This site is dedicated to wildlife and landscape photography.
This site is dedicated to wildlife and landscape photography.
It’s not only the calves that need to run to release some pent up energy. This yearling needs to do it as well. He has that crazy look in his eyes. I can remember having that same need to run fast for no reason other than to just do it. That was a long time ago.
This young bull poses beautifully in the afternoon light. I like to think he was practicing for when he will be a regal 7-pointer.
“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.
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.
This is the biggest bull I’ve seen on the south end of the Tomales Peninsula. He’s probably the sire of all the calves in that area. I’ve spent some time watching him and the other smaller bulls that comprise this bachelor band. One of the things I’ve noticed is how he constantly asserts his dominance in little ways. His mantra: “Out of my way.” Come fall, all the others know that to mate they have to beat the one who’s always pushing them around. Most won’t try. I think this is common to all herding wildlife. What I liked about this photo opportunity was the wildflowers (wild radish?) and the late afternoon light.
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.
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.
