Bull Moose at Rocky Mountain National Park

Continuing with my "5" Star Moose photos.

One year, I had finished my morning at Cameron Pass in Northwest Colorado, and went on to Rocky Mountain National Park. It was about 10:30 when I arrived near the West Entrance to the park. The road was already crowded (20+ cars) so I stopped to see what the attraction was. There were two very large Bull Moose lying down about ten feet apart and partially concealed by brush. They were 150 feet or more away, though. I started talking to a photographer from Silver Spring, Maryland. Since I grew up in Silver Spring we had a few things to talk about about while we waited. 

Seeing this before, I knew that at some point the Moose were going to get up and start eating again. In the meantime people (families with children) came and went, either not knowing or not caring that they could be in for  a very nice treat if they stayed.

It took an hour and a half, but I called it right. The Moose not only got up but they came much closer to eat the oak brush. My patience was rewarded with some wonderful photos. Here is one of them:

Bull Moose

Black Billed Magpie

Next on the alphabetical journey through my "5" Star photos is the Black Billed Magpie. This is really a borderline "5".  Maybe if I lived in an area where Magpies were common it would not make a "5." But what I like is the soft background with various shades of pastels. The Magpie is posing nicely on a rock, unbothered by my being close. The photo was taken in Northern Colorado near one of the entrances to Rocky Mountain National Park.

Black Billed Magpie

Landscapes - Part II

I once calculated that there have been over 3 billion photos taken of the Grand Canyon. (It gets 5 million visitors each year). So what was the possibility of my taking the "definitive" photo? One in 3 billion? Although I have taken a few photos, over the years have trashed all except the ones of the Condors. Arches National Park is much the same. The first photo below I took at Balanced Rock. Although I like the photo I suspect there are thousands just like it in someone else's photo album. Occasionally, though a sunrise or sunset, or clouds, rain, or a "rainbow" give you an opportunity that most of the other millions of visitors don't get. In the second photo taken in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado,  it had been raining all night and into early morning. I spotted a nice male and female Moose in this field. I was the only one there at the time. (It was probably 6:00 AM). I  had just finished photographing the Moose when this rainbow appeared. I thought, what the heck, I'll take a photo just to remember the "event." Turns out I really like the photo.

At Balanced Rock, Arches National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park: Part II

Once the Big Show seemed to be over, I continued into the park seeing another Moose (cow) running from one willow bush to another:

As I started up the road getting near the 10,000 foot mark it started raining pretty hard. So, I decided to head back to Granby to the motel and sort through, delete photos, and charge the batteries. On the way back saw a small herd of Elk in the woods. There were a couple of fawns, but it was raining hard and dark, and with trees in the way just not a good photo to be found.

I went back out early the next morning and found a Moose with her Calf. She let me get pretty close (walking through very wet brush). But, there they were:

Also found a nice large herd of Elk down by the river. Here is one of those shots:

Found another Female Moose deep into the willows, so left her alone. Then found a Bull and Cow in an area (you must hike to) where I had seen Moose before. It was raining again. I found myself unable to get to an angle close enough for a good photo. Lots of water knee deep.  I did take photos, some of which turned out okay. But, nothing really great. They lay down under cover, and I checked back at several intervals for an hour and a half but they hadn't budged.  The best photo was this one:

The female is actually underneath the large fir tree; the male behind the small fir in the middle. Can't see them in the photo. But, actually, I like the photo without the Moose to distract.

All in all a very good -- if not wet couple of days.

Rocky Mountain National Park

On to Rocky Mountain National Park. I had finished my morning at Cameron Pass and went on to Rocky Mountain National Park. It was about 10:30 when I arrived near the entrance to the park. The road was already crowded (20+ cars) so I stopped to see what the attraction was. There were two very large Bull Moose laying down about ten feet apart and partially concealed by brush. I started talking to a photographer from Silver Spring, Maryland. Since I grew up in Silver Spring (a couple of centuries ago) we had a few things to talk about about while we waited. Seeing this before, I knew that at some point the Moose were going to get up and start eating again. In the meantime people (families with children) came and went, either not knowing or not caring that they could be a very nice treat.

It took about 90 minutes from the time I arrived for the first Bull to get up:

It wasn't two minutes after the first Bull got up that the second one got up:

Many more photos followed, but eventually they came very close:

I thanked them very much for a delightful show indeed. Then gave my position (and parking space) to someone else.

It's Moose Time Again

We have more rain today, so I am sitting at my computer -- as are many of our guests. And, I am thinking about Monday's blog. I came across this photo which, at the time I thought would be great. And, in many ways it is quite good: I have the entire moose; he is very large with very large antlers; long beard; there's even pond in the background to show the habitat; there's a small fir tree in the lower right hand corner that adds color and size dimensions without obstructing the moose; the moose is active. I only had this one opportunity to capture him since I was standing between two trees and this was the only clear view. It was going to be perfect. And, snap I thought it was. Yet it is not. The problem is that the moose's antlers shade his face so you don't get a clear view of the head and eyes. Why couldn't he have looked my way at this very moment? That would have moved the shadow off the face. You travel for a day or more to get to an area where there are moose. You search for hours looking for moose. You find a very large moose in the perfect setting. But the sun is in the wrong place. You get one opportunity until he turns his back to you and walks away. And, yet I find myself only marginally disappointed, because I got to see this magnificent animal.

jousting elk

Here we have two bull elk "jousting"; a ceremonial activity during the "rut." I watched as these two elk slowly approached each other, locked antlers, turned one way, then the other, again, and again, then released and slowly backed off. It wasn't violent as is the case with the bighorn sheep rams. Once finished the elk went back to eating as if nothing else had happened. Again, you can see how the neck is swollen. While I have seen "jousting" before, it is an amazing act of nature I never tire of.

Bugling Elk

Hello friends and welcome to The Azure Gate Blog.

Oddly enough, our first Blog will not be about Tucson. There will be plenty to write and share with you about our Bed and Breakfast, Tucson, and Southern Arizona. Christine and I had a wonderful trip to Miller Canyon and I took several hummingbird photos we'd like to share with you.

During the summer we take time off to see family and friends, and I like to take some extended photography trips (sometimes outside of Arizona).

I just returned from a photo trip to Northwestern Colorado where the Moose and Elk were quite willing to be photographed.

First. It is elk mating season. Bulls make eerie "bugle calls" to the females (cows). For those of you who haven't heard this sound, it is an almost painful screeching or crying often echoing across the meadow, valley, or canyon. As you can see from this photo, the bull's neck seems to change shape -- not too dissimilar to male salmon while breeding. This bull had about 15 cows around him. A younger and smaller bull occasionally charged the big guy -- but, no contest. The big guy would even chase a female who got too close. Guess he wasn't finished "strutting his stuff" and wanted center stage.