Black Bear

First, a big thank you to those from around the world who visit my blog every day, including: Sri Lanka, Spain, Armenia, Ukraine, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, Norway, Turkey, Jamaica, Brazil, Croatia, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Romania, Moxambique, Nicaragua, Finland, Italy, Hungry, Japan, Israel, Belarus, South Korea, Netherlands, Philippines, Russia, Australia, Pakistan, Germany, Poland, France, Slovakia, Serbia, Qatar, New Zealand, Mexico, India, Greece, Canada, UK, and the US.

 

What is heartwarming to me, is that we all share something in common: a love of nature. 

Now, to continue my series on "5" Star Photos, we come to Black Bears. Over the years I have spent a good deal of time looking for and photographing bears. As you will see, my style is to be an unobtrusive observer where, in a few miraculous moments, a brief relationship transpires creating a photo which places the viewer in the wilderness -- interacting with the animal just as I did. 

The key is being able to get close enough without fear or aggression, with just love and compassion. You must be patient and willing to pass up a photo if an animal is disturbed by you. Bears must be respected and you must feel privileged that they are willing to let you photograph them. Standing 15 to 20 feet from a bear is an exhilarating and memorable experience but it can only be done with patience, love and respect.

My experience is that 50% of the time you see a bear it will run away. 25% of the time it will walk away (in which case I do not follow or track it because it has told me it doesn't want to be around me). This means 25% of the time I should be able to get a good photograph -- as long as I don't "screw-up."

My first Black Bear Photo I'll show you was taken in Ramsey Canyon, Huachuca Mountains, Southern Arizona. This fairly young (150 pound) bear was going from tree top to tree top foraging on the leaves --- as if he were a squirrel. I took many photos, including close-ups, but thought this one told the whole story:  (Click on the photo to enlarge).

Black Bear

More from Garden Canyon, Huachucas

The first is actually a moth, a Hummingbird Moth. When first observed you might think it is a hummingbird -- hence the name. But it is a moth, and really quite beautiful. The second photo is of a Two Tailed Swallowtail, also on a thistle. The third is a Red Spotted Purple. There are so many Pipevine Swallowtails (fourth photo) that initially I thought the third photo was also a Pipevine Swallowtail or a Black Swallowtail. However, upon close examination -- no tail! Also the blue spots on the hindwing are quite distinctive. The Huachucas would be about the westernmost range of the Red Spotted Purple. The RSP, like the Viceroy (yesterday), and the California Sister (last photo) are large butterflies in the Admiral Family. The California Sister is abundant in the Huachucas.

Wildflowers of Garden Canyon

Of course there are hundreds of varieties of wildflowers in Garden Canyon, but I took four photos the other day that I particularly liked. The first is the Western Salsify, who's puffball was a good six or seven inches in diameter.  I had to look that up, because I thought it was a dandelion on steroids. But, no it is a Western Salsify, also called Goat's Beard, Wild Oysterplant, or Yellow Salsify.  The second photo is Butterflyweed, aptly named since Garden Canyon is noted for its amazing butterflies. The third photo is Columbine, which I have showed you before but love its delicacy. And the fourth is Prickly Poppy with what appears to be a California Carpenter Bee. Tomorrow the butterflies.

Cloudless Sulphur

Staying in the Huachuca Mountains, but moving slightly north we find Fort Huachuca, established in 1876 (5 years before the famous gun fight at the OK Corral in Tombstone). It is not difficult to get into this military facility; just photo ID and car registration will do. But it is snuggled up against the mountains with a wonderful drive through Garden Canyon the attraction. Late summer and early fall is butterfly season. And, since the canyon is full of thistles, it is also full of butterflies. Here we have five butterflies, consisting of Cloudless Sulphurs and a Southern Dogface Sulphur. There are two wonderful hikes in the canyon: Sheelite Canyon and Sawmill Canyon. Each is different. Sheelite is a narrow and relatively steep hike. Sawmill and little more open, wider trail, and not quite as steep. We hiked Sawmill a couple of weeks ago and just as we got to the end (the top) it started to -- you guessed it -- rain. It always seems to happen at the farthest place from the trailhead parking. But, that makes a fun story.