Coyote

Yesterday morning, with the camera in hand, I went for a walk to take pictures of birds. I soon ran into two friends who were gathering information to rebuild a dock at one of the small lakes I was passing by. We talked for a few minutes, and one thing led to another. Before I knew it, I was showing pictures of a grizzly bear on my phone that I had come across a few days back. It didn’t take long for the question to come up: “Did you take that picture with your phone?”

These days, most pictures are taken with a phone. A study in 2023 concluded that 92.5% of images are taken with phones, while the rest are captured by other means, such as compact cameras or high-end cameras. So, it’s not unusual for me to be asked the above question, even by my friends who don’t realize how much photography is a part of my life.

I quickly responded that the picture was not taken with my phone, but with a camera and lens that provided much greater magnification to keep both me and the wildlife at a safe distance. Not only does the equipment I use have higher magnification, but the camera also produces much larger, high-resolution images. I can crop the image in half and still maintain high quality.

There are many reasons why I need more than just a phone to take the pictures I want. One big and very important reason is safety when photographing wildlife. For most animals, it’s not just about my safety; it’s about reducing or eliminating any stress caused by me being too close to them. And for large predators or prey animals, it’s about preventing them from feeling threatened and needing to defend themselves.

But it’s not just about having the right equipment. It’s also important to have common sense when dealing with wildlife. For example, there’s a coyote and its mates that I seem to come across regularly when taking pictures or birdwatching. Most of the time, they seem to know I’m in their territory before I see them. Knowing where they’re headed, I usually give them space to continue in the direction they intended. Sometimes, I move on to give them their space.

In this particular instance, I was looking for birds when I noticed something moving in the tall, dry grass. It came out into the open, about 60 meters from me. It glanced toward me, then left the area as I stood in my spot.

Elk

It wasn’t a cold winter like in the old days. Yes, we had a cold snap in February and snowstorms in March, but overall, the average temperature was above normal, and total snowfall was below average for a typical winter.

Still, it was a challenge for this elk—and others in the mountains—to survive the season. They wait for the time when they can finally start feeding on green vegetation in spring. With the warmer temperatures already arriving, new leaves are just beginning to take their first steps coming out, and green blades of grass are starting to appear in some parts of the valley.

But it wasn’t just the elk—and other members of the deer family—that had to endure another winter. They also had to face predators, including a wolf pack of over ten members. That pack had a significant impact, bringing the elk population down over the winter and continuing to do so.

This bull, like the rest, still has to wait until nutrients are once again available in abundance for another season.

Northern River Otter

For a number of decades, northern river otters were not spotted in the Bow Valley around the town of Banff. I saw my first otter several years ago. Since then, there have been more and more sightings. Last month in this same area, within 24 hours, I saw five otters and evidence of two more. It is very likely that there are far more than seven. This could be in large part due to the increase in the beaver population in the same area over the last several years, providing more wetland habitat.

It has been noted that if beavers are trapped out of an area, otter numbers tend to drop. Otters are found near waterways, swamps, marshes, bogs, lake shores, and marine coasts across much of North America. Their top swimming speed is 11 km/h, whereas on land, they can run at speeds between 24-29 km/h, either running or running and sliding.

They can use a variety of temporary dens within their home range, created by other species, often beavers, muskrats, foxes, and other mammals. Alternatively, they use natural sites that are adapted by otters, such as rock crevices, caves, logjams, undercut riverbanks, cavities in tree roots, and fallen wood debris. It is rare for otters to create their own burrows. Their preferred den sites typically have a submerged entrance, such as bank burrows or abandoned beaver lodges. Birthing dens tend to be a safe distance from the water to avoid the danger of flooding. During winter, snow cavities can also be used as den sites.

Moose

Relatively speaking, moose are a new species to North America, from a geological timescale perspective. They crossed from Asia to Alaska via the Bering land bridge about 15,000 years ago. Researchers, through carbon dating and collecting DNA from both ancient moose fossils and modern moose from around the world, have helped pinpoint where the species originated and how it spread. The modern moose shares a common ancestor thought to have existed in East Asia around 85,000 years ago. As the climate started to warm, moose began moving north, following the vegetation they fed on and continue to feed on today.

