wildlife

Spring

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I’m almost afraid to post this because if I do there may be one of those rare, but possible, late season snowstorms that will drop a few inches of snow and ice on mid-America. But rather than plan on the unexpected, I will trust Mother Nature to help us through this season of change with the many challenges and the beauty it brings.

When I look outside this morning, it appears that Spring has sprung. The trees are starting to discard the last few remaining brown leaves from last year and replace them with bright green foliage. The blossoms from the early bloomers have come and gone, replaced by colors of new flowers and trees becoming more abundant. Tulips and daffodils seem to be everywhere with their bright hues covering gardens and lawns where they grow whether tended by homeowners or in wild spaces where planted by gardeners in the past.

The rains and storms that come along with the changing seasons are here in force. Flooding, high winds, and hail seem to be highlighted daily by the weather forecasters. Farmers are challenged to plant this year’s crops to feed the nation. River levees can sometimes handle the extra water and at other times lose the battle against Mother Nature.

Some see Spring as a wonderful time of the year as cold weather departs, either for days or weeks at a time. Others see Spring as a sad time as cool days and nights give way to the heat of the coming Summer. For all, it is a time of change. In many cases it is a time of birth for our wild friends. For others it is a time of breeding with young to enter our world in a few weeks or months. We see migrating birds in their bright colors. We welcome the return of other colors as we are visited by butterflies and hummingbirds.

Alas, it is also the time that brings more work. Things like lawns that must be tended after lying dormant through the colder months. Potholes that must be filled to repair the damage caused by both colder weather and the storms of spring. We must prepare our gardens to grow both vegetables for our enjoyment or flowers needing replanting each year.

It is a time to share with those who are still with us and hope that they will see many more Springs and a time to remember those who are not with us to welcome the new season or year.

I hope you will join me in welcoming the Spring. And for those who dislike the heat of the coming season, remember that the softer days of Autumn and the colder days of Winter are not too far away.

Yellowstone

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When I was a child and heard “Yellowstone” I thought of Yellowstone National Park or even more specifically its more famous feature, Old Faithful geyser. I found the idea of a geyser unbelievable and sometimes wondered what it would be like to have a geyser like Old Faithful in our local park. A humorous thought given that our park was less than a city block in size. I read about Yellowstone in books and magazines, sometimes saw television shows featuring it, and even associated it with a Hanna-Barbera cartoon series from the early 1960’s, The Yogi Bear Show with Yogi Bear, Boo-Boo Bear, and Ranger Smith who lived in Jellystone Park. While the cartoons were fun to watch, they are not my focus here. Instead, I want to write about the national park

I remember wishing to visit Yellowstone when I was young but that wasn’t practical for our family. So, I could only learn about it in other ways and imagine what it would be like to be there. I finally had the opportunity to visit Yellowstone when I was in my late thirties. Surprisingly, it was much as I had imagined and even more.

Yellowstone National Park is a huge place, over 3,400 square miles, mostly in Wyoming but also in Montana and Idaho. As one might expect in a park of this size, Yellowstone offers many different things for the visitor. Starting with the simple, it offers rivers, lakes, canyons, meadows, and hydrothermal features like the many geysers. According to scientists, the park sits atop the Yellowstone Caldera or dormant volcano. If you visit, you will see some of the most pristine and colorful water features that can be found anywhere.  You may also see dynamic waterfalls in steep-sided canyons, mud pots in other locations, and a variety of rock formations.

Yellowstone is also the home of a great variety of wildlife, with an emphasis on “wild”. You can see bison, elk, deer, moose, and a variety of waterfowl and other birds. Where you see them and in what numbers can vary by the time of the year and the weather. You can also see, if you are lucky, cougars, wolf packs, and bears, both black bears and their larger relatives, the grizzly bears. But remember to keep your distance and follow any instructions from the park staff for both your safety and that of the wildlife.

The water features are beautiful. Old Faithful still erupts regularly, although maybe not every hour but even if you cannot get to Old Faithful there are many other geysers with roads or trails leading to them. There are also many pools or other water features to see, just remember the water is extremely hot. And you should resist the urge to throw pennies into the water features. Pennies and other foreign objects can destroy these beautiful works of nature and spoil the future for other visitors.

