Ferrara Wildlife Photography

Desert Tortoise – Game Over

Game Over I reached back to 1983 for today’s presentation of two fighting Desert Tortoises in California’s Mojave Desert. The clash was a brutal struggle until the tortoise on the right successfully hooked its gular horn under its opponent and flipped him. That brief suspended moment, just before the final shove, was caught by the camera. It signalled that it was game over. The capture, by the way, was made on Kodachrome 64 film with a Nikon F2 and a manually focusing zoom 80-200 f4.5 lens. WAY different world back then! ~ Anecdote and Desert Tortoise capture, Game Over © Jerry L. Ferrara

Little Devil The cherries are ripening and we’re getting lots of help with the harvest. This “little devil” was well sated! ~ Anecdote and Raccoon capture, Little Devil © Jerry L. Ferrara

A Shade of Orange It was quite a surprise when it exited the chilled Arctic brine. The Svalbard Polar Bear didn’t wear a milky mantle. Instead, it sported a coat a shade of orange … probably due to minerals in the local waters. ~ Anecdote and Polar Bear capture, A Shade of Orange © Jerry L. Ferrara

Face Off It was past 11:00pm on the Alaskan peninsula and the light was drop-dead gorgeous. The site was a bit inland from remote Hallo Bay. Two Brown Bear were engaged in a “rough and tumble” play fight. Face-to-face and mouth-to-mouth they challenged each other in a mock duel. ~ Anecdote and Brown Bear capture, Face Off © Jerry L. Ferrara

Flamboyant From my backyard, a flamboyant male Pileated Woodpecker takes a quick peek at the camera. The roughly 19-inch-long avian wonder is a component of Canadian and U.S. deciduous-coniferous forests, especially where there are plenty of dead or dying trees … the plucky birds relish carpenter ants. ~ Anecdote and Pileated Woodpecker capture, Flamboyant © Jerry L. Ferrara

The Final Perspective The action was furious and moving like an out-of-control wildfire as the Bald Eagle bore down on the water’s surface. The thought of the final perspective [what this magnificent bird must have seen as it closed in on the salmon] flashed across my mind. After the catch, and when the intensity of the drama had passed, I grabbed a quick peek of the image in the camera monitor and mused at what seemed to me to be a double entendre, if not a bit of dark humor. Perhaps it was not so much what the Bald Eagle saw, but the final perspective certainly must reflect the last thing the fish saw! ~ Anecdote and Bald Eagle capture, The Final Perspective © Jerry L. Ferrara

Poised In Pursuit The eagle fishing activity had been very sporadic that morning. Plenty of fish were along the water’s edge….just few takers. Over the top of me, from behind, a rush of wind through feathers and wings repercussioned the air. Out of seemingly nowhere the eagle appeared, banked in my direction, and abruptly turned away. It was all I could do to get the fast fading bird framed. Its back and tail were all that could be seen….a remnant of what visually was. Suddenly the bird wheeled again into the lens, dropped its tail and legs, raised the leading edge of its wings and poised frozen in a beautiful stall. ~ Anecdote and Bald Eagle capture, Poised In Pursuit © Jerry L. Ferrara

The Ocelot The following narrative describes what occurred one emerging evening in the mysterious recesses of Brazil’s vast and uncanny Pantanal … behold the Ocelot! Night’s stygian pall covers the enigmatic jungleStrange forlorn voices murmur from inky recessesNetherworld conversationsThenSilencePortending silenceA vague shape precipitates in the underbrushAmorphously it clings to shadowsAfter an eternity, the specter takes formIt climbs a limbThen, melts into the ebon night ~ Anecdote, poem and Ocelot capture, The Ocelot © Jerry L. Ferrara

To Gain A Better View High up in the Colorado Rockies, a rambunctious Mountain Goat kid climbs the back of a tolerant resting adult to gain a better view. Mountain Goat children are full of curiosity and energy. ~ Anecdote and Mountain Goat capture, To Gain A Better View © Jerry L. Ferrara

Icterid Voices Spring quickens in the vernal marsh Guttural, gurgling Icterid voices broadcast far and wide Challengers tear at the tranquility Scarlet epaulettes flare like glowing embers Imperceptible boundaries are drawn Dominions declared The propertied are set to arouse the feminine gender … soon to arrive ~ Poem and Red-winged Blackbird capture, Icterid Voices © Jerry L. Ferrara

SHOT FROM THE FILE

Desert Tortoise – Game Over

Raccoon – Little Devil

Polar Bear – A Shade of Orange

Brown Bear – Face Off

Pileated Woodpecker – Flamboyant

Bald Eagle – The Final Perspective

Bald Eagle – Poised In Pursuit

Ocelot – The Ocelot

Mountain Goat – To Gain A Better View

Red-winged Blackbird – Icterid Voices