Category: Other Mammal

Other Mammal

Guanaco, Patagonia

A guanaco stares at an exotic species.
A guanaco in Torres del Paine National Park

When my two friends and I went to Torres del Paine National Park to photograph pumas in May of 2016 the animal we saw most often was the guanaco.  The guanaco is a camel-like animal.  It stands 3 to 4 feet at the shoulder and weighs 200 to 300 lbs.  It is the primary large prey species of the puma in Patagonia.

Guanacos live in herds composed of females, their young, and a dominant male.  When they see a puma, they alert the herd to flee with a high-pitched, bleating call.  We were always listening for those calls and we heard them fairly frequently.

In writing this I paid a quick visit to Wikipedia.  I knew that in addition to guanacos there are similar camelid animals called called llamas, vicunas and alpacas in South America.  However, I was surprised to learn that guanacos are the wild parent of the domestic llama.  Likewise, the vicuna is the wild parent to the domesticated alpaca.  In that way they are like the wild caribou and its domesticated descendant, the reindeer.  At least I knew that relationship.

Other Mammal

Mountain Goat, Yellowstone National Park

Photo of mountain goat.
Billy Goat, Golden Gate Area

I haven’t been blogging much in the past year.  There have been two reasons.  The first reason was the constant theft of my images. The second reason was that I was growing a bit tired of feeling pressured to post something on a regular basis.  So, I let things slide.  I did go back and put a big copyright symbol on the photos that I had previously posted, but that didn’t leave me feeling all that satisfied about the theft problem because the big copyright symbol made the photos look pretty bad.  I’ve changed that to what you see here.  Maybe I’ll be more happy with this copyright style as time goes by.  I say “as time goes by” because I’m feeling a little more enthused about getting back to blogging.

One reason I’m enthused is that I just spent a month in Yellowstone.  Spring is my favorite time there because of all the baby animals.  I think this was the most successful spring trip I’ve had there.  One of the high points was seeing mountain goats in an area where I had never seen them before, and, more important, at distances that made photographing them feasible.  The area I’m speaking of is the Golden Gate.  It’s called the Golden Gate because of the color of the rocks.  If you aren’t familiar with where the Golden Gate is, it’s the canyon area you drive through just before you reach Swan Lake Flat (when driving from Mammoth).

I saw and photographed a nice looking (full winter coat) nanny and her kid on two different days and then this billy at a later time.  Telling mountain goat males from females is not all that easy.  The horns are a way to identify male from females, but with goats it’s not real easy because there’s not a big difference in size between the horns of a billy and a nanny.  The horns of billy goats are much thicker at the base and more curved than are the horns of nannies and, in frontal views, the horns look like they are spaced very close together with the males.

Photo of a billy (male) mountain goat.
Billy or Nanny?

The males also have a shoulder hump.  Based on the thickness of the horns at the base, the curve of the horns and the shoulder hump, I think this is a billy.  He is also in the early stages of molting.  He will soon have a much shorter summer coat.  One of the things I like about mountain goats is that they often assume stances as though they’ve been posed by the photographer.

The Park Service says mountain goats are not native to Yellowstone, but the result of the introduction of mountain goats by the State of Montana in the 1940s and 1950s which became established in the northern portions of the park in the 1990s.  The Park Service also says they may be having a negative effect on bighorn sheep.  The Park Service is doing research now with other agencies on mountain goat ecology and to determine the effect of the goats on bighorn sheep.

Other Mammal

Who Am I?

This is a close-up photo of female red fox.
Take a Guess

I started to do a portrait of this animal and started cropping it.  After every crop I decided to crop more.  Before I knew it I was here.  Then I realized it wasn’t clear what it was any more.   It’s probably not hard to guess what it is. One more crop, showing just the eyes,  would have made it tougher.  What is it, or, as the title says, who am I?

That didn’t take long to solve.  I’ll have to do one that is a little tougher.  Time to add some relevant tags to this post.

Other Mammal

Uinta Ground Squirrel, Yellowstone National Park

Photo of a Uinta ground squirrel.
On the Lookout

The Uinta ground squirrel is commonly seen in the sagebrush areas of Yellowstone.  It’s also seen in disturbed or heavily grazed grasslands and  developed areas.  The Soda Butte Creek Picnic Area has a lot of them.  While prohibited, I’m sure some people feed them there.  They not only eat grasses, forbs and mushrooms, but also insects and carrion (including road-killed members of their own species).