But all this beauty does come at a price. Like other wild locations throughout the world, there is hidden danger in Yellowstone. Some of the danger is courtesy of Mother Nature and some is the fault of man. As I said earlier, there are rules and warnings at various locations in the park and given by rangers and volunteers in person. Probably one of the biggest things to know is that the trails and boardwalks in the park are there to keep you and the environment safe. It can be tempting to just step off a short way, but you don’t know what dangers may be there or what harm you can cause to the environment. Another big thing is to remember you are visiting the wildlife in their home. Keep your distance from the wildlife. They will protect their young. They will protect themselves. They are faster than you believe, and their horns, hooves, and teeth are far more dangerous than you may expect. This is even more true in the breeding season. While a photo with a bison may look cute on your wall, is it worth your life? If a trail is blocked by a herd of elk, choose another trail and come back later. Stay safe and enjoy your visit.

Remember that the water features in Yellowstone are hot. That means you can get burned by touching it in many locations. Even where you least expect it there can be small, yet hot water features. There have been many fires at Yellowstone. These fires are both beneficial allowing for reforestation, but they can also be dangerous. If an area or a road is closed because of fire danger, then don’t go there.

The winter can also present danger. A large portion of the park is closed in the winter or open only to snow vehicles. Again, this is to protect you, the wildlife, and the park itself. Obey the rules and come back to the park again.

I hope that each of you has the opportunity to visit Yellowstone and can enjoy some of the best nature has to offer. If you do, have a good trip and take a photo for me.

Photography

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Those who have followed me on my blog, or earlier on my Facebook site, may be aware that one of my favorite hobbies is photography. I don’t consider myself a professional or even a highly advanced photographer, but I enjoy taking photos and occasionally have a photo that I enjoy sharing with others. My two favorite subjects are landscapes and wildlife, whether found in the wild or in a controlled environment.

I thought I would take a few moments to share a few images here, along with short descriptions or background information, and hope that you might enjoy them too. The first image is a collage of “big cats”. These cat photos were all taken at the St. Louis Zoo then resized and placed on a single background using Adobe’s PhotoShop, one of my favorite tools, along with one or two plug-ins. I enjoy showing the beauty of these animals along with the differences between the various species.

The next photo was taken in my backyard a few years ago. While the backyard was not the “great outdoors”, the bunny was definitely wild, and I felt privileged for it to stay long enough for me to take this photo. The year after this image was made, I used it with a top and bottom border to wish every one a “Happy Easter” online.

We are privileged to live near the confluences of the Missouri River and the Illinois River with the Mississippi River. This area is a great place to see bald eagles in the winter, but I selected this image of American White Pelicans flying in formation. This was a winter photo and later that day I saw a hug number of both Brown and White Pelicans at rest along the Illinois River. I didn’t know that pelicans flew in v-formations, much like geese and ducks, until that day. The clear, blue sky provided a great background for this photo.

It was back to the Zoo for this image of Black Necked Swans. If you look closely, you may see what I was trying to capture – the heart shaped image created when two swans pass closely to each other going opposite directions. While the timing of my photo was a few seconds off, it was the best of several taken in rapid succession.

The Bufflehead is a small, nesting duck. I captured this image near The National Elk Refuge in Jackson, Wyoming during a visit to Yellowstone National Park. There is a visitor’s center there where migrating waterfowl sometimes visit which allowed be to take this photo. Like the pelicans, this is a wild bird, not a bird in a cage or similar environment. It is not something we see in the Central U.S., but it is almost as beautiful as the male Wood duck.

This raccoon had taken over a log near New Orleans. I was able to capture this image while on a swamp tour several years ago. This was before a major hurricane in the area, so I am almost positive that neither the animal nor the log survived. Even so, the almost hidden raccoon made for a nice shot.

For those who may be interested, I rarely use my phone to take photographs. These were all taken using 35 mm, Canon digital cameras of different vintages. They were taken using zoom lenses up to 400 mm in length. I seldom use flash for any of my outdoor images and try, as much as possible, to use a high shutter speed to freeze my wildlife images. Most were taken using a tripod although the pelicans and the raccoon were taken hand holding the camera. I treat landscape images differently and may share some of those images in the future.

Reflection

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When we look in a dictionary for the definition of reflection there are some common thoughts or trends as in these from the Cambridge Dictionary Online:

  1. The image of something in a mirror or on any reflective surface
  2. serious and careful thought

There are often other definitions as well, but here I want to reflect on these two. Each of the images in this post are made using the first and then there is some thought, perhaps not too serious or careful, related to each. Others may have different interpretations of these images or even the images themselves.

