Himba village, Nambia, October 2021
Well, salmon fishing wasn't great and the river was far too crowded for my likes but on the other hand, the moose photography was very productive! I spent over an hour with these twins and their mother near Cooper Landing. As much as I was hoping for fresh salmon, I still have time to fill my freezer before summer's end while these moose calves only stay small and cute for a short time.
Colin
Following up on my post from two days ago regarding moose on the roadways, this morning was another reminder when a cow with two newborn calves were trying to cross the Eagle River Road. The calves either weren't able or weren't willing to make it over the guardrail, so mom kept going back to try convince them to follow her. Cars were stopped for several minutes in both directions until two vehicles pushed ahead, forcing the cow to step back over the guardrail to be with her calves, only to return to the road after they passed.
Before I left she had stepped off the road to be closer to her calves, so I was able to pass by without causing them to retreat. I understand being in a hurry, but unless it's an emergency, please allow wildlife to safely cross the roadways, especially the newborns.
Thank you and have a great weekend!
Colin
Good afternoon! It's a well-known fact that the majority of moose calves don't survive their first year of life. With the number of bear sightings in the valley this year, it was encouraging to see this healthy little one feeding with mom last night in the late evening sunshine. Hopefully it will remain among the lucky ones and reach adulthood.
Colin
Hello and Happy May Day, friends! Mother’s Day is soon approaching and it’s not too late to order Mom special prints for her special day. I still have a few signed & numbered original artist proofs of Mother’s Love (cow moose & twin calves) and Mother’s Day Aurora (taken May 8, 2016) available for $75 each, or get the pair for $125 AND I will include a 2019 Aurora Borealis calendar as well – my photo is on the month of March, which I will sign for you, although it was also taken on Mother’s Day, May 8, 2016. Order today and they will be in the mail tomorrow! Follow the link to purchase: http://www.colintyler.com/online-store/combined-limited-first-edition-ten-signed-and-numbered-12x18-prints
Cheers,
Colin
Happy to say one of my recent moose photos was shared on Instagram by Nat Geo Wild and has gathered over 30,000 likes since yesterday. Cheers, Nat Geo!
Following in Mom's footsteps...
Another image from yesterday.
I waited nearly 4 hours for this moment today. This cow moose has twin calves. After a bit of browsing this morning, they bedded down for a few hours in some tall grass and brush, mostly out of sight. I'd considered throwing in the towel; I was growing hungry and have a number of tasks to accomplish today but when you've got subjects like these with soft, overcast light, sometimes you have to wait in hopes that patience eventually pays off.
I saw this youngster on my evening walk, just after 11 pm as the sun dropped behind the mountains. Moose calves aren't very common this far back in the valley, due to the number of bears in the area.
Here's some cuteness overload to begin your workday after the holiday weekend. Apparently mom spit is the general cleaning solution and fix-it-all for species other than just humans.
Moose are commonplace in residential areas throughout Alaska, especially in springtime. It is not at all unusual for cows to drop their calves in someone’s yard and spend much of their time raising the newborns in semi-urban neighborhoods, seeking respite from predators. I rarely see newborn calves near the Nature Center, where bears are more prevalent.