Red Fox

Four species of foxes from the Canidae family can be found in Canada. The swift fox, the smallest of Canadian foxes, was historically found from southern Alberta to southwestern Manitoba but was thought to be extirpated from Canada by 1970. However, with help from captive populations and those obtained from Colorado, swift foxes were released in southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan. Since then, there have been records of breeding in the wild. Swift foxes are listed as Threatened in Canada’s Species at Risk Act. The first record of one being found in Banff National Park was in 2012. It was assumed to have traveled some 400 kilometers to get there. Unfortunately, it was run over and killed on the Trans-Canada Highway.

Grey foxes, similar in size to red foxes but slimmer, have slightly rounded ears, a black back stripe, and speckled grey sides. Their undersides are off-white, and their neck, the backs of their ears, and their legs are yellowish. They are found in the very southern parts of Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec. They are also listed as Threatened in Canada’s Species at Risk Act.

Arctic foxes are small with white fur in the winter and dark brownish fur during the summer. Like red foxes, they have a circumpolar distribution, meaning their range spans a wide range of longitudes around the North Pole. Both species are listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. However, due to climate change, red foxes are increasingly pushing north. Not only are they expanding their range into arctic fox territories, but they are also hunting them.

Red foxes are the largest species of fox in Canada, weighing between 2.5 and 6.5 kg. They have a wide range across North America, Europe, North Africa, and Asia, and they have also been introduced to Australia. One of the few species that has adapted well to human presence, the red fox thrives in areas of farmland, large cities, suburbs, and other urban ecosystems. This red fox mainly spends her time in the wild, but her range does include some human-populated areas. When she was spotted early in the morning, she was busy searching for voles.

Grizzly

A claw is a curved, pointed appendage found  at the end of a toe or finger in most mammals, reptiles, and birds. Claws are made of a hard protein called keratin, which also makes up scales, hair, feathers, horns, hooves, and even our nails. For many predatory mammals, claws can partially retract into the animal’s paws. For example, members of the cat family (Felidae) have retractable claws. Having retractable claws helps protect them from wear and tear.

The grizzly bear has claws which are always on display, and are crucial for its survival. These claws vary in length depending on the size and age of the bear, with an average length of 5 to 10 cm, though some claws can reach up to 15 cm. The main function of the grizzly’s claws is to provide protection and aid in survival in a tough habitat. However, they also play an important role in the bear’s daily life, such as searching for food and shelter. They are excellent for digging dens and for searching for food, like roots and rodents. Long claws also help grizzly bears climb steep slopes when heading to their den or in search of food.

This picture of M136 was taken in November when he and M122 were still searching for food. Using his claws and other tools, M136 had gained enough fat to survive another winter in his den.

Grizzly

M136 ("Split-lip") is the other large grizzly bear that calls the Bow Valley its home. As for the media and public attention, it's M122 ("The Boss") who gets most of it, if not all. But unlike perhaps us humans, neither bear cares who's on the news, nor do they care what we call them.

A few years back, I was at a viewing area, watching over a large open space when a family visiting from another province stopped to have a look. I said hello, and they asked if there was any wildlife in the area. I mentioned there were a few birds around, but as far as mammals were concerned, there were just the two-week-old grizzly bear tracks below us.

They started asking questions about bears, and the next thing you know, I was giving a point talk on the two large grizzlies, M122 and M136. After listening to me for a few minutes, during which I only used their numbers to identify them, the lady said, "That's very cold, giving them numbers instead of names." I replied, "There have been no complaints from any of the bears." Then I went on to explain that naming can lead to anthropomorphizing, which can result in data and conclusions that are not objective or valid.

Even then, researchers can develop attachments to a specific bear and feel saddened when its death is not natural. For some, naming a wild animal can place a sense of value on it, which implies that humans have power over them.

