BEAVER CLEAVER

I had spent about 30 minutes photographing Beaver Cleaver a very short distance from my car.  I made a decision to get out slowly with my camera to see if I could get a better view.  To my joy  “The Beave” did not mind a bit.  This was a couple of years ago in Crex Meadows Wildlife Area, Wisconsin.  The circumstances and the environment left little opportunity for art, so I opted for natural history and story telling.  I’m happy either way.

Beavers are not often seen but their close cousin the muskrat is more than plentiful on ponds lakes, and marshes.  When they are in the water, an old, large muskrat can easily be mistaken for a small beaver.   If you can see their tail it becomes and easy ID.  The beaver has a thick, heavy, flat and horizontal tail, while the muskrat has a thinner and vertically flat tail.  I sat at Horicon Marsh NWR and photographed this feeding critter for quite a time. 

MEET THE (boys) MERGANSERS

Red-breasted Mergansers

Hooded Mergansers

Common Mergansers

When I look at mergansers, it seems logical to me that they must be aligned with grebes or loons.  My assumption comes from appearance and somewhat from life style.  The problem is that with both grebes and loons the sexes look alike.  Mergansers have significant sexual dimorphism like members of the duck family.  In fact the Hooded Merganser nests in tree cavities and Wood Duck boxes just like the name sake of that nestting box.  A few posts back I showed a female Common Merganser and below is a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers.

WADERS

Black-crowned Night Heron fishing.

Reddish Egret

American Bittern

YOUTH GROUP

This young group of my favorite (pronghorn) western herd animal, was watching a dominant male making advances toward some females that were likely the mothers of these teenagers.

FRUSTRATION

As I headed towards Grand Lake down the western slope of Rocky Mt. N.P., I spotted a cow moose a short ways out in the valley.  I stopped my car and set up to make pictures at a close but safe distance.  I mean safe for the moose more than safe for me.  Cars began to stop.  Tourists, including families, and at least 3 photographers virtually surrounded this fine lady.  Closer and closer they pushed it.  She was completely en-circled with no escape route.  I will admit that for a brief moment I hoped she would charge these people.  I have had this experience before and it was wearing thin.  Then I realized that this was an emotion that I was not to be proud of, and also that of course that the park service would then have to kill the moose.  Wildlife always pays for our foolishness. I yelled at one family and one photographer who were now within 5 feet of the moose.  Luck was with her as a park ranger drove up in time to save the day.  The tourists (and photographers) were lucky in that she did not have a calf.  Or maybe I should say that the moose was lucky.  For years now moose have been considered the most dangerous animal in North America.  They just need some space.

There is little I cherish more than freedom.  It is a blessing that can be difficult and scary.  Still it is what I wish for all of the world’s people.  I cheer for the people of Libya as I did for Egypt, Iraq, Afghanistan and at one time Poland, Russia etc.

Once again I thank you for stopping by, and I ask for God’s blessings for our friends in Japan.