Ferrara Wildlife Photography

Northern Pygmy Owl – Mighty Sprite

Mighty Sprite I may be small, but don’t be fooled, for in my tiny frame, I pack a punch compared to some that puts them quite to shame.I roam the woods and forest breaks while constantly in search And from atop the highest stands I wait upon my perch. So when the mousy beasties dash across the open tract I rocket off my waiting post and there commit the act. It’s swift and sure and if my prey is larger than am I I have no doubt that I will take it up when I do fly. ~ Poem and Northern Pygmy Owl capture, Mighty Sprite © Jerry L. Ferrara

Gambol in the Snow The early morning mountain light sang a visual hymn that aroused the eye and inspired the soul. My lungs took captive the thin, crisp, icy air. It delivered a sharp pang to the chest that brought reality to my consciousness…a reminder of what it is to be alive. As daylight intensified, I continued along the slick and frozen alpine route and then it was I met a fellow trekker coming from the opposite direction. The Mountain Goat stood stock-still and full in the narrow slippery path. Normally, I would have moved to one side or the other to grant passage to the caprine creature. That wasn’t possible as any off-trail maneuver on my part would have surely resulted in disaster. And so the Mountain Goat and I stared at each other for what seemed an interminable period of time [they are very good at staring]. Suddenly the shaggy beast launched into a trot directly toward my position. At about twenty-five feet, the sure-footed goat broke from the path downslope and cavorted around me only to effortlessly return to the course and resume its leisurely and confident stride. What a show it was that the Mountain Goat […]

Idling in the Brume The early morning’s tenor was visually dense with moisture rising from the warm spring near the frozen lake’s elusive edge. Manifested in its own murky monotony, the simple scene seemed lifelessly uniform in visual presentation. It was the suffocatingly plain wall of whiteness that challenged the eye for detail. When a gentle zephyr thinned the misty veil, entities within the opaque haze were revealed … a flock of Whooper Swans idling in the brume. ~ Anecdote and Whooper Swans capture, Idling in the Brume © Jerry L. Ferrara, from the frozen edge of Lake Kussharo, Hokkaido, Japan.

A Scapegoat Oh hear the little girl in red It’s all about the things she’s said How wicked and how you are bad So really, really, really sad Those awful, spiteful, hateful lies Have twisted fact, yet truth belies Yes, you are a killer supreme So what does that point really mean? Your actions balance and bring wealth To Nature’s web it means great health You keep the herds and prey in check Why does that make you circumspect? Could it be mankind’s deep need To find a scapegoat for “his” deeds? ~ Poem and Timber Wolf capture, A Scapegoat © Jerry L. Ferrara

Happy Thanksgiving Late in posting … still in a food coma. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. ~ Anecdote and Wild Turkey capture, Happy Thanksgiving © Jerry L. Ferrara

Sweep the Boreal Aurora Sky While the background for this shot may be reminiscent of those eerie, shadowy curtains of charged particles from the sun [the aurora borealis], it is in reality not the dramatic light show at all. What follows is the story behind the making of the image: Across the wide and watery chasm of the expansive bay, white-headed entities idled tree-bound in the deafening, hushed stillness while greeting the somber light of dawn. That same light, cast from the forest and smeared subtly onto the liquid surface, created ephemeral impressions, mirrored reflections, and muted hues … Nature the artist, the lake its immense canvas. In time, a solitary Bald Eagle launched from its lofty lookout. Over the pigmented fluid it glided low, the backdrop redolent of a Northern Lights array. Suddenly the eagle performed an astounding aerial maneuver … and “Sweep the Boreal Aurora Sky” came into existence. ~ Anecdote and Bald Eagle capture, Sweep the Boreal Aurora Sky from the book, Wild North Idaho: Photos and Reflections © Jerry L. Ferrara

Elfin and Inconspicuous An elfin and inconspicuous Brown Creeper pauses briefly while foraging. The tiny avian is a native to our local Idaho forests. ~ Anecdote and Brown Creeper capture, Elfin and Inconspicuous © Jerry L. Ferrara

A Dapper Pose Resting on a small platform of floating ice in Norway’s Svalbard Archipelago, a Bearded Seal strikes a dapper pose showing off its lavish vibrissae. ~ Anecdote and Bearded Seal capture, A Dapper Pose © Jerry L. Ferrara

The Calling Card Communicating with one another in absentia, a Jaguar sniffs a brushy area where a member of its race recently sprayed. Along a path a feline wentand as it passed, it left a scentfor others of its kind to find,a message that seemed quite sublime.Did the ‘calling card’ give hintof the author’s veiled intent?Was it a trespasser’s claimto the jungle’s dark domain?Or a lusty lady’s tempt–a Jezebel’s seductive scent? ~ Poem and Jaguar capture, The Calling Card © Jerry L. Ferrara, from the wilds of Brazil’s Mato Grosso.

What Part Didn’t You Get? The impish look given by the juvenile Burrowing Owl was too much to resist. By sheer accident, I noticed the bird was attracted to the click of my camera’s shutter — opening and closing. Its body posture in this frame just said everything a person might wish to say to someone who is annoying. ~ Anecdote and Burrowing Owl capture, What Part Didn’t You Get? © Jerry L. Ferrara

SHOT FROM THE FILE

Northern Pygmy Owl – Mighty Sprite

Mountain Goat – Gambol in the Snow

Whooper Swans – Idling in the Brume

Timber Wolf – A Scapegoat

Wild Turkey – Happy Thanksgiving

Bald Eagle – Sweep the Boreal Aurora Sky

Brown Creeper – Elfin and Inconspicuous

Bearded Seal – A Dapper Pose

Jaguar – The Calling Card

Burrowing Owl – What Part Didn’t You Get?