Posts in Category: wildlife
Colorado! Bison
American Bison: Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Commerce City, Colorado, USA, July 2024 — The Bison herd is, of course, what draws folks to RMANWR. I have seen Bison roaming outside the Bison area of the refuge, most appear to be in the confined area…what you might call the Bison Farm, and are easy to see from the road…too often through the obstructing fencing. Still, there is no such thing as a tame Bison. 🙂 Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird and wildlife modifications. Animal subject recognition. Processed in Photomator and TouchRetouch (to remove elements of out of focus fencing).
Colorado! fawn
White-tailed Deer (fawn): Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Commerce City, Colorado, USA, July 2024. We were gifted a doe and fawn White-tailed Deer feeding in the angle between a well-used cycle trail the walking trail into a pond at the RMANWR when we visited. They calmly continued to feed as we walked slowly toward them, not bothered by us or the even closer passing cyclists. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird and wildlife modifications. Animal subject detection. Processed in Photomator.
Colorado! Handsome and he knows it…
Mule Deer: Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Commerce City, Colorado, USA, July 2024 — We took the granddaughters to RMANWR yesterday to see the Bison, and whatever else we could see. This handsome Mule Deer Buck was bedded down for the heat of the day in the shade of a cottonwood right beside the road. This is a shot from the passenger seat through the open driver’s window. Notice the antlers are still in velvet. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 172mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird and wildlife modifications. Animal subject recognition. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! White-tail again
White-tailed Deer: Laudholm Farms, Wells, Maine, October 2023 — Another study of the White-tailed Deer that came out onto the marsh at Laudholm while I was waiting for the Great Blue Heron to hunt its way down to me last week. It appears to the a young doe and was certainly wary as it worked it way out deeper into the marsh and into the open. I am not sure what it was looking for. When it saw me on the deck, right in plain slight and wearing my hunter safe colors, it had second thoughts and headed back to the forest. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! White-tail
White-tailed Deer: Laudholm Farms, Wells, Maine, USA, November 2023 — I spotted this Great Blue Heron (upper left and upper right in the top and bottom photos) and decided to stay on the marsh overlook deck on the back side of the wet maple forest boardwalk at Laudholm to see if it would work its way down to me…it eventually did, but while I waited for it, this lovely young doe White-tail came tentatively out of the forest, maybe looking for a a fresh water pool. I was sitting on the bench and partially blocked by the deck itself and the foreground brush, so I eventually stood up in all my hunter-safe bright yellow glory, and, of course, the deer, who was already wary out in the open, saw me and, after due consideration, decided it was time to head back into the relative safety of the forest. Watching it run through the marsh was one of the most satisfying wildlife moments I have had in a log time. White tail indeed! OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications (wildlife in this case). Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Maine! Apple eater
Eastern Chipmunk, Laudholm Farms, Wells, Maine, USA — There are lots of fallen apples in the old orchards at Laudholm Farms right now, and the Chipmunks are having a feast. They are so busy eating that they play little attention to passing humans, even those with cameras who very likely stop for a few photos. Or more. OM Systems OM1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixomator Pro. ISO 6400 @ f6.3 @ 1/1600th.
Colorado! Mule Deer in the Morning
Mule Deer: South Valley Park, Denver, Colorado, USA, July 2023 — We went for a hike yesterday, early, at South Valley Park, about 30 minutes from my daughter’s home in Centennial. Early is relative. Toddlers in tow. We were not completely out of the car yet (it takes a while when traveling with two in car seats), when my daughter, who was suiting up in the baby carrier, cried out “look Everleigh, look!” and pointed over my shoulder. This buck Mule Deer had just crossed the parking lot and was, at that moment, running up the stairs in the trail above. I managed a few shots as it headed off the trail toward greener pastures up the canyon. Not a big “rack” (set of antlers) by Mule Deer standards…and still, from the look of it, in “velvet”…still growing. Everleigh did get to see the “reindeer” and this photo is for her. 🙂 OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my animals modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.
Colorado! Thumper.
Eastern Cottontail: Centennial, Colorado, USA — I asked my granddaughter Everleigh to help me pick a photo for this morning’s post. I suspect this is the patriarch of the bunny clan that lives in the housing developments around my daughter’s home in Centennial. He was taking is his ease, warming in the morning sun in the middle of a residential street, and was not bothered by us on the sidewalk at all. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 250 and 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th and 1/800th.
India! Sambar Deer
Sambar Deer: Rathambore Tiger Reserve, Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — Again, Rathambore National Park is home to a wide variety of wildlife besides the tigers. These are the large forest deer of India and southeast Asia…the Sambar. We came on this small group late in the afternoon at the end of our third unsuccessful tiger drive. They almost made up for it 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 469 and 390mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/640th to 1/800th.
Wildlife of Keoladeo National Park: Golden Jackal
Finishing up, I think, the wildlife posts from Keoladeo National Park, in Bharatpur India, this is a Indian Golden Jackal, a handsome wild canine common throughout Asia and into Europe. It is most closely reflected to the wolf and coyote, and, in fact will cross breed with Asian Wolves and domestic dogs. It is about the same size as the North American Coyote, and favors river bottoms and agricultural areas, as opposed to foothills and mountains. Sony Rx10iv at 238mm equivalent. (It was right beside the road.) Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixomator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 800 @ f4 @ 1/500th.