Photo Gallery and Blog 2020

Fox kits are so adorable. It has been a long time since I had the opportunity to photograph them.

The mother fox returns to the den site occasionally. The pups are hungry for dinner.

Mama fox pauses for a bit of nuzzling while constantly vigilant.

The pups romp and frolic for hours, jumping and pouncing on each other. It is fun to watch but tough to photograph. If their faces are not visible in the photo, they will look like orange fuzzballs.

All these photos were taken from my car which makes a great blind because the foxes ignore it. Sometimes one wanders up close enough for a portrait.

"My what a big mouth you have." "All the better to eat you with."

Mama fox returned at sunset to check on her mischievous pups.

Great horned owls nested in this hole high up in a large cottonwood tree. On this evening, mother owl was snoozing at the opening. Soon one owlet appeared and woke her up. The owlet looked small until it climbed out of the hole. This was mid May and the owlets were pretty big already.

Real feathers have grown that replaced the newborn fluff. They walk around the upper branches and fly tentatively from branch to branch.

On several evenings mother owl flew to the nest hole and retrieved a half-eaten rabbit. "We're having leftovers tonight, kids."

After making their first flights in late May, the owlets still hung around their home tree. Occasionally one would sit in a spot without twigs for a clear photo.

It can be hard to see them with all the new leaves on the tree.

The adult watched from a different tree, away from those pesky kids.

Two owlets woke up at dusk and flew to the top of this tree.

By now the owlets can fly well and they went to this nearby garage roof at dusk. They're getting ready to rumble.

Elk calves are born in early June. They are hard to see because their mothers hide them under bushes and go off to graze. After a couple weeks the calves become more visible when they are hanging out with their moms in a big group.

These calves are bashful and yet curious.

Mother elk tend to their calves, nuzzling and licking them.

The calves frequently stop to nurse. Elk milk must be very nutritious because the calves grow so fast.

"The Bluebird carries the sky on his back" according to Thoreau. In mid June, they are busy with nesting activities, occasionally pausing for a photo.

Both parents stay busy bringing bugs to their chicks. Grasshoppers were popular this day.

In August, antlers are covered with fuzzy velvet and growing rapidly in preparation for the fall rutting season.

This young moose calf is munching on willows.

Moose certainly have big long faces.

Moose really like willows. The higher ones must taste better.

Water pours off her head after foraging around on the bottom.

These owls routinely sit on headstones in this cemetery at dusk, watching for anything that moves. They are doing the graveyard shift.

It's dinner time for the young owlet, or maybe it is breakfast.

Sometimes the owls perched in trees which looks more natural than a headstone. That angular forehead makes the owlet look super pissed off.

In late September, each bull elk is busy gathering and defending his harem of cows by bugling and strutting around like this to show off his antlers.

This bull elk was standing in Sprague Lake, then tried to walk to shore. It was a little deeper than he thought.

This bull waded across the river, then wallowed in the muddy shore. Apparently being all dirty appeals to the cows. At least he thinks so.

This bull was on a hill with a nice background of green trees, much more photogenic than brown grassy meadows.

The resplendent wood duck looks especially nice when he paddles through a colorful reflection of autumn leaves.

Every feather is placed so perfectly. I wonder how they do that.

This mule deer buck with enormous antlers was hanging out at the Arsenal wildlife refuge. He kept walking towards me, then stopped for a second and posed. This buck attracted photographers from a half dozen other states.