Boreal Chickadee

On my way back to my car, I had decided to wander through an open area surrounded on both sides by woodland. I was walking or trying to walk without breaking through the snow crust. I stopped when I heard birds, there were over hundred Common Redpolls with few Pine Siskins sprinkled in. Moving slowly toward them, hoping with each step I would not step through the crust and startle them. After getting close enough and started taking their pictures and at the same time I could hear behind me Boreal Chickadees. When I looked back, they were a few feet away. I went back to taking pictures of the redpolls, waiting until the chickadees were little farther away. Then slowly turned completely toward the chickadees and started getting better pictures. As long as I did not make any quick moves, chickadees were fine with me, I slowly moved to get into a better position. They were great models to work with, always within 3 to 4 meters from me, giving me one great pose after another. It was one of those moments when I knew right away I was getting good images, no need to look at the LCD. When they started moving away, I turned around to learn the redpolls were gone. It was time to move on.

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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.

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Bald eagle

This juvenile Bald Eagle was perched on top of the tree warching the Ravens finish off small bits of meat left on a carcass. There were close to twenty Ravens cleaning up the carcass, it did not take long for them to do their part. The eagle came into the area and watched for few minutes and then decided to move on. The Ravens soon left the area as well, replaced by few Black-billed Magpies.

Until next moment,

Amar

Bald Eagle

Coyote

This coyote look as if he approaching upon a prey, but he was just moving trough the valley when I spotted it. Slowly moved in and out of the forest, stopped every now and then to sniff and mark.

Until next moment,

Amar

Coyote

Grizzly

Travelling is a big part of grizzlies life in the Canadian Rockies. With 40 percent of the area being rock and ice and a very small growing season, they have to cover large area to get all the food they need. Only during the mating season food becomes secondary, replaced by searching for mates. From a distance it seems a very simple life, but nature is anything but simple. They have to deal with the harsh landscape the mountains provide, the weather, other animals and us humans. 

Until next moment, 

Amar

Grizzly

Bow Lake

The morning started with a clear sky, but soon the clouds were moving in. The timing was on my side, the water of Bow Lake was still relatively calm as the clouds starting adding drama in the sky. I grabbed the picture I wanted and half an hour later overcast weather moved in.

Until next moment,

Amar

Red Paintbrush

One of the more abundance flowers found in the mountains, is the paintbrush, very hard not to see one during an outing. And for me very hard to pass them without taking their pictures. In this case it was in the morning, the sun was shining on everything behind the flower, so I got low on the ground to get the picture with a bright and a clear background.

Until next moment,

Amar

Mount Rundle

Just over an hour ago I was returning home, when I decided to stop over the Vermilion Lakes. A storm was moving in, creating a dramatic sky. The best spot was where few people were taking their own pictures, I decided to include them in mine.

Until next moment,

Amar

Grizzly

The bears are always looking for food, trying to put on as many pounds as possible before winter arrives. This grizzly was on the move, but always stopping to grab food as he went. Being active only 6 - 8 months of the year, constant feeding is important to survive a winter and rest of the seasons.

Until next moment,

Amar

Red-winged Blackbird

Some time it's too easy getting  the picture, when nature does all the work. There were two male Red-winged Blackbirds perched on top of the cattails. I was going back and forth between the two, taking their pictures. Both the light and the setting were just the way I wanted it, the hard part was deciding which picture to share.  

Until next moment, 

Amar

Yellow Warbler

Yellow Warbler is one of my favorite birds to photography, one reason is the challange of getting a good piture of this warbler. It's small, moves around and being bright yellow makes it a challange getting the correct exposure. Every year I try to get few good pictures of this warbler, this year it was few weeks back I got my chance and I took the opportunity.

Until next moment,

Amar

Northern Lights over Peyto Lake

It was a good thing I had the following day off, because the night was short the northern lights did not become visible until well after mid-night and few hours later dawn was on its way. But before that took place, many of us got to see a beautiful light show in the sky, thanks to the Northern lights. One of the brightest moment was seeing a very bright shooting  star, did not get a picture of it, but something my brain will never let me forget. Once I was finish shooting the lights, I though I get an hour of rest before getting pictures of the sunrise. I was too excited to get any rest, before I knew it I was looking for a different spot to take pictures of the sunrise around Peyto Lake. The sunrise was great as well, picture of that a  another time. 

Until next moment, 

Amar 

Elk Calf

 

Few days old elk calf walking behind its mother. Ready to face challenges of surviving what nature has to give. Predators will be coming after it, if it survives them,  then it will face its first winter. Lots of work ahead, as calves have less than a 50 percent chance of survival.
until next moment,
Amar

 

Calypso Orchid

 I took this picture few weeks ago while walking through the forest serching for birds. They were small pathes scatterd on the forest ground, whenever I came across one I would take few pictures. From that morning walk, I got few okay pictures of birds but much better pictures of this beautiful floewer.

Until next moment,

Amar