Some of the reasons a bear gets tagged are for research purposes or because the bear is being monitored for public and/or its safety. Once it's decided that a bear is going to be tagged, a team will work together, with each member having specific responsibilities. Once the bear is tranquilized, the team ensures that not only is the bear collared and ear-tagged, but that necessary samples are collected and the bear's health is checked.

With modern technology, the collar can send a radio signal or GPS coordinates. Male bears receive their ear tag with their assigned number on the left ear, while females get theirs on the right ear. Humans do make mistakes, though. A few years ago, a male black bear was spotted in the spring with cubs from that year. The Parks Canada team realized that it had been tagged on the wrong ear. Depending on how long the collar's battery lasts, it may function for a couple of years. For example, if the collar sends out a GPS signal every minute, it will last much shorter than one that sends out a signal every hour.

M136 was last collared and ear-tagged several years ago. His collar didn't last long; it's assumed he got into a fight with another grizzly, and off came the collar. However, he still has a small ear tag in his left ear, which can't be seen in this picture. It's often assumed that only part of his tag is attached to his ear, but he was tagged with a smaller ear tag. The yellow ear tag can be easily viewed, but you'd have to zoom in or get dangerously too close to see the number on the tag. There are other ways to identify him, such as his lighter-colored face, his narrower head compared to M122, the cut on his upper lip on the left side that gave him his street name of "Split-lip," and other features.

In the end, it does not matter what the public calls him or any other bear. The far more important thing is to give this bear, and all other bears, the space they need to make a living.

Mountain Goats

In 2022, it was the International Year of Caves and Karst. These hidden worlds contain unique ecosystems. The International Year of Caves and Karst was established by a number of organizations to shine a light on the importance of caves and karst. Karst forms when soluble bedrock is dissolved by water. It starts with existing fractures and cracks in the bedrock, which become enlarged through dissolution. Given enough time, large subterranean drainage networks can develop, connecting the surface with the subsurface.

Rainwater picks up carbon dioxide from the air, and as it makes its way through the soil, it turns into weak carbonic acid. This slowly dissolves limestone, dolomite, and other types of soluble rocks along the joints, bedding planes, and fractures, which over time become enlarged enough to form caves.

This cave can be viewed from a pull-off along the road below, a few hundred meters away. It is even better seen with binoculars or a zoom lens. At parts of the year, I can see mountain goats on the slope of the mountain that this cave is part of, sometimes grazing or hanging out in front of it. On this occasion, there were six of them. I noticed one standing right away, but when I zoomed in, I could see two sitting at the entrance and three on the rocks just below. Mountain goats' habitat makes up an interesting geological world.

Mountain Goat

I can still recall a school field trip as a child when we were looking at lichen on a rock. Lichen can tell us how healthy the quality of air is since they get the food they need to survive directly from it. In the U.S., scientists in the Forest Service and Park Service use lichen to assess the quality of the air. When the air has too many pollutants, like sulphur, heavy metals, or nitrogen, it can be deadly to lichen.

Lichen are made up of three layers. The outer layer is fungus, the middle layer is algae, and the lower layer helps it stick to surfaces. When it comes to surfaces that lichen adhere to, it can attach to nearly any surface, including rocks, trees, soil, and even glass and metal. Lichens can grow in extreme conditions where most other life forms cannot. The algae layer produces food using photosynthesis, the outer layer protects it from too much sun, and filters water down for the algae layer to thrive. They are quite self-sufficient and can survive without water for a long time; this feature is important in extreme or barren habitats. They can reproduce sexually, asexually, or both, and some lichens can live up to 4,000 years.

Lichens play a role in the first step of weathering the rocks on which they live by creating tiny crevasses into which water’s freezing and thawing action can occur. The rock disintegration provides the raw material for soil building. In these cryptobiotic soils, lichens bind soil particles together. This crusty soil will trap blowing dust, preventing erosion and adding nutrients. The decay of dead lichens adds nitrogen to the soil.

