Tag: photo

Deer

“Hey Mom, What About the Ones With Only Two Legs”?

Blacktail Doe and Fawn, Point Reyes National Seashore
A blacktail fawn looks up to its mother; Point Reyes National Seashore.

“Can they run?  Are they dangerous?”  OK, deer don’t talk per se.  Do you ever wonder how animal parents teach their offspring how to survive?    The young learn a lot by just watching their mother and doing what she does.  That makes it relatively easy to learn what to eat.  Taste also informs them.  But what about things like the first time they see a coyote or us?  Is it pure instinct to go on alert?  I think so.  But I also know deer can vocalize.  I’ve heard it.  I know they also stamp their hooves when they are alerted to danger.  I’ve seen that.  I wonder what other ways a doe communicates with her offspring.

Elk

Elk On The Run

This is a photo of a tule elk calf running through tall grass.
Tule Elk Calf, Point Reyes National Seashore

One thing I like to see when I’m watching young animals is when they have more pent up energy than they can hold and they run around for a minute.   Sometimes they hop straight up in the air before they take off.  Ah, to be young again.

Tule Elk

A Tule Elk Calf Stands in Tall Grass

Photo of tule elk calf standing in tall grass.
Tule Elk Calf, Point Reyes National Seashore

This tule elk calf is big enough to run with the adults so it no longer needs to hide for periods of time.  It was the only calf with a group of 25 adults and yearlings.  Most of the cows with calves that I’ve been seeing are staying farther away from the road than the other elk.

Uncategorized

A Coyote Survives with Injury

A coyote hunts on the Tomales Peninsula.
Coyote, Point Reyes National Seashore

I’ve seen this coyote a number of times.  He’s easy to identify because he has a slight limp due to some injury to his right foreleg.  I first saw him around Pierce Point Ranch months ago.  Later I saw him on the mid-peninsula.  Lately, I’ve been seeing him at the south end.  He seems to have found a home there.  On the other hand, maybe he’s been a long-time resident there and I only first noticed him and his limping gait at Pierce Point.  Maybe he was just traveling then in search of better territory or a mate or both.  I wondered then whether the limp would affect his ability to survive.  I watched him “mousing” at Pierce Point and the limp didn’t affect his ability to jump (and land) in hunting rodents.  In fact, he was very successful.  It seems to only affect his ability to run fast.  Good news for the rabbits.  He looks healthy to me.  He’s making it.

Uncategorized

California Quail in Strong Backlight; Point Reyes National Seashore

Photo of a male california quail.
Overseeing His Covey

I liked the lichen-covered post this guy hopped up on at the Pierce Point Ranch parking lot.  I didn’t like the fact that I had to shoot into the sun though.  That made for some tough backlighting.

I don’t know why male California quail always like to be perched on something above the ground while the rest of the covey remains on the ground.  I’ve never seen a female on a post.  Maybe the males do it to protect the females and young.  That way they’re in a position to see anything dangerous approaching and can let out a warning call in time to save the others.  Maybe they like being in a high place because it’s safest for them.  I’d like to think it’s the former.

Uncategorized

Bull Elk at Sunset

Photo of bull tule elk at sunset.
Tule Elk in Velvet, Point Reyes National Seashore

This bull was standing at about a 45 degree angle to the sun before it set.  This made for some strong sidelight and backlight.  He’s still wearing some of his winter coat.  He looks very healthy, but I think he’ll have to undergo a big growth-spurt to have a chance to breed this fall.

Uncategorized

Another Elk Dustup

Photo of two young bull tule elk fighting.
Another Tule Elk Fight, Point Reyes National Seashore

The times I’ve seen these sparring sessions they only last a few seconds.  I saw a video once where two deer threw rapid punches for quite a while.  Maybe I’ll witness one of those with the elk.  What I like about this particular moment is the expression on the young bull’s face.  I wonder what he’s thinking?  Maybe it’s “You’re next buster.”