote had taken up residence in a familiar spot to raise her little ones again and to find out if Eagles had once again laid eggs in their nest from last year.

While slowly making my way in the woods attempting to make as little noise as possible I heard a low growling sound coming from nearby. Scanning the area I saw a head hanging out of a hole in the tree. Watching for a minute or two I noticed this raccoon ever so gently resting its head in this hole looking exhausted from the day.

Enjoying this raccoon for a short time I heard a noise in leaves up the hill from me but couldn’t see what was making the noise. Shortly after a little deer made its way near me but hadn’t noticed me yet. Fortunately I was standing on a log right next to another tree so there was no shuffling of leaves to slowly turn to watch it. As I began to rotate, the deer spotted my movement causing us both to stop immediately. It was so dark in the woods that taking pictures of moving animals was a challenge and I was in a poor position to steady my camera so all I could manage was a few blurry shots and it was gone. This was ok because I wanted to focus more on the raccoon.

Once the deer had disappeared I hopped onto another fallen tree nearby trying to keep the noise down as I moved closer to this hollow tree being used for a home. Once on this tree I quietly removed my backpack and took out the tripod in order to steady my camera in hopes of getting sharper photos. While doing this out pops a bunch of tiny heads trying to figure out what I was doing. Now I understand why this larger raccoon appears to be so tired as to be almost lifeless. It was a mother with several little ones to tend to.

Almost settled in with my backpack and tripod, there was another rustling in the leaves near where the first noise came from but this time it sounded slightly different. I quickly frozen, standing on this log trying to look for movement and then I heard a sound – a turkey. Wow I’ve never had turkeys walk up to me. I always seem to come up on them and scare them away before getting a decent picture. Now what do I do? In order for me to get to cover so they wouldn’t recognize me I would have to move significantly. I decided to concentrate on these baby raccoons but tried to remain steady as to not disrupt the turkeys too much. They did eventually move on away from me so I could once again focus on these little critters right in front of me.

Now I was able to get the camera set up on the tripod and sit comfortably on the log I was just standing on and shoot away as this family would pop in and out of this larger hole in the tree. Enjoying my time watching these little fury creatures I heard another noise off in the distance. It sounded like thunder! I didn’t think there was really any storms in the area so I dismissed it as possibly an airplane overhead or something. Than I heard it again with a much longer rumble. That had to be thunder so I pulled out my phone all while being watched and check the radar. Now what should I do? I can pack up and try and get out of hear or wait it out since it appeared I was on the edge and may only get a little rain. Waiting it out seemed like the better idea as I could see sun near the horizon so this couldn’t last very long. Back to taking pictures of the raccoons.

While sitting there defying the weather, the thunder got closer and more numerous causing me to question my decisions to stay. Finally when it was almost overhead I decided it was time to pack up and leave. It must have been the right decision as the raccoons had all retreated back into their tree as well. Getting out to the edge of the woods I could see the storm which appeared to have just passed overhead. Now the wind was picking up at my back so the approaching cold front must have just came through. Do I go back to the raccoons or continue on to the eagles nest or keep going towards the car? My answer came in the form what sounded like a strong wind gust. But it wasn’t wind. I new my time was up and my choice now was to seek shelter among a clump of large maple trees just as heavy rains began pounding down. After a short downpour I decided to continue to the car and enjoyed watching the sun set behind this small spring storm. Definitely worth getting wet for.

Gaining Life Experience