Jim Coda Nature Photography

May 19, 2011Uncategorized

Cow Elk Being Groomed by Starlings; Point Reyes National Seashore

Photo of starlings grooming a cow elk. — Free Grooming

This cow is being cleaned of parasites by some starlings. She’s also ear-tagged. She has a yellow tag in her right ear that is numbered “85” and a silver tag in her left ear that is numbered “8527.” I don’t know why the tags were put on her, but she may have been tagged when the Park Service was experimenting with birth control in the late 90s. If so, she’s quite old. All I do know for sure is that I see her a lot and she sees me a lot. When I’m upwind of her that nose gets a real workout.

It’s hard to tell from this little jpeg, but it appears that the starling on the cow’s head is missing toes on its right foot.

February 8, 2011Uncategorized

Ear-Tagged Elk

This cow elk has been ear-tagged. — Tule Elk, Point Reyes National Seashore

Here is an ear-tagged cow elk. She is one of almost 500 elk at the Tule Elk Preserve at Tomales Point. There is an identifying number on her right ear tag. The other tag was inserted in the opposite direction. I don’t know for sure why that was done, but I’m assuming it has the same identifying number and was inserted that way so the identifying number would be visible from the rear of the animal. This herd has not increased in size for some time and therefore seems to be self-regulating. The other herd, the Limantour Herd, numbers about 100 animals.