Tag: elk calves

Tule Elk

Elk Calves; Point Reyes National Seashore

Elk calves spotted near Drakes Beach.

I’m biased in favor of predators. That’s why when I’m at Point Reyes I’m always looking for bobcats and coyotes.  If I’m lucky, maybe I’ll spot a badger.  If I’m super lucky, maybe some day I”ll spot a mountain lion.  (I keep looking, but they’re not likely to be in the open areas I frequent.)

Anyway, on the last few drives to Point Reyes I’ve thought to myself that it’s that time of year that I ought to look for elk calves and deer fawns.  By the time I get there though, I have forgotten about them because of my obsession with predators.   Yesterday, I decided I’d better remember to look for them before it’s too late to see them when they are still small.  Luckily, there were some along Drakes Beach Road.  I also saw two cow elk away from the herd which made me think they may have very young calves hidden nearby.  I didn’t see any fawns.  Maybe next time.

Red Fox

Red Fox Vixen and Kits, Yellowstone National Park

Photo of a female red fox with her kits.
Mom and the Kids

I almost always see red foxes in Yellowstone, but I’ve never gotten a good photo of one until this year.  When it rains it pours.  This year I saw and photographed several, including this vixen and her two kits.

I’ve read that red foxes usually produce four to seven kits.  Thus, these two may be what’s left of a larger litter.   I was fortunate to be able to observe them for a while.  One kit was very outgoing and the other was very shy.

Seeing baby animals is why I like to visit Yellowstone in the spring.  Bear cubs and bison calves will be the first thing you’ll see in May.  Elk calves, bighorn lambs and pronghorn fawns start to appear the first week in June.  Deer fawns appear later in June.

Photo of a gray fox.
Gray Fox or Red Fox?

I was looking at some of my fox photos from the trip and this one looked different.  I just did some checking and now realize this fox seems to be a gray fox.  Red foxes have very distinctive black stockings. This one doesn’t have them.    Plus its trunk is mostly gray.

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Tule Elk Cows and Calves

Photo of some cow elk and calves.
Tule Elk Cows and Calves, Point Reyes National Seashore

Elk calving has been going on for a while at Point Reyes.  This photo was taken on April 28.  Mothers keep their calves hidden for the first two weeks or so because it is the best protection from predators.  By two weeks of age they can run with the adults.  Given that, I assume these calves were born no later than April 14.   I have also been seeing fawns lately.  As you can see, wildflowers are also well underway.

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Bull Tule Elk in Velvet, Point Reyes National Seashore

Photo of bull tule elk in lush grass.
It’s Spring and the Living is Easy.

This photo was taken yesterday at Point Reyes National Seashore.  It’s a great time to be out with a camera if you like to photograph wildlife.  Members of the deer family are growing new antlers.  Babies are being born, both predators and prey.  I saw several elk calves yesterday.  Wildflowers are also underway.  If you look closely, you can see lots of douglas iris to go with the cow parsnip.