Elk: Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, USA — a large herd of Elk have taken up residence right in downtown Mammoth Hot Springs, on the lawns and the central green and around the thermal terraces. This is the patriarch of the herd, bugling his dominance in the early morning light while the sun is still only on the tops of the mountains. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm. Close to full frame though we kept a respectful distance. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
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.
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.
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.
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.
White-tailed Deer: Laudholm Farms (Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve), Wells, Maine, USA — I don’t get much chance to practice wildlife photography in Southern Maine…I am apparently just not in the right places at the right time…but on this day I noticed a group of people staring intently out under the trees of the old orchard at Laudholm and one using his phone in camera mode, and took a little detour from my chosen path to see what they were seeing. This large fawn, already loosing its spots, was enjoying the fallen apples at the back of clearing under the apple trees, and waited patiently as I took a few photos…maneuvering to get a line of sight through the foreground brush along the trail. Such a treat! OM Systems OM-1 with the ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 640 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.
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.
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.
Grey Langur and Spotted Deer: Rathambore Tiger Reserve, Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — The Grey Langurs were common along the stream by the road that goes by the temple inside Rathambore. along with birds and other wildlife, like this Spotted Deer that photobombed my monkey shot. Actually I could not resist the contrast when the deer walked behind the monkey. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 320mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 160 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Deer and Antelope of Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, India, March 2023 — We can’t leave Keoladeo without showing off the ungulates. We have here the Chital or Spotted Deer, a group of females and a single male; then two shots of female Nilgai, one shot of a male Nilgai or Blue Bull, a male Sambar Deer, another male Nilgai, a family of Sambar, and what might be another Blue Bull and his harem. All taken with the Sony Rx10iv at or near 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos.