Moose Crossing by Dave E
Guest blog by our host Dave E who was finishing a roof he was putting on- why did the moose cross the road? To be with his family.
we were just told on our wilderness tour that moose don’t congregate. Well here are four of them together. A bull (dad) cow (mom) and two calves (kids)
Last week we saw this sign in Anchorage
M
Tundra Wilderness Tour in Denali National Park
This is the way the day started out when we left the hotel at 8 AM. Our competent guide, Cassie, told us that only 30% of park visitors actually see the mountain. and even then it is usually bits and pieces of it. She drove us 62 miles into the park and then the 62 miles back, about 8 hours round trip. There were stops for the facilities and a box of snacks and we had ordered a box lunch, too. There is not even a water fountain once you are in the park.
This is what it looked like in the morning. 43 degrees
we were driving through clouds in the Denali National Park and Preserve
But looked what happened as the day unfolded
We got to see a clear view of “The Great One” which is what Denali means to the Athabaskans.
It was a great birthday for Mary as the gift was we got to see the mountain.
We saw some wildlife- two grizzly bears, Dall Sheep, two caribou and two moose.
There aren’t guard rails along the route and the road turns from paved to gravel/dirt and gets narrower
Another tour bus
Don’t look down is my best suggestion!
Fellow tourists try on antlers for photo ops.
This is the stop where Alaska Geographic was selling gorgeous books in a big tent.
Another view of Denali
This post is just the highlights of our tour today.
He Spotted a Fox on North Carolina Beach
My good friend and blog follower Bill is on the beat. Again. This time in OIB NC. (That’s Ocean Isle Beach in North Carolina.)
This morning he sent me a photo. (He won the caption contest at the local paper recently- got in the newspaper Without dying or getting arrested post.
Since I was on jury duty today all day, it felt good to know I had a guest blogpost at the ready! Thanks Bill. See his photograph below.
And the coincidence is I’d just watched the new version of The Little Prince and was reminded of my favorite quotation.
“Goodbye,” said the fox. “And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” “What is essential is invisible to the eye,” the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.
Certified Chimney Sweeps Chris and Jim
You remember the squirrel (s) in the box gutters post last week?
I needed to have my chimney inspected and cleaned, too. I thought there might be a family of squirrels enjoying the shelter of the chimney bricks, even though there was a screen on top of it at one point. Living across the park with a ton of trees makes this neighborhood squirrelandia.
A few years ago we had a squirrel in the fireplace. Somehow Steve trapped it in a cage. Steve took it down the street in a carrier as he sported a winter parka in July and a couple of oven mitts. Not that the oven mitts would have spared him.
These men, Jim and Chris, certified Chimney Sweeps came today and did a terrific job. I found them through google and read all positive reviews- Advance Chimney- about “professional job….clean up after themselves…courteous… efficient and certified!”
All true!
Not only can my wood burning fireplace be used again (safely) BUT there were no squirrels making a home in the chimney. No roast squirrels!
There’s some pointing needed in the bottom of the fireplace. Mortar is old and crumbling but nothing major. They’ll come back and do that work when I get on the schedule. They said it would take about an hour. Cure in 24.
As they were leaving, I asked if they’d consent to be part of my people at work series.
They were gracious to allow me to get my camera and photograph them as they were ready to head out to the next job. Good sports. Thank you.
Jim and Chris enjoy their work.
p.s. I shook hands with them both. Must have been those 1964 lyrics I remember.
The Running of the Deer in the Middle of the Day
Allegheny Cemetery. Pittsburgh PA. Saturday afternoon.
I had to pull over and put my flashers on and try to catch a couple of shots.
They ran like lightning. From what or to where I don’t know.
The structure you see is the mausoleum.
I never saw anything like this herd running. I missed the first group.
I cropped to try to give you a better sense of my experience.
Squirrels Can’t Make a Home in Mine
Sometimes you need to call an expert in their field.
A DIY project, when it comes to wildlife encroaching on your territory, doesn’t work
Living across the street from the park and having beautiful deciduous trees makes it a terrific place for squirrels to live. Great. So long as they stay in the trees!
I am really glad it isn’t bats.
The box gutter had a large hole around the downspout, chewed by a critter(s). When I got home from my midwinter break I heard the scurrying of little paws outside my bedroom window but inside the wooden box gutter. It’s an old house.
Yesterday, I had to call Pete Cappa of Cappa Wildlife Control Services. Within 24 hours he arrived to assess the situation.When we were settling up, he told me about being bitten right down to the bone of his thumb by a squirrel and how much it hurt.
I asked him if I could photograph him for my People at Work series and he graciously agreed. Thanks Pete. And you might notice on his website he does not deal with cats or dogs.
“Specializing in the humane removal of nuisance wildlife!”
He got out this critter in the trap from the back of his truck for the photo. From someone else’s home.
I didn’t want my home to become Grey Gardens.
Urban Deer
Crossing the street, a long block from school. I saw the doe cross first and sure enough she was followed by her two young ones. They were not afraid of me and took their time crossing Parkfield Street. Someone’s back garden was probably breakfast.
Mom
The Wilds, Cumberland Ohio
Mark and Erika called Saturday night and suggested we meet up at The Wilds. Cumberland Ohio. I took the New Concord Exit on I-70.
I said, sure I’ll meet you there! I was excited cause it was unexpected. And who knew this place was so interesting?
It was about 130 miles for me to drive there and they drove about 90. We took a 2 1/2 hour bus ride tour throughout the 10,000 acres and saw lots of wonderful animals. Most are endangered in the wild and this conservation facility(non-profit) gives them the protected place to reproduce. It was a beautiful day.
Bactrian Camels- Mother and Child (Yes, this was photographed in Ohio)
Przewalksi Wild Horse- a female
Sichuan Takin
Zebras- Buck and bray a bit while the one looks on
Bison running away from our bus
25 cents in a machine and you can get food for the catfish. They act like they have never eaten before or will they ever eat again. I know these were Jack’s favorite.
The catfish are not particularly attractive to me.
Rhinoceros family time. Our guide says there skin is really soft. A group of rhino is called a CRASH.
All photos taken with a Canon 70-200 mm L series lens on a Canon 5D
Our knowledgeable guide Rob.
And an ordinary rabbit. Not endangered.
And if you want to travel with us on the bus, Anna captured a two minute segment of the tour! Thanks Anna for the videoing,
Barred Owl – Niceville Florida- Guest Post
from my friend Shuey in Niceville, Florida. He emailed this photo to me and I asked if I he’d allow me to post it and he said yes! I thought it was exceptionally cool to see an owl closeup. The site he sent said ” sometimes the Barred Owl sounds crazed”
Nice shot and thanks for guest blogging!
“This was my 3rd try at getting some pics of one of our neighbors – a Barred Owl. It’s half of a nesting pair who live in the woods behind our house and this one likes to rest in some trees next to our house in mid to late afternoon on nice days. They can be heard in the mornings, about an hour before dawn hooting behind the house. The first time I heard them I thought they were dogs and another time I heard a commotion and think it may have gotten a small cat . . . hopefully not someone’s pet.
It was very tolerant today and let me move around below him for quite a while before moving off to another nearby tree. This is their nesting season and hopefully I’ll be able to see some young owls in early April.
If you want to hear one, go to this site, and scroll down to the Barred Owl, then click on the arrow in the center of the video picture.
http://doloresmonet.hubpages.com/hub/OwlsoftheUS-AWhosWhoofOwlsOwlCallsIdentificationandCulturalSigificance
Distant View Through a Chain Link Fence- Close, Closer and Closest
Drove by and it was a blur through the chain link fence.
(Don’t worry, Steve was driving. I was the passenger.)
What do you think these are?
Guess no one flew South. Read that the Canada Goose is now a year round creature of urban environments. And the plural is Canada Geese- not Canadian Geese. You probably already knew that, Mary Lynn!
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