It was so good to see the elk back in Yellowstone on the Madison last week. It’s a positive sign nature is getting back inline with itself, the habitat able to support the small herd that once was way too large for the habitat. Near dusk, the herd comes down to the Madison to drink and participate in the annual rut ritual. There were a couple of bulls present, this one being the biggest this particular evening. And while he thinks he’s found a receptive cow, he’s gotta keep his eyes on the younger bulls. Cause while the big boy is occupied, the younger bulls will attempt to service other cows. The young bulls are successful at times and at others, the big boy drives them off. That’s how the system works and the strong genes move forward from generation to generation. For me, the fun is not just the photographing of this process, but constant scan of the herd, anybody lookin?

The American Bison once roamed most of North America going as far south as the US border. Then we showed up and well, you’ve heard the story. Most think of Bison as a Yellowstone or Black Hills critter but there are other wild herds still roaming the landscape. You have the National Bison Range in MT and the very impressive herd at Philmont Scout Ranch, NM. Yep, there are about 500 wild Bison in New Mexico where these photos were taken. Is there a difference? Visually, the habitat tells you you’re not up north, that cactus. Biologically, the herd’s genes contain strains you don’t find in other herds. Photographically, there again visually, other than the cactus, no. But when it comes to approaching them, oh yeah!

It is totally up to the Bison whether they are going to stick around for you to get out and photograph them. You can drive the highway at times, usually when the light sucks, and they are right by the range fence without a care in the world. you can photograph them with a 20mm lens and just get head. You head out to meet them on their range, and they tend to not want to play. Their range on Philmont is huge and they seem to take great joy running to the other side of the ridge, a mile away, stop, turn and look back at you. We can’t move that fast through the cactus. Each fall we spend one evening with them with 50/50 success. This year, the herd would have nothing to do with us but we did find four lone bulls who gave us a little bit of their time. What is so cool about the experience is, we can be right out amongst them on the range and it’s just us. The only rule is being a good guest in their home and if they want to come right up to us like they did last year, that’s allowed. The other thing that is so cool is the cactus telling you you’re in the south. I hope at some point to be able to spend a week amongst them as they are such cool critters. Because here at Philmont they are home, home on the range!

While the leaves are still green, the chill is in the air signaling fall is here in the Rockies. It was 24 degrees this morning when I took Maggie out, frost covering the landscape. I was busily filling feeders when I heard the call echo down the slope. A bull Elk up range was calling, a for sure sign that fall has arrived. Time to get out and look for where they are gathering, I still want that shot of their breath when they bugle. It’s the call of fall.

We’re not even into the first week of fall and yet, the burrow is calling! Many small mammals like this Yellow-bellied Marmot are hitting the gas and eating and storing all the food they can in their last days above ground. Many like the marmot go under and start hibernation prior to the first snow. The thing is, now is when they look their best with their winter coats. The thing that gets me is, even though I know this, I seem to every fall miss out on this great photo op. Why? I simply don’t get off my butt and get ‘er done. What’s worse, this colony of marmots is right along the road, the most I have to walk is twenty feet. There is no excuse other than the clock. I know it all too well, time is getting short.

Family, sometimes they just don’t cooperate! I searched for Moose for a week in Maine, but never got any glass on them. Now I’m up in Canada on an aviation project and what do I see, lots of them? Yeppers, Moose. Pulling planes outta hangars, doing static work, even up from their air, they seem to be everywhere!!! When I have the Z100-400f4.5-5.6 out and I’m looking for them, poofff, crickets! The irony gets even thicker than that. Wouldn’t you just know it!

Their bright yellows are not so bright, their song not as frequent and they spend time feeding the kids, yeppers, spring has faded to fall. We’ve been very fortunate to observe Evening Grosbeaks for a few decades being our forecasters of the season. They returned to The Ranch a while back in huge flocks but now just a couple remain. They greet us in the morning as we make the rounds filling feeders, their fledglings in tow begging. I’m sure it’s just my mind, but the adults seem to move a little slower right now and there’s no doubt they are not as brilliant, but we still love them. Most likely within a week they will be gone completely, the trees vacant of their calls. On the bright side, we know they will be back but for now, they are southbound.