While not very high on visitors’ lists of “must see” animals, they are important to the Yellowstone ecosystem because they are an important prey species for smaller predators such as hawks, weasels, foxes, badgers and coyotes.  At about 12 inches in length and half a pound, they are a more substantial meal than a 2-ounce vole.

Photo of a red fox carrying a ground squirrel.
Headin’ Home

This red fox carried this ground squirrel parallel to the road for about a 1/4 mile before it headed away from the road.  It created its own little “bear jam.”  I assume it was heading back to a den with hungry kits.

Other Mammal

Yellow-bellied Marmots, Yellowstone National Park

Photo of yellow-bellied marmot.
On the Look-out

Yellow-bellied marmots are one of the largest rodents in Yellowstone.  They are about 20 t0 28 inches in length and weigh from 3.5 to 11 pounds.  They are found at all elevations in the park and hibernate for up to eight months a year at the higher elevations.

Photo of a Marmot.
Always Looking for Enemies

A colony consists of one male, several females and young of the year.  They breed shortly after emerging from hibernation.  Their calls include a loud whistle and a scream when predators are nearby.  They are preyed upon by eagles, coyotes and grizzlies.  The preceding info is based on the Park Service’s 2005 edition of “Yellowstone Resources & Issues.”

Photo of a marmot at Sedge Bay.
Marmot near Sedge Bay

Marmots can be found throughout the park.  Look for rocky areas with grass nearby.  One good spot is the rock outcropping across from the Sedge Bay picnic area.  A couple of years ago I was photographing them there when they started screaming about something behind them.  They were a little above me so I couldn’t see what they were agitated about.  They took cover in the rocks.  I picked up my gear and turned to go back to my truck which was parked on the road’s shoulder about 50 feet away.  As I did so a black wolf disappeared into some cover about 40 feet from me.  He had apparently walked between me and my truck.  A guy pulled up and asked if I saw the white wolf above the rock outcropping.  That was the wolf the marmots were screaming about.  I said “no,” but I spotted it shortly thereafter.  It was going in the opposite direction of the black wolf.  For a link to that blog click here.

Badger, Bobcat, Coyote, Hawk, Other Mammal, Owl, Tule Elk

Best Photos of 2011

I learned about Jim Goldstein’s blog project some time in 2011.  To learn more about it click here.  Basically, you do a blog about your best 10 or so photos of the year and Jim will link your blog to his list of blogs that participate.  I recently looked at some of the 2010 participants’ “Best 10” blogs.  It’s a great way to find good nature photographers you weren’t aware of.

I photographed a lot at Point Reyes National Seashore in 2011 so I decided to use Point Reyes wildlife photos that were in my blog in 2011.  I want to say at the outset that I never really photographed much at Point Reyes before 2011 and I was very surprised at how good wildlife photo opportunities are there.  I’m a big fan of Yellowstone, but Point Reyes is almost the equal of it and in some ways it’s better.  For example, I’ve never seen a single bobcat in Yellowstone and hardly ever fail to see one at Point Reyes.

So, without further ado, here are some of my favorite Point Reyes wildlife photos that were in my blog in 2011.

Photo of long-tailed weasel peering out of a burrow.
Long-tailed Weasel, Point Reyes National Seashore

Long-tailed weasels are one of my favorite animal subjects at Point Reyes.  Unfortunately, they are hard to find.  I saw four last year in Point Reyes, but this guy is the only one I was fortunate enough to get close photos of.

Photo of a bobcat daydreaming.
A Bobcat Daydreams, Point Reyes National Seashore

Bobcats are a lot easier to find, especially in the winter. This male lived on one of the ranches along Pierce Point Road.  I saw him a lot last winter, but he disappeared in the early spring.  I’m not sure what happened to him, but I think a pack of coyotes got him.  I saw them pass through the open area he used to hang out on.  I think he could have held his own with one coyote, but I doubt he could do so with two or more.  There were no trees or other means of escape anywhere near where I used to see him.   I photographed him a lot and miss him.

