Sunday, November 29, 2009

Grandson trip

Saturday afternoon, my grandson and I decided to go for a trip in the mountains and look for my elk.  We did not find the elk, but did have a wonderful experience.  First we found four mule deer bounding through the sagebrush.  Then after a long walk, we flushed a Great Grey owl.  It was his first.


As we were headed home we watched the Alpenglow as it colored the mountains pink as the sun was setting.



Not much further, but after the sun had set, we saw 14 head of mule deer feeding on the CRP ground with dry grass as high as the deer.



With the sun set and darkness sitting in we came upon the most exciting sight of the day - four bull moose fighting.  It was amazing to watch as they battled about a hundred yards from us.  Horns would crash, making the sound almost vibrate the truck.



In the dwindling twilight, it was difficult to stop the action without blurring everything.  At one time three of the four were all fighting together.  As one would defeat another, the victor would goose the loser in the butt to send him off as another would attack the victor.  We watched this battle for 15 minutes before they headed up through the trees.








Darn, we missed another football game on TV.  Oh well, just another wild day in Idaho.

24 comments:

Mary said...

Clearly, your day trumps any football game ever played! What fantastic photos, Bill--and what wonderful experiences for you and your grandson to share.

Janie said...

Fascinating to have come upon the bull moose fighting. The owl and aspenglow made great sightings, too. I'm sure your grandson will remember that outing all his life.

troutbirder said...

Wow what a day. I have only seen one Great Gray Owl in my life (in the Bitteroots) And then the moose. These are the things I miss with my grandson so far away in Colorado.

Loran said...

I'd pick a hike over football any day. You have one lucky grandson.

Mary said...

Looks a lot better than football to me :-) I've seen very few owls over the years. Great shot! Neat to see the moose fights and the mule deer, too. What a gorgeous area. Thanks for stopping by my blog.

Dagmar said...

Hi there Bill, thanks for you kind words on my blog the other day. Picking up yours I'm delighted to read you missed a football game because of the great suprises nature had in store for you guys.

Love the fact you live in Gods beautiful part of the world.
CU around soon. Dagmar

Jann said...

You're right, awesome day with grandson...fabulous! Esp. seeing the moose; very magical moment. Football, what's that?!

Birding is Fun! said...

Your grandson will never forget that day!

S. Etole said...

So much beauty in one day ... that owl picture is terrific.

Joie Moring said...

Bill..just popped over from Dagmar's blog...to see a fellow westerner. Grew up spending many years exploring parts north and south of Idaho. looks like you and your grandson found a little part of heaven on earth to trump the digital world any day.

Joie Moring said...

Bill...did I also say, that you're a true renaissance man. Would love to know more about the 'Teaching American History' grant and essay writing.

Frostbite and Sunburn said...

I am amazed at the sheer numbers of wildlife photos you can capture in a 24 hour period. Stunning - as always. Beautiful pinks, the deer are cute in their little follow-the-leader line up - and just "wow" to the moose. Thanks for sharing Bill.

Leenie said...

Wow! You really happened upon some wildness! Those big bulls look amazing. What an outstanding opportunity to see the clash of the titans. Your other photos in this and earlier posts are outstanding.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your visit Bill.I have not seen any of the creatures you've photographed. What a beautiful part of the world you live in!

Monts said...

Bill as any birder knows the hardest birds to spot are Owls,but to get a top notch photo as well thats a real bonus.Love the Alpenglow and the Moose set is marvelous. These are memories you and your Grandson can share for years to come.What an experience for him.

Linnea said...

Boy...your days are a lot more exciting than mine! Love the third shot the best!

Deb Murphree/Alabama Politics said...

What beautiful pictures, Bill! I love the grey owl you captured on film. How pretty they are.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Hi Bill. That trip was one your grandson will remember forever.

Your pictures always make me want to jump over a state or two and re-visit Idaho. Beautiful beautiful trip this time -- thanks for sharing.

Ruth said...

"Just another wild day in Idaho..." That would be one of the best days of my life! Wonderful sightings.

Sunny said...

What an amazing trip! The owl is awesome...and the moose! How exciting!
Just another boring day in Massachusetts...
Sunny :)

Mary Howell Cromer said...

You can always tape a game on TV, better to enjoy nature at it's best before the slumber of winter really takes hold. The Moose are fantastic, but my fav is the Great Gray Owl, would love to view one myself one day! My fav here in our land is the Barred Owl~

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Bill: What a wonder to be in the wilderness and see these animals. I am thrilled to see a deer in the yard.

sunnymama said...

What a great trip for you and your grandson! Awesome picture of the Great Grey owl and watching the bull moose fighting must have been really something.

Johnny Nutcase said...

Wow! looks like you got pretty close to the Great Grey - love that photo! I'm planning on a Yosemite trip later this month to go find some (i've never seen one! - cant wait! thanks for sharing!