Ladies of the Evening Along the Missouri Breaks, a trio of Mule Deer doe leisurely strolled the rugged ridgeline at sundown. They were Ladies of the Evening set against a painted sky. ~ Anecdote and Mule Deer capture, Ladies of the Evening © Jerry L. Ferrara
Running It was very late in the day. Harsh shadows had retired and a coolness permeated the air. It was time to play. That’s exactly what a White-tailed Deer fawn was doing as it enthusiastically dashed before my camera and lens, seemingly running for the pure pleasure of running. The caper was caught quickly as the youthful creature bolted by. ~ Anecdote and White-tailed Deer capture, Running © Jerry L. Ferrara
O’ Wily One O’ Wily One from whence you come Your presence you do share From snowy mist your form does twist Appear you from thin air What do you seek with eager peek Perhaps a murine meal? While on the stalk your gestures talk You’re not above the steal So carry on, O’ Wily One You have a role to play Your presence brings a mix of things And rodents at the bay. ~ Poem and Red Fox capture, O’ Wily One © Jerry L. Ferrara
Stare Down The female Gray Wolf was so incredibly beautiful as she gracefully loped across the sweep parallel to my position. I stood stock still while clicking off image after image, but periodically paused just to watch. It wasn’t long before things changed rapidly and the “lupine being” turned directly into my camera and lens. It was breathtaking! In the blink of an eye she had approached to about 16 feet, the closest I could focus with the lens being used. To my chagrin she wouldn’t look directly at me, but constantly surveyed both her sides and toward her back. Without warning the wolf pointed her nose downward and peered in my direction. The stare down was brief, with neither threat nor aggression implied, simply recognition. She then turned and ambled up and over the snow-mantled ridge and melted into the wild realm, like the spirit she was. ~ Anecdote and Gray Wolf capture, Stare Down © Jerry L. Ferrara
And The Storm Carried On The predawn light had difficulty expressing itself through the moisture-laden overcast … and the storm carried on. As sunup slowly brightened the ambiance, a gentle zephyr intermittently swirled a mixture of crystalline flakes and sleet through the grassland’s landscape and a silent-winged visitor flew stealthily over the terrain landing upon an ancient, snow-mantled fence post. The Short-eared Owl had arrived … and the storm carried on. For the better part of twenty minutes the plucky predator keenly scanned, with both eye and ear, the nearby expanse searching for telltale murid movements or sounds that would disclose the location of its quarry. The reticent domain balefully glared back and was silent … and the storm carried on. Then, without foreshadow, the diminutive dynamo stooped forward and firmly launched to the sky. Its flight in departing was as hushed and airy as its arrival … and the storm carried on. ~ Anecdote and Short-eared Owl capture, And The Storm Carried On © Jerry L. Ferrara. Image created during the winter of 2021 in eastern Washington State.
The Chill of the Setting I was glad I had covered the equipment and myself with rain/snow gear before setting out that bleak morning. It wasn’t anywhere near ‘sunny f16’ conditions as the monochromatic snowstorm thickened, swirled and raked the rimy sweep and yet the Timber Wolf remained tightly curled up and resting. Nothing to do but wait. Without announcement or fanfare, the canine rose, stretched and hurled its voice into the thickened atmosphere. The long, haunting call reflected the chill of the setting. ~ Anecdote and Timber Wolf capture, The Chill of the Setting © Jerry L. Ferrara
The Wind Dancer Handsome and elegant come to mind when I see the Black Tern. Little creatures of freshwater marshes, their distinctive call is a harbinger of late spring. They arrive, breed, rear their young and just as suddenly as they appear, they vanish. Their journey takes them to the wetlands of Mexico and Central America for the winter. When I first tried capturing Black Terns as images, it proved a daunting task. Their flight patterns are anything but linear and predictable. Erratic is more the rule, or maybe an unchoreographed free-style dance would be a more fitting description. I caught this one in mid-ethereal flight as it danced across the wind. ~ Anecdote and Black Tern capture, The Wind Dancer © 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
Stare Down It was incredible! The female wolf from the Agate pack just kept coming toward me. I literally had to back up to focus as she proceeded into the lens. And then she finally acknowledged my presence, putting her nose down to the snow and staring briefly into my universe. That acknowledgement was from a kindred spirit. No threat or aggression. A simple avowal of recognition. She was beautiful! ~ Anecdote and Gray Wolf capture, Stare Down © Jerry L. Ferrara.
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