You Jump First

 

You Jump First

Mt Evans (14,265 vertical feet- – a 14er) in Idaho Springs, Colorado can be a gold mine of mountain goat activity. Mt Evans auto road (operated by the National Forest Service, and Colorado Dept of Transportation) opens around Memorial Day, if the snow levels are low enough for the road to be cleared to the peak (June 8, this year, 2017). This is just in time for the mountain goat babies (kids).

The mountain goat females (nannies) give birth in May and present their newborn kids in early to mid June. They can be cute and cuddly (do not cuddle – they are wild animals). In all my years of driving to the top of Mt Evans for mountain goat photography, I have never seen so many kid goats at one time in one place. I counted eight baby goats. A rare sighting.

Eight is Enough

The kids are adorable and such fun to watch and photograph. They love to run and jump in the rocks and boulders on Mt. Evans.

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One baby was separated from the group. When it realized how far it had wandered, it galloped back to the herd (aka a Band). I was standing in its path as it ran towards the camera, right past me. My lucky shot:

Galloping Goat

They seem to love to challenge each other. Five kids are on the verge of jumping from this rock, if only one of them would jump first

You Jump First

 

I am happy to report that the above image was featured on the front cover of our local Summit Daily Newspaper.

Cover Summit Daily Newspaper

 

Mt Evans is one of the 58 named fourteeners in Colorado (14,000 feet in elevation or greater). The views are spectacular as can be seen from this 4K video of a young goat jumping from a rock. This goat is too busy watching the tourists to enjoy the view.

Goat Rock Hopper

 

 

Be sure to view the previous blog post on my adventures with mountain goats:

Goat Rodeo

 

 

Top 100 Wildlife Photography Blog Winners

I am excited to report that my blog has been awarded as being in the Top 100 of Wildlife Photography Blogs on the internet. In fact it is number 70.

The Best Wildlife Photography blogs from thousands of top Wildlife Photography blogs have been ranked using search and social metrics by FeedSpot:

http://blog.feedspot.com/wildlife_photography_blogs

These blogs are ranked based on following criteria

• Google reputation and Google search ranking
• Influence and popularity on Facebook, twitter and other social media sites
• Quality and consistency of posts.
• Feedspot’s editorial team and expert review

I am challenged to maintain my rank and in fact, by blogging more, improve it. I love a challenge.

 

Thank you

Rich

Whooping Crane Family

I love whooping cranes.

These cranes are endangered and rare and are just so beautiful and elegant that I can watch and photograph them for hours. Which is exactly what my photography buddy Bob Karcz and I were able to do in Rockport, Texas on Aransas Bay. Aransas National Wildlife Refuge is the wintering grounds of the whooping crane. Home to a small but reliable sub-flock (Wood Buffalo – Aransas Flock) of the total crane population of about 600 birds. Through conservation and restoration programs these beautiful birds have come back from near extinction when their numbers were down to 21 in the 1940’s. The whooping crane is the tallest bird in North America. It stands 5 feet tall and has a wingspan of 7 1/2 feet. It looks down on most children.

A Whooping Crane takes off from the waters of Aransas bay.

 

We hired Aransas Bay Birding Charters (Captains Kevin and Lori Sims) to take us out into the bay where the whoopers were feeding on the marsh, and small islands. Their favorite meal – the blue crab:

A whooping crane snatches a blue crab from the waters of Aransas Bay.

 

 

Multiple Panel Running Start

The cranes often come to shore and hang out in residential backyards and fields along the waterfront. We were invited by Kevin and Lori to use their bird blind in their back field that they built expressly for the whoopers. What were the chances? We did not expect to see any whoopers in their back field. But after arriving just after sunrise and setting up in the blind, we were astonished to watch a whooper family of two adults and one juvenile, glide over the tree tops and land like gazelles in the field. I was awestruck as I photographed these beautiful creatures for the next hour.

Whooping Crane Family Over The Trees

 

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It’s been 6 years since my last (and first) visit to Aransas Bay to see the whooping cranes. It’s great to see that the cranes have increased in population since 2011 and that they are still migrating to Aransas National Wildlife Refuge for the winter from Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada.

For more whooping crane images see my website:

Whooping Crane Gallery

Be sure to read my previous post on whooping cranes.

Whoopers

As always, feedback and comments appreciated.

Rich

 

 

 

Bosque del Apache Spectacular Sunsets

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge (San Antonio, New Mexico) is known world wide as the wintering home of the sandhill crane and snow goose, where 10,000 cranes and 40,000 snow geese rest, feed and prepare for the flight north to their breeding grounds. But it is also know for spectacular sunsets, so I have been told. In my many past visits, I did not experience such sunsets. However, my last visit in December 2016, changed all that. Now, I have seen the light!

Bosque experienced three nights of vivid red and pink sunsets and stunning reflections. A wonderful opportunity for photography and videography.

Sandhill Cranes Roosting Sunset

 

A few images from my last visit to Bosque del Apache in December 2016:

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But wait, there is more. Bosque is also known for some stunning sunrise reflections as shown in this video:

Click the link to view my Bosque del Apache images and video clips. If you see an image that you love, click BUY for a print or an image file download.

Link to Bosque del Apache gallery of images and videos

Thank you

Rich

ps. Check out some of my past blog posts on Bosque

More Than Just Cranes

Bosque del Apache

Sandhill Cranes Roosting

 

Nature’s Reflections

Nature’s Reflections – Nature’s mirror, the wonderful experience of seeing nature twice in the same moment.

I have had the good fortune to capture many beautiful reflections of scenics and wildlife. Have a look at my Reflections Gallery. If you see an image that you love, just select BUY for a print or an image download:

Link to Reflections Gallery

Fall Winter Photography Newsletter

Wishing you and your family a Happy Holiday.

Holiday Sale and Donation

10% of my profit on sales goes to the “National Wildlife Federation, Guardians of the Wild”. So with each purchase you are helping to protect our wild places.

You can order prints on metal, canvas, acrylic metal, wood, coffee mugs, mouse pads, refrigerator magnets, cell phone cases and yes, even paper of any of my images at exceptionally low prices at:

richardseeleyphotography

 

Click Here for :  Fall Winter Photography Newsletter

 

View of Monument Valley From Hunts Mesa at Sunset

The American Elk

Bugle Boy – A bull elk bugles his readiness to mate and his frustration that the cows seem to be ignoring him

I have the good fortune to live in a location where elk herds roam. I have been able to watch them and photograph them in the nearby ranches in Silverthorne, Colorado. I can watch them from my balcony on the distant meadows of Ruby Ranch.  I have also photographed them in Rocky Mountain National Park (only 2 hours away), Yellowstone National Park, and in Jasper/Banff National Parks in Canada.

I am fascinated by these majestic, elegant, very large, captivating mammals. I  stay a respectful distance and photograph them with zoom lenses. They can be dangerous.  A frenzied cow elk thought that we were too close to her baby (we did not see the newborn calf in the grass, practically on the trail). Mother elk chased us around the RV park until we lost her behind an RV. I would not want to encounter a bull elk with massive antlers in the heat of the rut. Photographing from a vehicle is a safe strategy and one that I use frequently. However, occasionally, there are opportunities when one can photograph in the field at a safe distance.

Wapiti Watering Hole

Here I was photographing from across a pond, almost at eye level with this 6×6 antler bull elk. A safe place to shoot from.

Have a look at my elk gallery of images and videos taken over the years from Silverthorne, Colorado through Alberta, Canada:

Elk Gallery

Enjoy

Rich