I’ve been accumulating photos from reader Stephen Barnard (apparently he hasn’t yet been killed by his Cobra), and I’m nearly caught up posting them. Here are a bunch:
Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis):
Northern Harrier (female) (Circus cyaneus):
Moose (Alces alces):
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris). The Marsh Wren is the best. They’re difficult to capture.
This series was sent to me labeled simply, “Moar moose.” I asked Stephen if they made any sounds, and he replied:
Yes, but rarely. When I let Deets [the border collie] out this morning, when it was still dark, he ran right at the moose (which I didn’t know was there) and it let out a bellowing-sounding warning. Once I watched a bull getting frisky with a cow, and her two nearly full grown calves were standing by watching, making pathetic mewling sounds. (Bulls will attack calves to drive them off.)
They jump!
And earlier series:
Deets (Canis familiaris) was pretty exited to see these moose (Alces alces) across the creek this morning. Also, some mallards (Anas platyrhynchos).
I love how cute the moose faces are! Love the picture with Deets too – my dog gets a smile on her face like that when she barks at the cows next door and scares them off or barks away a large bird (crow, turkey vulture, hawk, owl).
A m00se once bit my sister…
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Great pictures of the Moose. Not many get to do this and see this. I saw a Moose in Minnesota and many years ago in Alaska but nothing like this.
Saw a couple in Wyoming and a couple in New Brunswick, both while hiking. Almost stepped on a juvenile in NB.
In some of the moose photos it appears as though the moose is shedding its coat. Do they do that in the spring time or is that just what a moose looks like? I’ve only ever seen moose in person when I was very young and my family took a trip to Yellowstone National Park.
I think it’s shedding, but I don’t really know.
If they are anything like my d*gs, I would imagine they are shedding their winter coats.
Great photos Stephen! Yes, the Marsh Wren is simply a wonderful shot. Well done!
Great pictures – especially the one with Deets!
Am I the only one who saw the first moose pic and thought “Maybe she’s born with it, Maybe it’s Maybelline.”
ok, yes, I am probably, no, definitely the only one.
I’ve always been fascinated by giraffe eyelashes. 🙂
These are great photos. I love the Northern Harrier pic. Raptors are so COOL. How closely related are moose to horses? Recent branch? Distant branch? On that first moose pic my mind was trying to force an interpretation of a horse.
Moose are the largest member of the deer family. I don’t think they’re very closely related to horses.
Elk and horse is not closely related, but it is funny how they share the trait than when tamed you can ride them or have them drag carriages or sleds.
Elks have been used for transport, and there is a persistent myth that one of our kings had advanced plans to make elk cavalry. [ http://www.faktoider.nu/elgryttare.html ] I remember a children’s comic on Sweden’s history that had the warrior king Karl XII ride an elk. [ http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagan_om_Gr%C3%A5llen ]
I meant euoropean elk [Alces alces, not the american wapiti, naturally.
Not even in the same Order. Horses are odd-toed ungulates, Meese are even-toed.
🙂
That is cool information. Thank you Diane.
What about Ed Meese? I assume he had 5 toes/foot;-)
Obviously, then, he was odd-toed.
Beautiful captures of light drawings Stephen. That feisty looking Marsh Wren is exceptional.
I see the irrigation sprinklers in the moose photos…what grows in the field?
It’s rotated between barley and alfalfa. Now it’s alfalfa.
Ah, sprinklers, of course! I was going to try to find out what the funny constructions were.
We call them wheel lines. They’re moved daily with small internal combustion engines. There are three types of irrigation apparatus commonly used here: wheel lines, pivots (which make those circular fields you see from the air), and hand lines (which are moved by hand by farm hands — hard work).
These are all wonderful photos, Stephen! It’s like paradise there. Thanks.
All excellent photos (of course), but the portrait of the two sandhill cranes is truly exceptional!
Thanks for all the kind words about my photographs. It’s pretty much all I do now, until fishing starts up again. 🙂 This is a good season. The land is waking up from a dreary winter. Migratory birds are returning, some are departing, the eagles are incubating, and the light is good.
For, lo, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone;
The flowers appear on the earth;
The time of the singing of birds is come,
And the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.
Ernie Harwell always recited that at each Tigers’ opening day. I’ve always wondered about that last line…:D
Beautiful pics, as ever, Stephen. Yes, Marsh Wrens are a b*tch to capture–great shot! And the moose close-ups are just splendid–such great looks at such amazing animals.