Mammals such as caribou, mule deer, mountain goats, moose, and pronghorn forage on lichen, particularly in winter. Birds, including hummingbirds, use them in their nest building. Lichens have been used to make dyes and are used in perfume. Lichen growth patterns can also be used for dating stone structures.

During my hike a few weeks back, I was watching a two-year-old mountain goat grazing for a while before moving over the rocks. For just a few seconds, it stopped on rocks covered by lichens. I quickly got my camera, pointing it at the goat and making sure I zoomed out to include the lichens as well. Just a note: the goats do not feed on the lichens shown in the picture; they instead feed what is called white foam (or snow) lichen.

Coyote

When it comes to being misunderstood and hated animals, the coyote would be at the top of the list if we consider how this species has been treated in North America. In the United States, a lab called the Eradication Methods Laboratory was created to work on various types of poisons to eliminate coyotes from the continent. This organization persuaded Congress to pass a bill in 1931, which allocated $10 million to continue their work. From 1947 to 1946, this agency killed 6.5 million coyotes in the American West. This figure does not even account for the numbers killed privately and in Canada during the same period. In November 2009, the Saskatchewan government ran a program for four months that resulted in the killing of 71,000 coyotes. Hundreds of thousands of coyotes are still killed every year in North America. The reasons for this are varied, but the main factors are misunderstanding their role in nature and mismanagement.

However, coyotes have a way of fighting back. They can function as pack predators or as singles and pairs. When attacked by humans using guns or poison campaigns, they abandon the pack strategy and spread out across the landscape as singles and pairs. Additionally, when their populations are suppressed, their litter size increases from 5 to 6 pups to as many as 12 to 16 pups. So, if their population is reduced by 70 percent in a certain area, it will be back to or near its previous size by the following summer. To gauge their population in an area, coyotes use their howls and yips. If their howls are not answered, it triggers a response to produce larger litters.

Moreover, coyotes’ range has expanded due to settlers hunting wolves to extinction in many parts of North America. Unlike other predators, coyotes have expanded and thrived over the past 150 years. Moving into farm areas and cities, their diet has also broadened. Coyotes in eastern North America are larger than their counterparts elsewhere due to the wolf genes inherited from their ancestors through interbreeding. They now have the ability to bring down adult deer. I always have a soft spot for any species in nature that fights back.

Moose

The way this July is going, it may surpass July 2023, which was recorded as the warmest July. Moose are one species looking for cooler days. Climate change is causing concern for their population and harvest dynamics in parts of the United States and Canada. Warmer temperatures and decreasing snowpack favour white-tailed deer, while stressing moose physically and exposing them to diseases spread by the increasing deer population and changes in food sources. Moose in the Midwestern United States have seen their numbers drastically decline in recent decades. In Michigan and Minnesota, moose are considered species of special concern.

However, climate change might provide positive signs north of the moose’s range. Rising temperatures and shorter winters have helped moose move into new stretches of territory in Alaska and Canada. Foraging animals are finding more food in the tundra region. Studies have shown increasing vegetation due to the warming Arctic, in the form of alder, willow, and birch plants. But, as always, when looking at the southern range of moose, there are positives and negatives for species of flora and fauna. The same goes for flora and fauna in their expanding northern range. For example, ptarmigans once had a little bit of shrub life to themselves. Now they will have to contend with 450-kilogram herbivores, as well as predators like red foxes and lynx moving into their territory.

Grizzly Bear

Almost a week after I had seen an adult black bear on my bird walk around the stables, I came across one of the larger local grizzly bears, M136. Initially, as I walked around the fence, listening and looking out for birds, I noticed the horses seemed more apprehensive than the previous week. They were bunched up together farther back from the fence. I thought perhaps the same bear had returned. However, as I rounded the corner and looked through the fence, I saw it was a much larger grizzly bear. The horses were giving him far more breathing space. I wasn't sure which of the larger grizzly bears it was. I kept my distance the same from him but moved away from the fence so I could have a clear look at him. He glanced toward me, and I could tell from his lighter face and from having seen him many times before, it was "Split-lip". He was given the number 136 when he was first collared several years back.

