Wildlife at Yellowstone National Park - III

Bighorn Sheep.  There are a few places where you can find Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. One is Barronette Peak all the way out past Lamar Valley and a couple miles from the Northeast Entrance. A second is on the Grand Loop Road near Mount Washburn. But, the most reliable place is near the bottom of the road from the North Entrance to Mammoth. I passed by there about 12 times on this trip and saw the Bighorns four of those times. Here are a few photos:

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Ewe Eating

Bighorn Sheep Resting 

Bighorn Sheep a little further up the mountain.

Desert Bighorn Sheep versus Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

I have found Desert Bighorn Sheep at Imperial National Wildlife Refuge, in the Trigo Mountains, and on the cliffs of Tortilla Flat above Canyon Lake. Interestingly, all three are locations with permanent access to water. Two other main Desert Bighorn sites in Arizona are Kofa National Wildlife Refuge and Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge. I've not found them in either of those locations -- although not for the lack of trying. I'm guessing that because neither of those locations have a permanent water source the Bighorns are more scattered and stay up at higher elevations where human access is more challenging. 

A second interesting observation is that only 125 miles (as the crow flies) East of where the Canyon Lake Desert Bighorns live, I have found Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. Of course, in that 125 miles you climb 5,000 feet.

Desert Bighorns look very similar to Rocky Mountain Bighorns, although somewhat smaller. The most significant difference, however, is that the Desert Bighorns have become well adapted to living in the desert heat and cold. And, unlike the Rocky Mountain Bighorns, their body temperature can safely fluctuate several degrees. Other physiological differences allow them to go without water for weeks or months, sustaining their body moisture from food and rainwater collected in temporary rock pools. They can lose up to 30 percent of their body weight during the hot summer months ((much like bears when hibernating in the winter). While bears find dens for the winter, Desert Bighorns often find caves to keep cool during the hot summer days.  

Today, I'll show two "4" Star Photos (Neither rises to my "5" Star Level). The first is of the Canyon Lake Desert Bighorns, the second is the Blue Mountain Rocky Mountain Bighorns.

Desert Bighorn Sheep -- Tortilla Flat above Canyon Lake, Arizona

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep -- Blue Mountains, Arizona

Bighorn Sheep V

Sometimes you just get lucky. Case in point, I was driving up Medicine Lake Road in Alberta, Canada looking for Moose, Bear, and Caribou. I had not seen Bighorns in this area before. As I drove I saw a small herd off in a meadow. They clearly took notice of my being there, but most just kept on eating. However, this beautiful ram came right up to the drivers side window to take a closer look at me. He even gave me time to change lenses. Wonderful detail, wonderful dark color. I thanked him kindly for posing for me, and off I went.

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep - Ram

Bighorn Sheep III

Back to my series on "5" rated photos. This one taken in the Canadian Rockies high above the Columbia Icefields in Alberta brought me one of my first photo awards.  Although well below zero, this guy with his thick heavy coat actually looked warm. And for me, by the time I climbed into position to get this photo I was sweating and wanting to take off my coat. 

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Ram

Pairs of Two: Three

Today, pairs of Mountain Goats and Bighorn Sheep. 

But first, I should say that there are wildlife "farms" or "ranches" where wild animals roam within fences. Photographers are invited (for a fee) to come and photograph the "wildlife." In some cases the animals are "trained" to pose for a photo. One such ranch in Montana has trained wolves to go up to the top of a mound and howl at sunsets for a photo. Cost, $300-$400. That is not me, nor any of my photos.  All of my animal photos are from the wild – no zoos, no wildlife “farms” or ranches – no remote motion-sensor cameras, no tracking dogs, no electronic tracking devices, no “traps,” just simply photographed as predator and/or prey as found naturally  in the wild.   Photos are untouched and appear as seen through the lens.

