Baby - it cold out there

With the temperature a minus 18 degrees, the trees were covered with frost but the birds and animals still had to eat and stay warm, so out in the wilds of Idaho I ventured.

The Red-tailed hawks were trying to keep warm but still had to go out and hunt for food.

 

This Black-capped chickadee was picking of frozen sap from the spruce trees.

 

The Cotton-tailed rabbits fluffed out their fur but stayed close to cover to escape the hawks and owls.

 

White-tailed deer ventured out looking for some grass poking out of the deep snow.

 

This porcupine uses its front paw to pull in a branch to strip it of nutrient-rich bark.

 

And then this Black-capped chickadee next to the Henrys Fork of the Snake River was picking buds of willows to survive.

 

Venturing out in the cold wilds of Idaho can be a very interesting activity.

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.

Here is my latest column from the East Idaho News:

 http://www.eastidahonews.com/2015/12/fire-at-sand-creek-pond-2-becomes-a-winner/

Hope you enjoy it.

Great Gray owls

Here is my latest column for the East Idaho News.  It is about Great Gray owls - I hope you enjoy it.


http://www.eastidahonews.com/2015/12/218260/