Photo of a coyote looking back at sunset.
Coyote at Sunset

Point Reyes has a healthy population of coyotes.  Like the bobcats, they are easiest to find in the winter when they spend more time out during daylight.

Photo of a badger after it awakens from a sunbath.
American Badger, Point Reyes National Seashore

Point Reyes has a good population of badgers, but they are somewhat hard to find because they are such nocturnal critters.  In 2011 I photographed two single adults plus two females in the spring with two cubs each.  This is one of the single adults.  I found this individual a couple of weeks ago.

Photo of a 7-point bull bugling during the rut.
Tule Elk Bugles During Rut; Point Reyes National Seashore

Of all the wildlife Point Reyes has I think the species people think of first is the tule elk.  They are fairly easy to find and photograph at Point Reyes.  Needless to say, this photo was taken during the rut.  With his angry-looking eyes and wide-open mouth he looks pretty fierce.  Every time I see how big his mouth is I picture four canine teeth in there and wonder what life would be like if elk had canines.

Photo of peregrine falcon eating its prey.
Peregrine Falcon Holding Its Prey

Point Reyes has some resident peregrine falcons.  They are often seen from Chimney Rock to the Point Reyes Lighthouse.   This one decided to dine in ranch country.

Photo of a male california quail.
Overseeing His Covey

California quail are quite common in the Seashore.  When things are slow they can save the day.  I think the peregrine above was feeding on a quail.

Photo of an osprey perched on a dock.
Osprey; Tomales Bay, California

There are several ospreys that live and nest in and around the Seashore.  This one decided to perch on a dock in Inverness which is just over the ridge from the Seashore.

 

Red-tailed Hawk, Point Reyes National Seashore

Photo of a red-tailed hawk.
Red-tailed Hawk, Point Reyes National Seashore

Red-tailed hawks are common at Point Reyes, especially in the winter.  They are probably the raptor seen most often in the Seashore.

Photo of a great horned owl sitting in a barn window.
Great Horned Owl in Barn Window

Great horned owls are also common, although you don’t see them as often as their numbers would suggest because of their nocturnal ways.  Find any good sized clump of trees, though, and odds are good that you will find one or more great horned owls in there.  Pound for pound they are about the most deadly bird in North America.  While they normally prey on mammals and birds smaller than them, they have been know to prey on such things as house cats, canada geese and even bald eagles.  Field Guide to Owls of California and the West, Hans Peeters, at 191.

There are a lot of other wildlife species at Point Reyes , many of which I blogged about, but it’s time to stop.  If you’d like to see some more images from Point Reyes or elsewhere you can continue viewing my blog or you can visit my website, www.jimcoda.com.

Happy New Year to All, and thank you Jim Goldstein.

Other Mammal

Yellow-bellied Marmot, Yellowstone National Park

Photo of a yellow-bellied marmot.
On the Lookout at Sedge Bay

One of the things I’ve noticed about myself at Yellowstone is that I no longer just focus on the species that are most sought after by photographers and other visitors.  I’m thinking, of course, of things like bears and wolves.  Oh, sure, they’re still at the top of my list, but I’m interested in all the animals now, including the rodents.

I photographed this marmot across the road from Sedge Bay. The rock outcroppings there hold a good population of marmots.  I learned a lesson that day.  Make that two lessons.  I had stopped to shoot marmots and just grabbed my 500 lens and tripod.  I left the 100-400 on another camera body in the truck.   After shooting for a while this marmot turned its back to me, stood up and gave a warning call.  Others chimed in.  I didn’t have a clear line of sight to what they were upset about, but decided I had gotten what I wanted and hoisted the camera/tripod onto my shoulder and turned around to head back to my truck. It was then that I saw a black wolf walking midway between me and my truck which was parked about 40 to 50 feet away.  It disappeared into some trees.  Two mistakes.  I should have looked in all directions when the marmots started calling and I should have brought the 100-400 with me.  As I got to the truck I saw a white wolf heading into the trees going in the opposite direction of the black wolf.  It had been the one behind the marmots.  I followed it in the truck, but lost it.  Next time I’ll be prepared.  Yeah, right.  I’ve said that before.