I’ve included a couple of landscapes in today’s photographs, and thanks to the many readers who sent me photos over the holidays. This lovely photo is by Rick Wayne:
My previous wildlife photo submission included an elk strolling along Yellowstone Lake. So I have to include another picture of Yellowstone Lake, but this is the one in Wisconsin, in the eponymous state park. The light pollution alone gives it away, but actually helps this composition:
I enclose a couple of shots of Chanctonbury Ring, a hill fort now planted with trees, on the South Downs; the second features some Belted Galloways clinging to the side of the hill.
Not to neglect other beasts, Stephen Barnard sent some photos from Silver Creek Ranch in Idaho; here are two:
This pair of female pronghorns (Antilocapra americana) has been hanging out in my alfalfa field for several days. They graze under about 2 feet of snow. Deets [the border collie] knows, but he’s given up on his utterly futile attempts to herd them.
I’m not sure why Deets is failing, but the pronghorn is the world’s second fastest land mammal—second only to the cheetah. And remember, it’s not an antelope, but occupies its own family (the Antilocapridae), and its closest living relatives are actually the giraffe and okapi.
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) getting ready for a quick take-off by discarding excess weight.
I had trouble spotting the poop: I thought it was a twig!
Finally, two photos of a Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus):
Wonderful photos! Nice to end an otherwise fairly morose year in beauty.
Lovely photos! Already having entered the New Year in Japan, I wish everyone a happy, safe and fruitful 2016.🍀
The pronghorn is concerned everyone is looking at her bum.
“Are you looking at my bum?”
The other one is looking for its keys to the Bimmer.
(that is apparently how you spell it. Pronounced ‘beemer’).
Delightful images. Nice way to start the day that ends the year.
Beautiful pictures. The first pic of the Harrier is a study in lethal motion.
Nice group of photos today.
Speaking of hawks and weight, I was surprised to learn from “H” is for Hawk how much a factor weight played in successful flight. And I think that was my favorite book of 2015.
You can see Belted Galloways at Fearrington Village, just south of Chapel Hill NC http://www.fearrington.com/gardens-belties-farm/belted-cows/
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Belted Galloways are quite common where I live in southern Scotland. Like (unbelted) Galloways and Highland Cattle, also becoming commoner here, they are very hardy, and can graze outside all winter.
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