Wildlife in the snow

Yesterday we got from 8 to 10 inches of fluffy snow on the desert, so I just had to spend the morning out looking for animals.  I was not disappointed except I wanted to see the elk migrating down from the mountains, but did not see them.  I was able to photograph a while Long-tailed weasel - only the second one I have been able to in my life.

The first animal I saw was a cow moose.  Later I would see four more, but no bulls.

 

The Tetons were beautiful in the morning haze cause by the zero temperatures.

 

Sharp-tailed grouse were roosting and feeding in the chokecherry bushes.

 

I saw about 30 mule deer and probably another 50 saw me as I was busting through snow drifts up past my headlights.

 

On a pile of rocks, I saw two black eyes looking at me.  It was a Long-tailed weasel.

 

I watched and photographed it for about an hour as it hunted through the rocks.

 

I did not see it harvest any rodent, but enjoyed it just the same.

 

It finally had enough of me and off it went in a hurry.

 

Just another great morning in the wildness of Idaho.

Hiking in moose country.

This afternoon I was hiking a ridge as the hunting season closed yesterday and I ran into this big bad boy and his girlfriend.

 

I don't think he saw me until the cow saw me as I was backing up away from the bull.

 

Then he saw me but I was close enough to the trees that I stopped worrying.

 

 

Even though we do not have a lot of snow, the deer are starting to migrate to the lower lands.

 

The sunset was colorful as I come out of the mountains.

 

A great way to spend a few hours after a windy cold morning in the Wilds of Idaho.

Raptors, migrating big game and Burrowing owls

This week was very warm with no moisture and all the migrations continue with birds and big game.
It looks like an odd pairing up with a "Harlin's" Red-tailed hawk matching up with a regular colored Red-tailed.  A Harlin's is almost black on top with light coloring showing when flying above you.

 

Its mate is a light colored, near a light-morph.  They are in the Burton area near Rexburg.

 

Here are two more Red-tails that show the different coloration of the Red-tails the migrate through the area.

 

On Tuesday last week this Bald eagle was being harassed by a pair of Kestrels near Sand Creek Ponds north of St. Anthony.

 

Also on Tuesday from St. Anthony to Sand Creek area there were 17 moose working their way across the desert.

 

Right with the moose, there were over 100 deer also migrating to the high country.  With two light winters in a row, the mule deer population is growing.  Here is one of the few bucks still wearing their head-gear.

 

A large flock of sandhill cranes joined 108 Trumpeter swans on the grain field planted and left standing for migrating birds at Sand Creek.

 

Then on Saturday I found my first Burrowing owls of the year.  There were three pair from Roberts to Hamer that had moved in since last Monday.

 

It is the wildness of Southeastern Idaho that inspires me.

Moose on the loose

Yesterday afternoon I went to Camas National Wildlife Refuge to do some birding and to check on the three bull moose bachlors that have been there for a year.  Low and behold the largest bull had found two girlfriends and was protective of the two.  The cows wandered on their own and the bull was determined that no males, including me, would mess things up for him.

 

 

As one of the cows came near me, the bull did a stalk on me.

 

 

He decided to charge, but there was deep water between us and he would stop there.

 

 

He would bellow at the cows, but they would look up at him and then continue eating.

 

 

He got a little angry at us all and took it out on some willows.  Probably just sharpening the tines for me.

 

 

He had to chase after one of the wandering cows and then looked back and me, warning me to keep my distance.

 

The other cow moved across the road from me and he decided he was tired of me being too close.  So he pawed and ground, urinated in it and I headed for the truck. 

 

 

I did not get any pictures of him chasing the truck down the road, but he chased the truck for about 20 yards before heading back to round up his two partners.

 

The last I saw of them was as they headed into the high bullrushes -  right toward the other two bull moose.  I'm afraid he will have a fight on his hands.

 

What a great time in the wilds of Idaho and I will be there looking for them again and soon.



Mountain Happiness

My friend came up with this saying:  "If you are lucky enough to be in the mountians; you are lucky enough."  I agree and since my wife wants me to get an elk to eat this winter, I have been spending evenings and weekends in the mountians.  All the elk have escaped me, but this week I have seen over 30 moose.  It is breeding time and there are usually numerous bulls with the cows.  Here is a cow with a lazy bull  sleeping behind her.

I have seen over 20 deer.  If you look close you can see four in this picture alone.

But the most thrilling were four more Great Grey owls and two Great-horned owls that I saw this week.  That makes nine Great Greys that I have seen in a week.  The most for me ever during a fall or winter.    Usually they work the old clear cuts that have some patches of grass for them to hunt rodents in.

Sorry for the sideways picture on this one, I just could not get it to straighten up.  But this one was successful  as it has a gopher in its right talons. 

What an exciting week.  Five partial or full days to spend in the wilds of Idaho.

SkyWatch Friday - Harvest sunset.

Yesterday evening I decided to go scouting for elk.  I saw two elk, two Ruffed grouse, three wolves, a golden eagle and six moose.

Here are two dating moose.

Then they start kissing!!!!!

As I was driving out of the mountains, the sun was just setting.  The dust from the potato harvest along with the thin clouds in the sky, made for a wonderful sunset.

A great way to end a beautiful sunshine filled day in the wilds of Idaho.

Fishing with moose and coots.

Yesterday, my son-in-law, Jesse, and I went fishing on Henrys Lake.  We had a wonderful time and the full report can be found on http://billschiessfishing.blgspot.com/.  We got some spawning brook trout and saw some amazing wildlife.  Here is a male spawning brooktrout over five pounds that Jesse caught.

Canada geese flew over us several times.

Coots were working the shore and we saw seven moose along the shoreline.  Here is a young bull that was feeding in the willows as we were fishing.

Just another great day in the wilds of Idaho.

Moose

Last week on a two day fishing trip to Henrys Lake, I spent an afternoon on the Henrys Fork looking for photo opportunities.  There were plenty, but the most interesting to me was a cow and calf moose trying to cross the river between tubers and all manner of people in floating devices.

Mama moose become quite concerned as the calf got into some deep water and started bleeting.

She worked closer to the calf and turned toward me with the calf coming behind her.  I slipped behind some pines to watch and photograph the action.

After the calf was in shallower water, the cow decided it was time to drink and eat.  I found it interesting that she would drink and then eat. 

With her mouth full of moss, she would let the water drain out.  I wondered why she did not eat and drink at the same time.

They finally made it to shore, gave me a parting glance and headed into the thick willows.

A floatila of floaters were then able to float on down the river, not having to worry about an angry mother protecting her baby.

Just another few moments experiencing the wildness of Idaho.

Outdoor Class- June 25

I took and helped teach an outdoor class on June 23-25.  On June 25, we studied wildflowers in the Big Hole Mountains and Teton Canyon.  Here are a few of the beautiful flowers we saw.  See if you can identify them.

Number 1.

Number 2:

Number 3:

Number 4:

Number 5:

And my favorite:

And to end another wild day in Idaho, we were greeted by this "four-eared" moose.