On the hunt......

A wild gray wolf walking along a ridge in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada on a 90 degree August day.

This male wolf was working his way along a ridge with rocky outcroppings at the end of it.

Bighorn sheep often frequent this area and depend on the rocky outcropping to  provide protection from predators such as this wolf.

The wolf located a group of five young bighorn sheep rams resting down near a river and took off to pursue them.

Four of the rams ran away and eventually up the slope to safety, but one ram just jumped over the edge and waited the wolf out. At one point the wolf was sitting just above him about fifty feet away.

After a short break the wolf trotted down to the Athabasca River and layed in the water to cool off.

Then stood up, shook off, and walked away.

You Never Know..

what you'll find when you head outside.

I spent two cool and sometimes wet days at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area last week and saw these

diamond like raindrops on the leaves of a flower I haven't identified yet. (If you know what it is please let me know.)

A rain drop on a bird's-foot violet. (Viola pedata)

A trumpeter swan taking a break from feeding on underwater plants.

Although it was cold, I was able to find two northern prairie skinks by turning over a few logs. It may not look like it, but this skink is fine. When prairie skinks are captured by predators (or people) they wriggle their bodies until whatever is attempting to catch them is left holding only their tail. The skinks tail detaches from its body and continues to twitch and move, keeping the attackers attention while the actual skink makes its escape. Over time the skink will grow back its tail.

With the day as cool and damp as it was, I felt really lucky to find a 4-5 foot bullsnake crossing one of the dirt roads. I made a few images and watched it move off into a nearby woods.

It was as if I was actually watching spring unfold as these new leaves grew on a scrub oak.