Innocence – The duckling here is innocent. Quite young, it has not been exposed to the beauty and dangers that may enter its life. Instead, the most important thing now is to simply swim fast enough to catch its mother who is a bit ahead. Living its life in a protected, not natural, environment, it does not need to worry about the source of its next meal, predators from above or below, or even the humans who watch it or take photos. As the duckling ages, it must learn of these dangers and how to keep safe. How does it gain this knowledge? It must be taught by the older ducks, the hen who gave it life or others. But this happens without voice, at least as we humans define it. It must learn when and why migration occurs. It must learn how to avoid predators. When the time comes to breed to ensure the flocks future. Yes, the duckling is innocent now but soon in will be knowledgeable and know how to survive.

Beauty – The wood duck drake is often described as one of the most, if not the most, beautiful waterfowl species. The multiple colors stand out bright against the environment. The drake here is also in a controlled environment, not in its natural habitat. How does the drake know that it is safe? Why does it come close enough to be photographed? There are no trees or other places to hide in the face of danger. Yet the wood duck or perhaps its offspring return each year to share their beauty with other waterfowl and even we humans. If it does not survive the winter, how do others know to come in its stead? While scientists may give us answers, are they correct? Or are we simply attempting to fit animal behavior into our human model? Why does the drake sport these beautiful colors while the hen does not? And how do they know where to go in the winter? The beauty is there for all to behold, but it creates so many questions that perhaps the best answer is to simply enjoy.

Peace – I have always had problems defining why we find sunsets so intriguing. Yes, they are often beautiful, but they can also present danger. But to me, this sunset image from Bosque del Apache to be very peaceful. The sun sets over the mountains, miles to the west. It reflects off the shallow water stirred by a light breeze. The sand hill cranes feed in the flooded fields seemingly without any threat. Later in the evening, the cranes will be joined by others, ducks and geese. And all will rest peacefully through the night. Then early the next morning the peace will be disturbed as the birds take flight, almost as one, to move to their daytime resting places, near and far. Unlike the duckling or the wood duck, these are birds are in their natural environment. Danger and risk are there. But at this time of day, all seem at peace.

Serenity – The Grand Tetons offer many different things to those who see them – safety and danger, homes and escapes, beauty, peace, a place to feed, a place to give life, and a place for life to end. To me this photo represents serenity, or calmness. The mountain in the distance is solid. It stands up to storms and rain. It tells us that some things are reliable and dependable. The river and reflection on this day show how things can be calm even as the world is in turmoil around us. Yes, on other days or at other times the water may be rough but after a few moments or days, it will return to the serenity of the moment to be enjoyed by others. Although one cannot see wildlife in this image, we know they are there, hidden away and safe. Perhaps they too are enjoying the pace and serenity of this wonderful place.

Introspection – As we reflect on things around us, we are given moment ourselves. Time to look at where we have been, and possibly where we are going. To think about what we have done and what we might do. I don’t really see this photo as a “selfie” or even a goal. I know where it was taken but I don’t know why. When I look at it, I remember the day it was taken, a simple reflection in a window. It highlighted a hobby or maybe a wish. But it has never been shared. It was a time to think, alone in a park. Perhaps it was a simple pause in my photography that day or a memory created for the future. I really don’t know.

I hope you have enjoyed these images and the few words that are shared. Maybe the next free moments you have, you too can reflect on the things around you and what they mean. Have a great day!

Snow, Snow, Snow, Snow… and Our Wildlife Friends

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Do you remember this song from the movie “White Christmas”? Singing were Bing Crosby and three others on the train heading to an inn in New England where, unfortunately, the snow had yet to appear that winter. As I listened to the weather forecast for this weekend that song came to mind.

We live a short distance southwest of St. Louis and the forecast called for all types of winter weather – snow, sleet, freezing rain, high winds, and low temperatures. In our case, we were expected to be on the line between snow and ice. The forecasters were pretty accurate. The bad weather started with light sleet or freezing rain which began around 10:00 PM, Saturday evening. This lasted until mid-day Sunday when the snow moved in and was mixed with the sleet until early evening. Then the heavier snow arrived and continued until early Monday morning. Driving became dangerous throughout the area beginning Sunday morning and continues even today.

Sunday evening before the heavier snow began, I looked out our rear window and saw two deer run across our backyard. It was dark enough that I really saw only the shadowed outline of their bodies and the bright white flash of their tails. This made me wonder, “How do these wild creatures – deer, squirrels, rabbits, and birds – survive the cold temperatures? If we didn’t have our warm homes, could we humans survive as well?”. It se seems that wildlife can survive, perhaps in nests or other sheltered places. Perhaps, they survive by clustering in groups to share warmth. Or maybe they simply know locations that offer some form of protection. They must because otherwise how could they survive – yet they do. They survive fire and drought, snow and ice, hurricanes and tornados. If they didn’t, we would have no wildlife today.