Now, this stable is not a hot bead for bear sightings unless you spend 24-7 there. I can count on one hand all the bears I have seen over the years in this area. This year, however, I happened to come across a few. Like the horses, I gave M136 more space and did not attempt to walk around him, no matter how far away I was. I knew he was going to walk through the field soon, heading east. The mating season had not yet finished, and he was still focused on that, grabbing food when he could. Soon after, while chatting with my colleague who had responded to a call about this grizzly bear sighting in the area, ensuring the bear had space as he moved through the area. We watched him make a beeline in the direction we thought he would be heading. Recently, I saw him again, now deeply focused on eating. It seems he might have found a good source of protein. He looked even more impressive than he did that morning when I saw him during my bird walk.

Grizzly

M122 (“the boss”) once again got the bear season started in Banff National Park, being spotted in mid-March at the bottom of the Bow Valley. It seems like a long time ago. Even with low snowfall this past winter, there was still lots of snow for him to deal with, particularly west of Castle Junction, heading toward the Lake Louise area. But he’s no stranger to dealing with winter conditions, having the habit of waking up in March in the Canadian Rockies. About three weeks later, M136 (“split-lip”) was up, seeming a few weeks earlier than his normal wake time from winter’s deep sleep. They both looked healthy, starting another bear season, with enough fat on them to wait it out until they start gaining weight from a carcass or green vegetation in early spring. With snow gone from the valley, except for the very shaded spots, both are busy covering large distances in the midst of another mating season. I came across M136 just a few days ago as I was doing my bird walk early one morning. That's a story for another time. It’s not long now before the remaining bears will be up, just in time as the dandelion season has started.

Moose

Over the winter, I have been seeing this cow and her calf’s tracks. I came across where they have been eating, resting and at times, running from something. Perhaps related to the wolf pack or its members that go through their home range. I’m sure they have tried to go after the calf a few times. But the mother has been able to keep her calf safe. I have come across them two times, the last time was two weeks ago. I walked through the deep snow on varied terrain to see how both were doing. Keeping my distance, I was able to see both. The calf, as expected, was the more nervous one. In this picture, it's just behind its mother. You can just make out part of the head with one eye looking toward me. I could have moved around and possibly gotten both in one image, but there was a chance of scarring one or both from the area. They were feeding on willow. There are still a few weeks to go before they start feeding on something green. Until then, the cow will keep working on staying one step ahead of the wolves and I will keep looking out for their tracks.

White-tailed Deer

End of February, the snow fell and more followed the day after. Yesterday, after helping the team move snow with a break in the middle of the day to look after the paperwork and emails. I had just enough energy to walk home. Everything looked beautiful, all covered with fresh snow. And the wet snow that fell in the middle of the day covered all the tree trucks facing west. With no wind, it was a relaxing walk surrounded by trees and not being concerned about snow falling on me. It looked as if I was walking through a black and white landscape. Until I looked to my right, staring right back at me were four white-tailed deer. Three of them were perfectly set for an image. Tired as I was, I just had to take the camera out and take their picture surrounded by snow. Then I quickly moved on so they could head over to the thermal springs for some green treats. Thanks to the warm water. It’s always a good way to end the day by walking through the woods. Until this morning, heading to work but with a lot more snow.  

