Early on morning I saw an adult back bear eating, no sign of any other bears. A tree near the bear had something different on it, on closer inspection with my camera I saw something small and black. soon to my amazement the female adult went up to wake up her cubs, who were sleeping on the tree. One by one they came down.
Grizzly
The big griz got right down to the food, he was hungry. There was green grass and dandelions for him to eat. Have to put on all the weight he lost during the winter and add more to his frame. He would have lost easily over 100 pounds during his deep winter sleep, waking up very hungry. Now is time to eat and eat and looking for a female to mate with for the next number of weeks.
Mountain Goat
he goal for the evening was to hopefully watch mountain goats on the side of the mountains. There was one adult and it was slowly making its way toward a falls that only exists during the snow melt or when there's a major rainfall. Opportunity presented itself, to take a picture of the goat and the falls. I had to be somewhat quick, did not know how long the goat was going to be there for and how close it was going to get to the water. From the valley, I framed the picture I wanted and then waited for the goat to get into the position I hoped for.
Grizzly
Still weeks before most, if not all the bears will be up from their deep sleep. It's all about food, if they had food year around they would be no reason to sleep the winter away. Since in the mountains there is little to no food from late fall to spring, then sleeping is a great adaptation for surviving the winter. The big males are the first one to get up, the female with cubs and young bears are the last, the rest spread out in the middle. This big male who looks to be near or just under 600 pounds, looked like could still use more sleep when I saw him recently.
Bighorn Sheep
Spring is here but so is winter, during the longer days snow is melting and providing support to many animals dealing with the outdoors. For last several days, the nights have been cold, but by midday there is some warmth, enough to remove some snow and opening up hidden vegetation for the wildlife.
Mule Deer
When I first spotted this mule deer, she was off the road on the right hand side. I watched her slowly make her way into the middle of the road listening for something ahead of her. Not sure if she was listening for other deer or possible predator. She stood at this location for a few minutes before she decided to cross the road. I saw and heard nothing.
Red Fox
I came across this fox during a cold morning, a very cold morning, the temperature was minus 35 degree Celsius. The fox was hunting for voles, here it's standing still listening for the vole under the snow. In the end nothing was there, it moved on looking elsewhere for its breakfast.
Elk
This bull elk is facing a few challenges throughout the winter, main ones deal with the winter season, the cold temperatures and the amount of fallen snow. Using more energy if it's colder and more energy to get at the low quality food through the fallen snow. This bull like other elk may lose 20 to 25 percent of their weight over a winter and if he loses more than 30 percent, very likely he will not survive the winter. The winter might take it or if it's so weak, predators the likes of wolves or cougars will take it. It helps when the days start getting longer, it means shorter cold nights to deal with. Using the dense forest as cover, it can be few degrees warmer in the forest and protection from the wind. It may not make a difference for one day, but over a whole winter, every bit adds up. For wildlife it's the survival of the fittest, literally.
Elk
Once the rut season is over, the male Elk will get together and stay together until the next rut season. Few larger bulls will stay alone, if they are weak from not having enough time to eat during the rut season, losing up to 30 percent of the weight. And if cold weather arrives right after the rut season, it can end larger bull's life. But if they can find enough food and get back some energy. Then there's a good chance they will survive the winter and hope to compete in the next rutting season.
Mule Deer
This male mule deer was making its way through the forest, pauses long enough for me to get its picture. Still a few months to go before the snow melts from the valley and fresh green food starts growing. Always have to be on the move, being careful not to run into predators. Life can be little easier in the winter if he comes across one or two other males, always better to have more eyes looking out for danger.
Red Fox
Red fox's body length can be long as 90 cm, not including the long bushy tail, which can be as long as half a meter. The thick long red tail with the white tip helps with balance, it's used to communicate with other foxes and on cold days, like the one I saw this female on, it acts like a warm cover when napping.
Bighorn Sheep
How time flies, the 8th annual slideshow is coming up on Saturday, January 27. From 7 to 9 pm at the Cave and Basin NHS, for $4.90 per person. Each year is different, the weather and the amount of visitors to the parks played a big role in 2017, creating different opportunities for landscape, flora and fauna photography. If you're able to, come join me as I look back at some of the favourite moments from 2017 and the stories that go with them.
Mule Deer
It's not safe for animals to be on the road, but this mule deer decided to take a chance. The snow was deep off the road and there was no traffic. I watched from a distance as he go on the road and then decided to walk for a while on it before get off the road.
Bighorn Sheep
It was a cold afternoon and this male was doing lot of work moving snow aside to get at the dead grass. The dead grass does not have much value but during the winter there are not lot of options.
Grizzly
Bears do not hibernate, but they do go for a long deep sleep during the winter months. They go into what is called torpor state. During hibernation a animal will sleep through the winter, it will not wake up when there is loud noise or even when they are moved or touched. In torpor state the animal can wake up quickly and easily. Bears heart rate is very low like those animals hibernating, but unlike those in hibernation, bears body temperature is high. No matter if the animals go into hibernation or into torpor state, both need to store body fat in the fall, which will get used up while sleeping, thus saving the muscles. This big guy went to sleep toward the end of November or early December, but if anyone by mistake come across its den, it will quickly wake up and will not be happy. Kind of like when someone goes for my chocolate.
White-tailed Deer
Nature never stops being amazing. In this case how this white-tailed deer blends in with its winter surroundings. Only way I was able to locate it quickly, I saw it cross the road and it was waiting for its young. It was surrounded by willow shrubs holding the fresh fallen snow.
Grizzly
Sometimes my favourite pictures are those where the subject is not in the clear. That's the case with this picture, a large male grizzly sniffing for food, stops and looks in my direction. I had to be quick, the camera was not in my hands. Just as I got couple of pictures, his head was down, further obscured, went about his business.
Red Fox
Red foxes can be found across Canada. Their litter size varies from one to ten pubs, born between March and May. The pubs are not able to see until they are two weeks old. When they are month old, the pups are weaned off milk and start enjoying pre-chewed food. Around the age of seven months the young foxes should be able to hunt for themselves and leave their parents to look for a home to call their own. Sometimes searching and travelling for 250 km. This female fox was searching for food along the road when I spotted her.
Coyote
I came across this female coyote by the side of the road. I stopped my car and watched her, she crossed the road and was listening for preys under the snow. She then moved forward and started looking toward another coyote, possibly her mate. It's then i decided to take her picture. She had beautiful eyes, I will have to one day get closer pictures of a coyote, to better see those eyes.
Moose
Toward the end of rut season I came across this bull moose. He was near a female, who was with her calf. I was in my car, all three looked toward me, I parked the car on the side of the road and watched them. They stopped looking toward me and went back to their normal behaviour. I got few pictures before another car stopped near mine, they rolled down their windows and loud excited voices came out. Just like that the three moose were gone.
