Domesticated Helmeted Guineafowl / "Numida meleagr…
American Goldfinch collecting Thistle seeds
American Goldfinch collecting Thistle seeds
Osprey
Osprey
Eared Grebe & baby
Coot baby following in Mom's footsteps
Coot juvenile
Barn Swallow / Hirundo rustica
Eared Grebe / Podiceps nigricollis
Columbian Ground Squirrel / Urocitellus columbianu…
Osprey with fish
Osprey with fish
Osprey with fish
Osprey with fish
Wilson's Snipe
Mountain Bluebird with Red-winged Grasshopper
Cedar Waxwing
Rare Thirteen-lined Groundsquirrel / Ictidomys tri…
Cedar Waxwing / Bombycilla cedrorum
Red-winged Blackbird male / Agelaius phoeniceus
Mountain Bluebird female / Sialia currucoides
Mountain Bluebird male / Sialia currucoides
Baltimore Oriole / Icterus galbula
Baltimore Oriole / Icterus galbula
Mountain Bluebird female
Lesser Scaup male / Aythya affinis
Common Grackle after a bath
Yellow-headed Blackbird / Xanthocephalus xanthocep…
Yellow-headed Blackbird / Xanthocephalus xanthocep…
Eared Grebe / Podiceps nigricollis
Day 7, Northern Cardinal male
Day 6, Great-tailed Grackle male / Quiscalus mexic…
Day 6, Plain Chachalaca / Ortalis vetula
Day 6, White-tipped Dove / Leptotila verreauxi
Day 6, Plain Chachalaca / Ortalis vetula
Day 6, Cardinal male, National Butterfly Centre, S…
Day 5, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, King Ranch, Nori…
Day 5, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, King Ranch
Day 5, Harris's Hawk, King Ranch, Norias Division
Day 4, Royal Terns / Thalasseus maximus, Mustang I…
Day 4, Laughing Gulls, Mustang Island, Texas
Day 4, Royal Terns, Mustang Island, Texas
Day 4, Royal Tern / Thalasseus maximus, Mustang Is…
Day 4, Black-bellied Whistling Duck
Day 4, Common Gallinule, Leonabelle Turnbull Birdi…
Day 4, Common Gallinule, Leonabelle Turnbull Birdi…
Day 4, Sedge Wren, Aransas Park
Day 2, young White Ibis, Connie Hagar Cottage Sanc…
Day 2, Savannah Sparrow, South Texas
Day 6, Northern Cardinal male, southern Texas
Day 6, Green Jay / Cyanocorax yncas, southern Texa…
Day 7, Brown Anole (?) extending dewlap, southern…
Great Gray Owl - from my archives
Burrowing Owl, ENDANGERED - from the archives
Wilson's Snipe - from the archives
Great Gray Owl - from the archives
Juvenile Swainson's Hawk / Buteo swainsoni
Long-eared Owl / Asio otus
Long-eared Owl / Asio otus
Snowy Owl 1st year male, Snowy Owl Prowl 2019
Day 12, migrating Snow Geese, Cap Tourmente
See also...
Keywords
Authorizations, license
-
Visible by: Everyone -
All rights reserved
-
125 visits
Bighorn Sheep female
9 October 2019: temperature is -7C (windchill -13C). It snowed again yesterday and more snow is forecast for this coming weekend (Canadian Thanksgiving).
Having seen the weather forecast for another snow storm, I made a quick decision to get back to the mountains - I don't drive there when there is snow on the roads. It was going to be sunny, but unfortunately, it was also very windy, which gave me a lot of not-quite-sharp images. Also, much of the highway through Kananaskis is closed for the winter months, for the protection of the wildlife. There were three or four locations that I wanted to photograph with snow on the peaks. With scenic shots in my mind, I took the south route, this time avoiding the dusty, gravel back road that I love to drive. Normally, I would never do a drive like this on a weekend day - more cars and people.
Much of the drive was similar to my trip with friend, Pam, on 5 September. A little over a month ago already? The first part of my drive, before turning around and heading home, I had done before, but I had never driven myself the most northerly part. I really wanted to make sure I did this while I could, rather than have to leave it till next year, as I might have lost courage by then. Actually, this north stretch had not been in my plans, but as it was not yet noon, I decided to do it, driving further than Pam and I had gone. A couple of extra stops were added - Barrier Lake and Lorette Ponds.
