Finally a fox...

I had been hoping for red fox photos for a while now, and today I got some.

 

I located this fox a few days ago but wasn't able to get any photos, so today I went back.

 

 

The fox was laying on the grass near a tree when I got there. I got a few quick shots before it got up and ran off.

 

I parked nearby, sat in the car with my windows open and waited. I planned to stay until the fox came back or the sun went down, whichever was first.

 

As I waited, two crows flew into the forest across the street and were calling non stop. I figured they could see the fox below them, though I couldn't. I was ready with my camera and looking in the crows direction.

 

 

It wasn't long before the fox came trotting out below the crows and right towards me. I made this image before the fox heard the shutter and jogged back to the forest edge.

 

It went about 30 yards before it stopped and layed down.

 







The sun was still out and I couldn't believe my luck.

 

 

The fox seemed tired, and closed its eyes to rest.

 

 

The crows landed near it and called some more. The fox opened its eyes but didn't seem bothered, so I started the car and moved a little closer.

 

 

The fox didn't mind and didn't get up, so I kept shooting.

 

 

 

I had a happy, tired red fox in good light. What a day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was thankful for the opportunity and the fox's cooperation, especially after it ran off in the beginning.

 

 

Ten minutes later shadows fell where the fox was lying and it was time for me to go. I headed to the Ashland marina for sunset.

 

 

I held out hope for dramatic skies and a colorful sunset when I got there.

 

 

I found a spot on some rocks near the shore of Lake Superior and waited for sunset. Other people were sitting against the breakwater and watching the sky. Two girls walked up, one set her phone on a very small tripod to film the sky and then sat down to wait.

 

 

Then the dramatic sunset never came. The sun went behind some clouds and below the horizon and the lights went out.

 

 

 

I put the camera in the bag and started walking towards the car. I stopped to pet someone's three year old black lab mix. The dog was friendly and seemed really happy with the attention. I was really happy with my night. A cooperative red fox and sunset on Lake Superior. Pretty good.

 

 

When it's good...

When it's good, things just work; the wildlife cooperates, the light is great, and the photography is easy.

 

On Monday night things were good. This wild stallion allowed me to silhouette him against a beautiful sky in western North Dakota.

 

 

 

These two young horses were curious rather than worried as I lay on the ground trying to get an angle for silhouettes.

 

 

 

I had enough time to make several dramatic images.  

 



 

The sky was great with beautiful clouds scattered about.

 

 

 

Earlier it had been 86 degrees, there were lots of ticks, I was hot and tired, and hadn't slept in in almost two days, but I was really glad I didn't leave early.

 

 

 

By hanging in there I was able to make these silhouettes and spend a beautiful day with more than 30 horses as they slept, fought, ate, rolled in the dirt, slept some more, and drank from a creek. Before it was over I had spent more than 10 hours hanging with wild horses as they lived their lives on the plains and badlands of western North Dakota.

 

When it's good, it's really good, and this day was a gift.





Sometimes the prey is tough...

May is the time for newborn bison calves in Yellowstone.

 

Female bison group together to protect and raise their young and grizzly bears are out looking for almost anything to eat.

 

 

On this day in the Lamar Valley a large grizzly was eating grass while a group of bison cows and calves moved past. The grizzly made sure to look like salad was all that was on it's mind as the bison calves went by.

 

 

 

Though the bear hadn't made a move towards them, the bison cows hurried their calves past the big bruin.

 

 

 

Running at least two hundred yards. Once the cows and calves were out of the picture...

 

 

 

some cows without calves went to take care of the potential problem.

 

 

 

At first the bear acted nonchalant as the cows approached.

 

 

 

Until it finally turned and ran towards the Lamar River. 

 

When the bear was out of sight the cows stopped their pursuit and returned to the herd.

 

Later in the afternoon the grizzly bear was back in the area eating grass and keeping an eye on some other bison calves.

Spa day....

On a cold and wet afternoon in Yellowstone Park, just days before the government shutdown, a sow grizzly walks in a golden meadow.

 

 

She crosses Obsidian Creek and heads over to a gravel bar where steam was rising from a geothermal area. 

 

 

And started rubbing her neck, shoulders, and belly on the ground.

 

 

 

  

 

Although there were dozens of people watching and photographing her from the park road, she seemed perfectly relaxed. 

 

  

 









 

Only taking a brief break to check her surroundings.

  

 

Before the back rub began.

  

   

 

After a couple of minutes rolling on the gravel in the steam she stretched out and layed there. 

 

  

 





Resting her head on the ground she started to doze off.  I watched for a little while longer and then left while she was still resting. What a great way to spend a wet afternoon in Yellowstone.



 



Elk & Frog & Toad

I found this bull elk just before sunset near Clam Lake Wisconsin.

 

 

A day later this bull was staying near a couple of cows in a shaded forest.

 

I was hoping to photograph a larger bull so I headed back to Clam Lake.

 

I didn't find any good bulls, but I did find.....

 

a beautiful mink frog

 

 

 

 



and a really nice American toad. 

River otters on Lake Superior

In early April my dad, brother, his kids, and I were driving along the shore of Lake Superior on the way to a nearby trout stream. I was looking out at the lake and spotted a long dark critter on the ice near the shore. My brother saw it at the same time. We turned around and drove back to find this northern river otter with a dead fish pulled up onto the ice.

I hadn't brought my camera with me and asked my dad to take me back for it. After I got the camera I drove back to where the otter had been. Everyone else went fishing. I pulled over to the side of the road and shot a few photos from inside the car. Another car stopped behind me and the driver walked up to see the otter and wanted to visit. When the driver walked up, the otter got off of the ice, pulled the fish into the water and swam off.

I couldn't see where the otter put the fish, but it was too big for him to move it far. I was disappointed that the otter left but thought he'd come back to eat. I moved my car further away from where the otter had been, took my camera and tripod and walked down along the lake shore. I found a good spot tucked back among some rocks with tree branches in front of me. I sat on the sand, pulled my hat over my ears and my jacket tight around me as a stiff breeze came in off the lake. Then I waited.

After about 10 minutes I could see the otter popping its head up from a crack in the ice about 50 yards away. A little while later it swam to where I last saw the fish and got up onto the ice.

Here is the otter with the fish which turned out to be a large carp.

The northern river otter is eating part of the carp.

After eating for awhile the otter pulled the fish back into the water and stood on the snow.



The otter didn't seem to mind me sitting about 50 feet away.



Once the otter left, this herring gull came to clean up the scraps.



After swimming in the lake for about twenty minutes the otter came back to where it had left the carp.



The otter had all it could handle pulling the large fish back up onto the ice.



I watched as the otter braced itself and tugged the fish up out of the water.



The fish seemed like a tremendous feast.



The river otter spent the next half an hour eating its fill. Gulls flew over and sat on the ice nearby. When the otter was done eating it again pulled the fish off the ice and lodged it underneath so the birds could not get at it.



The otter shakes off after swimming in the lake.



The otter is up on the ice near some old dock pilings.



The otter spent time cleaning its paws and fur and rolling on its back.



Finally the otter stood up to its full height, looked around and then swam off. In all I spent more than 3 hours photographing the river otter. During the time that I was there I could see three adult bald eagles out on the ice a few hundred yards away, but they never tried to steal the fish nor did they fly very close to the otter.