Edition:
September 3, 2010
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Columnist, The Friday Flyer
Off in the distance, beyond the roadside fence, an Antilocapra Americana stood gazing quietly out across the Colorado prairie. At first it seemed odd to see a Pronghorn antelope by itself. Travelers through the American West will often encounter these beautiful creatures in herds, from a few to several dozen.
On this trip, my antelope sightings consisted mostly of single animals, never more than three together. Then it occurred to me – it was springtime, most were females and they had left the herd to drop their fawns in isolation.
While traveling recently through Colorado and New Mexico, I took note, as I always do, of the wildlife evident in Nature’s uncaged zoo. This antelope stood gazing off at something only perceived by her – some distant part of her natural world that had caught her interest.
She most certainly was not disturbed by me. Had she been, she could easily have run off at speeds exceeding 50 or 60 miles an hour. She is the second fastest land animal in the world; only the Cheetah runs faster. Cheetahs can sustain their incredible speed for perhaps a few hundred yards. The American antelope can keep running for an hour.
On this same trip, my roadside sightings included a pair of Canada geese alongside a stream. My guess was they were a mated pair (Canada geese mate for life) with a nest nearby. All geese are fiercely protective of their nests and goslings.
Once, while walking in the woods near a golf course in Rye Brook, New York, I got too close to a nest and both the goose and the gander left the ground and flew directly at my head. I quickly hurried on. There were several more Canada sightings on this trip; these were the easiest to photograph. I did not pry further into their home lives.
It is not unusual when traveling in the country to see deer. Often I’ll see one, and as often, there will be a small herd. The Mule deer in a photo taken this spring were grazing in a meadow along side a road in northern New Mexico. Unperturbed by my presence, they continued to graze when something off to the right in the photo drew their attention.
Whatever it was suggested they leave the area; they drifted unhurriedly into the woods at the top of this photo and disappeared. I continue to be baffled by how it is that deer, and other animals in hunting season, seem to know they are in danger from opening day. In the days before the hunt begins it is fairly easy to spot deer. Opening morning it is difficult to find a track.
Our country’s National Parks constitute some of the greatest unfenced zoos in the world. Early last year I was traveling through Yellowstone National Park with friends Al Hansen and Bob Stephens when a spring snowstorm forced us to seek shelter at Grants Lodge in the middle of the park.
Because they are protected, the wildlife in this incredible place, co-exist pretty well with people – so long as they are not molested. This cow elk chose to have her calf in a meadow near the lodge. Wild animals will never pose for a photo. You take what you can get. This elk mother decided to just walk away with her calf. Employees at the lodge told us she and her calf had made the small meadow their temporary home.
The snowstorm abated the next day and we pressed on through the park. Passing through Yellowstone’s grasslands we came upon herds of grazing buffalo. Here again we encountered evidence of the tolerance between man and beast in the parks. These bison roamed where they pleased – and it often pleased them to stand in the middle of the road and ruminate about – who knows?
While waiting for the road to clear, this shaggy old bull grazed his way up to the edge of the road – and stopped. C’mon, I thought, raise your head and I’ll take your portrait. He didn’t and this was as good as I got. The road cleared and we moved on.
The year before, my wife Dorothy and I were traveling in Death Valley National Park with our grandsons. This beautiful wasteland seems devoid of wildlife. Not so. There are bighorn sheep, burros, coyotes, wildcats, badgers, reptiles, pup fish – the list goes on and on. While they are not as obvious as Yellowstone’s bison, elk, deer and bears, Death Valley’s wildlife is abundant. One animal especially stands out – little wolf, or coyote.
The coyote is one of the most versatile and adaptable animals in the wild kingdom. In spite of the relentless effort by ranchers to exterminate this little canine, he continues to prosper and spread. Coyotes are becoming more and more evident in eastern habitats, including New York City.
Coyotes in Death Valley have learned to beg food from visitors. This handsome specimen emerged from the desert scrub near Scotty’s Castle, unafraid and expectant. I took his picture and drove on.
On long road trips I entertain myself watching for wildlife along the way. I am rarely disappointed. It’s not always easy to get photos while driving but my memory galleries are full. Oh, and did you know that there are several species of wildlife imported from other parts of the world that have escaped confinement and are doing quite well in their new homes? That’ll be a story for another time.
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