Keeping a close eye on how much gas was left, it was time to turn around and go back home the same way as I had driven earlier in the morning. Lots of animals on the road - mainly cattle! I don't think I have ever seen so many cows on the road before - and, oh, what a mess they were leaving behind them, everywhere! They were as stubborn about moving off the road as the three groups of Bighorn Sheep I came across during the day. I guess cows, too, like licking salt and other minerals off the road surface.
So many people were out to go hiking and there were lots of cars parked in many places. On my return drive, I was not too impressed to see about a dozen cars lined up along the edge of the road - thinking 'hikers' and then suddenly thinking "bear?" As I drove past, I caught a glimpse of three brown shapes in the long grass. I did what I don't like doing - a U-turn and adding myself to the end of the line. My handful of highly zoomed photos were all taken through the windshield, turning them into green-tinted blurs. I have added three of them, just for the record. Not sure if I can rescue any others. I tried to read the blurry number on the pink ear tag, which may have shifted upside down, on her right ear. She was busy feeding in the long grass with her two cubs, totally oblivious of the audience. I didn't notice if many people were out of their cars - I know the female idiot (oops, I mean 'driver') of the car in front of me, got out and walked down the road in the direction of the bears, but I couldn't see where she disappeared to. Eventually, a Park ranger arrived and shooed the beautiful bear family into the trees. Such an unexpected sighting and thrill - definitely the highlight of my 440 km drive. If I am right, I think I had only ever seen two Grizzlies in Alberta in all these years - a female with one cub.
Having seen the weather forecast for another snow storm, I made a quick decision to get back to the mountains - I don't drive there when there is snow on the roads. It was going to be sunny, but unfortunately, it was also very windy, which gave me a lot of not-quite-sharp images. Also, much of the highway through Kananaskis is closed for the winter months, for the protection of the wildlife. There were three or four locations that I wanted to photograph with snow on the peaks. With scenic shots in my mind, I took the south route, this time avoiding the dusty, gravel back road that I love to drive. Normally, I would never do a drive like this on a weekend day - more cars and people.
Much of the drive was similar to my trip with friend, Pam, on 5 September. A little over a month ago already? The first part of my drive, before turning around and heading home, I had done before, but I had never driven myself the most northerly part. I really wanted to make sure I did this while I could, rather than have to leave it till next year, as I might have lost courage by then. Actually, this north stretch had not been in my plans, but as it was not yet noon, I decided to do it, driving further than Pam and I had gone. A couple of extra stops were added - Barrier Lake and Lorette Ponds.
Keeping a close eye on how much gas was left, it was time to turn around and go back home the same way as I had driven earlier in the morning. Lots of animals on the road - mainly cattle! I don't think I have ever seen so many cows on the road before - and, oh, what a mess they were leaving behind them, everywhere! They were as stubborn about moving off the road as the three groups of Bighorn Sheep I came across during the day. I guess cows, too, like licking salt and other minerals off the road surface.
So many people were out to go hiking and there were lots of cars parked in many places. On my return drive, I was not too impressed to see about a dozen cars lined up along the edge of the road - thinking 'hikers' and then suddenly thinking "bear?" As I drove past, I caught a glimpse of three brown shapes in the long grass. I did what I don't like doing - a U-turn and adding myself to the end of the line. My handful of highly zoomed photos were all taken through the windshield, turning them into green-tinted blurs. I have added three of them, just for the record. Not sure if I can rescue any others. I tried to read the blurry number on the pink ear tag, which may have shifted upside down, on her right ear. She was busy feeding in the long grass with her two cubs, totally oblivious of the audience. I didn't notice if many people were out of their cars - I know the female idiot (oops, I mean 'driver') of the car in front of me, got out and walked down the road in the direction of the bears, but I couldn't see where she disappeared to. Eventually, a Park ranger arrived and shooed the beautiful bear family into the trees. Such an unexpected sighting and thrill - definitely the highlight of my 440 km drive. If I am right, I think I had only ever seen two Grizzlies in Alberta in all these years - a female with one cub.
- Keyboard shortcuts:
Jump to top
RSS feed- Latest comments - Subscribe to the comment feeds of this photo
- ipernity © 2007-2024
- Help & Contact
|
Club news
|
About ipernity
|
History |
ipernity Club & Prices |
Guide of good conduct
Donate | Group guidelines | Privacy policy | Terms of use | Statutes | In memoria -
Facebook
Twitter
Sign-in to write a comment.