I say this because my first photo of the Mountain Goats seems posed. The story behind the photo is that I was driving up Mount Evans in Colorado, and at about 13,000 feet saw 40 or so Mountain Goats in a meadow on the tundra. I pulled off to the side of the road and slowly walked down the hillside to the meadow. I got to within 30 yards from the Mountain Goats and just sat down. I took photos and watched them for about an hour and 15 minutes. During that time these two "kids" walked over to the ledge (a drop of several thousand feet) and stopped on a rock. Snap, this was the photo:

Mountain Goat kiddies at 13,000 feet

Bighorn Sheep Ewe feeding her lamb

National Wildlife Refuges

National Bison Range, Montana, 1908

While Teddy Roosevelt set aside some of the first Wildlife Areas by Executive Order starting in 1903, by 1908 he finally got Congress to agree to a Nationwide allocation and management program . And, the National Bison Range was established with the first Congressional appropriations ever made for the purchase of lands for a national wildlife refuge. The original herd of bison, released in 1909, was purchased with private money from the American Bison Society; the herd was then donated to the Range. The National Bison Range helped bring the bison back from the edge of extinction. Today, 350 to 500 bison call the Range home.

Much of the Range was once surrounded by prehistoric Lake Missoula, which was formed by a glacial dam 10,000 years ago. The old beach lines of Lake Missoula are still visible on north-facing slopes. Today, the National Bison Range has a diversity of habitats, including grasslands, Douglas fir and ponderosa pine forests, riparian areas, and ponds. The National Bison Range is one of the last intact publicly-owned palouse prairie grasslands in the United States.

In addition to herds of bison, the Range supports populations of elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, pronghorn, and bighorn sheep as well as coyotes, mountain lions, bears, and bobcats. The Refuge has recorded 211 bird species.

This is one of my favorite Refuges. As you will see from the photos, I have been there at different times of the year: winter, summer, spring, and fall. Much like Yellowstone, it never disappoints. Although, I always go there looking for mammals, occasionally I find a bird or two worth a photo.

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep - Ram

American Bison: I had been looking all the previous afternoon and following morning for  Bison. Then to my surprise came across this lone Bull standing in the snow.

Elk getting a drink from a small pond.

Mule Deer: still velvet on their antlers, late Summer.

Pronghorn in Thistles

Pronghorn in Snow

White Tailed Deer: When Whitetails are calm their tails are down. When they are cautious, there tails are horizontal. When they are nervous, their tails are up. Here are three Whitetails showing all three positions. (Photo from 1992)

Blue Grouse: a pleasant surprise.

Lazuli Bunting

Bumping Heads

Occasionally, like the "civilized" world I suppose, wild animals fight. They fight to establish dominance, territory, or the love of a female. As in these photos, though, it is usually done with little harm to the other. The photo of Bighorn Rams fighting was one of my first photos with an early model APS camera (1995 I believe). The format eventually died, as well it should have given the quality of my photo. The wild horses fighting was quite a thrill. I had driven 100 miles on a Canadian dirt road looking for them. Six hours into the trip I found them. 

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Rams: Cascades, Washington

American Bison: Western Montana

Elk: North Central Colorado

Wild Horses: Central Alberta, Canada

Pronghorn: Northwestern Colorado

Sleeping Through it All: Part I

Every once in a while, on my wildlife excursions I come across an animal sleeping -- or resting. Often in these situations the animal is content to remain laying down provided I don't make any sudden movement. The result is usually a nice photo op. The Bison was actually "wallowing" and was back on his feet in about 30 seconds. The Coyote saw something to eat -- not sure what it was since the wild grasses were so tall -- but quickly jumped up and pounced on whatever it was. The others remained resting for quite a while, and in fact I left them before they got up. I have a few more I'll post tomorrow. But for today:

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep: Western Montana

American Bison: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Black Bear: Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

Bobcat: Asleep in our Flower Bed, Tucson, Arizona

Coatimundi: Galiuro Mountains, Arizona

Coyote: Laying in Wildflowers, Western Wyoming

Desert Bighorn Sheep: Trigo Mountains, Arizona