In this world we live. Humans, the supposed most intelligent species. Humans with technology and science and knowledgeable people who can help us stay safe and survive. But instead of using these tools, we select instead to pay little or no attention to warnings from warnings we are given to avoid travel and stay off the road. We seem to think that driving to the store to pick up a loaf of bread or a six-pack is more important than our safety or that of others, like our first responders. But perhaps we can’t survive without these items. So, we ignore others and try – maybe just to prove we are superior or smarter than those trying to protect us.

Maybe we do survive without problem but often we don’t. We wreck our cars – get hurt or harm others or get lucky and only get stranded. Then what do we do? Do we take responsibility for our actions, or do we do as a person I read about today. This person ignored all the advice and warnings, drove on unsafe roads, and became stranded when stuck in the snow. Their response – claims that there were no warnings (even though warnings were issued days before the storms) and complaints about how long it took first responders to rescue them. They were not injured, or injure others, yet they should have been placed at the top of the rescue list so they wouldn’t get cold. I know I should not judge others but using a quote from a popular movie, “Stupid is as stupid does!”.

This simply, sometimes, makes me wonder, “Who best deserves to survive, our wildlife friends or those who regularly take actions like the above?”

Waterfowl

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As the first cold snap of 2025 approaches, it reminds me of the days of my youth. My hometown was in the middle of farmlands where the summers saw rice and soybeans growing if fields large and small. In the autumn was harvest leaving bare fields behind. In the winter, it was a stop along the Mississippi Flyway, a traditional migration route for waterfowl and other birds from breeding grounds in Canada to wintering grounds along the Gulf Coast.

Depending on the weather, both in the north and along the Flyway, waterfowl became abundant in our area from mid-October until sometime shortly after the start of the new year. The waterfowl, mostly ducks, could be seen could be seen in huge V-shaped flocks passing high over in the sky or in smaller feeding groups in the recently harvested fields. Perching ducks could be found along bayous and rivers while puddle ducks were more often seen in lakes and ponds.

Our town had a moment of fame just before Christmas in 1956 when ducks on Claypool Reservoir were highlighted on the Wide World of Sports. A clip of this show can be found on the web along with images of a picture and poster showing thousands of ducks taking to the air.

While geese were sometimes seen, ducks were far more common. This has changed over time as has the number of waterfowl seen passing through each year. If you compare the Claypool photo from 1956 and it to these from 2013, you can still see large numbers of waterfowl on the Flyway, just different types.

When I read of “advances” in farming today, I often wonder if we learn from the past. In the early 1900’s waterfowl were much more abundant. Over hunting and habitat destruction reduced populations to dangerous levels. Only through wildlife management and conservation efforts were waterfowl and other wildlife protected and even restored. But then man stepped back on the scene. There were rains and storms that cause short term flooding, so we drained and cleared bayous and woods replacing them with straight ditches. Again, habitat was lost. Habitat that could not be replaced. But even today, the flooding still occurs. Now I read of how farm equipment is so much more “efficient”. There is no “waste”, no residue left behind. But if this is true, what will our waterfowl do for food?

I wonder who the advances and efficiency have benefited. The costs of farming today are unbelievable, so it would seem there has been little gain for farmers. Food prices continue to climb so I don’t see much benefit for the consumer. So, the advances appear to only serve the manufacturers and their investors who care only for the dollar.

I live in a semi-rural area today. Not in the city yet not in a farm community. I wonder how many of those around me appreciate what life hear offers. We share our community with deer, squirrels, and rabbits. In winter we see ducks on our lake, not lifetime residents but those passing through. I’ve even taken photos of wild turkey in my backyard. Yet there are those who complain about wildlife eating their flowers. If it is so bad I want to ask, “Why did you move here? The wildlife was here first. If it is so bad, why do you stay?”  But, perhaps, my thoughts are straying.  

My memories are of enjoying seeing the waterfowl and appreciating their beauty. Mornings in freezing cold duck blinds sharing great time with others. Contributing to conservation groups like Ducks Unlimited or the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation who protect waterfowl and wildlife for future generations to enjoy. I hope that you have enjoyed similar times and that we humans can learn to share with our wildlife neighbors who were here before us.