More Babies

The increase in the Deer population throughout North America, among other things, means more frequent sightings of young fawns. I wrote in September about the newborn Coues White Tail Deer I came across in the Chiricahua Mountains. This little guy I mistook for a Jackrabbit at first  -- until I realized he was too small to be a Jackrabbit. He wasn't much bigger than a house cat. The Mule Deer photo was taken in Yellowstone Park and the White Tail Deer photo was taken in Glacier National Park.  In all three cases there were two fawns with their mother.

Coues White Tail Deer Fawn

Mule Deer

White Tail Deer

Hoofed Animal Babies - II

I love finding and photographing wild animal families. The first photo was taken near Cameron Pass (10,000+ feet) in Northwestern Colorado. The young Moose was the smallest -- youngest Moose I have ever seen. If the mother and father weren't around, I am not sure I would have even known what it was. The Feral (wild) Burro family was taken at Imperial National Wildlife Refuge on the Arizona side of the Colorado River 50 miles north of Yuma.  The young Burro Colt didn't look real; looked more like a "stuffed animal" from FAO Schwartz. 

Moose Family

Feral Burro Family

Hoofed Animal Babies

Bighorn sheep are most vulnerable when young. Predation primarily occurs with lambs which are hunted by Coyotes, Bobcats, Lynxes, Bears, Wolves, and Mountain Lions. Golden Eagles will also try to cause lambs to fall from great height. Adults are more dangerous and predation is generally restricted to Mountain Lions.

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Lambs

Mountain Goats occur at higher elevations and in colder climates and thus their predators are fewer in number. They will come down from higher elevations in the Spring to look for "salt licks". This is when they are most vulnerable to predation. But, as a general rule they spend most of their time at higher elevations than their predators. Even still, like with the Bighorn Sheep lambs, Golden Eagles will try to cause the lambs to fall to their death.

Mountain Goat with Kid

From Taking Life to Giving Life

Although predators must take life to survive, they also give life. Most predators are very careful about exposing their young.  Bear cubs seem to be the easiest to find. But finding Coyote or Wolf or Mountain Lion cubs you almost need a den in your backyard. But, here are a couple that I like:

Black Bear with her two cubs.

Bobcat with one of her two kittens.

Predators with Their Prey: Raptors

Raptors don't have an easy time of it either. However, they succeed often enough to survive.

Bald Eagle with 30 pound Salmon

The rare Gray Hawk with a bird of some kind

Osprey with 24 inch Rainbow Trout

Sharp Shinned Hawk with Mourning Dove

Yes, and a Turkey Vulture with a Coyote

Predators with Their Prey

Life of the predator is not easy. Often unsuccessful, they keep trying until they capture their food. I have seen Coyotes gang up on a rabbit without success. I have seen Bobcats chase after rabbits without success. But, often enough they succeed. Here are a few photos:

American Marten with Squirrel

Bobcat with Desert Cottontail

Coyote with some Carcass

Gray Wolf with Bison Carcass

Grizzly Bears with Elk

Northern River Otter with Salmon

Agua Caliente

Up at dawn this morning and it occurred to me I didn't have to make breakfast for anyone. So I hopped in the Jeep and headed over to Agua Caliente -- Hot Water. Or, the name of a regional park about four miles from us. There is a pond of, at most, 10 acres but it attracts water  birds. I have seen Great Egrets, Green Herons, Black Crowned Night Herons, Great Blue Herons, an Osprey, Belted Kingfishers, Peregrine Falcons, Great Horned Owls, Cooper's Hawks, Sharp Shinned Hawks, Red Tailed Hawks, and an assortment of small birds like Vermillion Flycatchers, Western Tanagers, Orioles, and Cedar Waxwings among others. But, today one Great Blue Heron and some of the winter ducks:

Great Blue Heron

Mallard Duck

Ring-necked Duck

American Wigeon