Elk

This bull elk looked better when this picture was taken of him compared to the week before. He was still favoring his back right leg, but not as heavily as the previous week. With a lack of food during the winter, it's harder to recover from injuries than during the season of plenty. As well, even during this mild winter, the bull does not have a lot of energy to spare to heal. If this male, along with the four bachelors he was hanging out with, came across a wolf pack. All the bulls will show strength by standing tall, trying to look as big as they can, so they are not the ones to get attacked by the pack. And if everyone started running, each would again physically show strength, each one hoping not to be attacked. Even if our eyes can’t pick up any weakness between one elk compared to others, the wolves can. Sensing weakness through visual cues and through hearing and scent. In our homes our canine friends can use similar abilities to tell when we’re sick and, in some cases, before we become sick. For the wolves, their success rate in capturing prey is nowhere close to 100 percent. Depending on the location and type of prey, it can be less than 20 percent. So being able to pick the week from the strong increases their chances of having a meal sooner rather than later.

Mountain Goats

It’s always easier to see what colour the mountain goats are when they are surrounded by snow. Of course, that becomes harder as you put more space between you and where the goats are. In this case, they were about a km away from me. All together, there were 15 goats on the side of the mountain. With many years of looking up with my naked eyes at the same locations, I can still tell if there are goats up there in the winter. Then I can watch them with binoculars or a zoom lens. A better way would be to use a spotting scope. The best way would be on the side of the same mountain but far enough not to bother them.

In this case, I was about a km away and I was able to get a picture with the zoom lens, crop it enough where there are still enough details to get an understanding of their winter habitat. The day the image was taken, the temperature was in the minus mid-teens. Their winter coat had no problem keeping them warm, it’s playing an even bigger role today when the temperature hit minus 41 degree Celsius. As we are all dealing with the first major deep freeze of this winter in the mountains. Life is about trade-offs. The goats must deal with extreme weather events and lower quality of food at higher elevations, but there are less predators to deal with. Over the winter with them, as with many other prey, they will not be gaining weight. It’s all about being efficient and using just enough energy to get them to spring. Another good reason for not bothering them if you happen to come across them over the winter months.

Elk

Another elk rut season ended a few weeks ago. The dominant bulls, like this one, started getting much-needed rest and, even more importantly, putting on the weight they lost during the rut season. The bulls that were successful during the mating season can, on average, lose up to 30 percent of their weight during the rut. But success during the rut season can lead to a shorter life for the bull. From injuries that the bull might have sustained fighting other bulls, being more vulnerable to predators before they recover from the rut season, or the cold weather arriving soon after the rut. The dominant males also lose the protection a herd offers after the rut. They either deal with the winter on their own or they join a few other males to deal with the winter. Including males, they were fighting during the rut. All is forgiven in the elk world, or at least until the next rut.

Elk

We are midway through the elk breeding season, or as it’s most often called the rut. As the days start getting shorter, it affects the melatonin levels in the elk.  Melatonin is a hormone that the brain produces in response to darkness. It helps with our internal clock and with sleep. This in turn causes hormone changes in both bulls and cows. For the males at the start of the rut, the antlers mineralize and they shed the velvet. The males will start rubbing trees, to get rid of the velvet. They become more aggressive thanks to the higher testosterone levels during the rut and will start sparring with other males, against trees, shrubs and more.

This is why it’s even more important to be a safe distance from bulls during the rut season. By mid October, the bull’s testosterone level will go back to normal and once again the males will start hanging out with other males to pass the winter. This large bull was making sure I got home safe after work as he watched me through the woods.

Grizzly

Out here in the west, where black and grizzly bears live on the same landscape. Trying to tell them apart from the fur colour, when you have never seen them or perhaps just a few times can be challenging. Particularly if you’re thinking black bears are black and grizzly (brown) bears are brown. About 70 percent of the black bears are black, in the Rockies, 50 percent are black. They can be white, blonde, cinnamon, light brown, chocolate brown or black. And the fur colour of grizzly bears varies as well, from white to blond to almost black.

So, in the Rockies, you might have to use other physical characteristics of the bears to figure out if it’s a black or grizzly bear. One can easily get that information on the internet. This dark eight-month-old grizzly cub was hanging out with its mom and her brown-coloured sibling. When someone asked out loud, "what is a black bear doing with two grizzly bears?" They got a quick answer with the correct information, leaving them with more knowledge than when they arrived. Giving them greater appreciation for bears.