Feather Flailing In the quiet shelter of a secluded seaside cove, a Brown Pelican takes a moment to shake in the watery medium. The ‘feather flailing’ resulted in successfully cleansing its plumed garb. ~ Anecdote and Brown Pelican capture, Feather Flailing © Jerry L. Ferrara
Sometimes the little dramas in life are hidden from sight. Wait for the right conditions and the thespians magically appear The Actors on the Dais The misty morning murk tenaciously held its ghostly grip on the heavily shrouded seaside bay, suffocating the view both far and near. But for a distant, despondent-sounding plaintiff sough emanating from a hidden watercraft announcing its presence, the air held no voice and all was still. Then the brume lifted like a colossal curtain that had veiled a great stage and the actors on the dais were exposed in plain sight. ~ Anecdote and Sea Otter capture, The Actors on the Dais © Jerry L. Ferrara
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Warmest Wishes!! ~ Bald Eagle captures, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Warmest Wishes!! © Jerry L. Ferrara
The Elusive In his book A Field Guide to Animal Tracks, Olaus Murie paints the elusive Puma as a creature cloaked in secrecy. Much of the time spoor is all most of us will see of the feline’s ghost-like perambulations. Over the years, here in the U.S., I’ve had the good fortune to have encountered lions on three separate occasions in a wild setting. Each time the camera was absent, yet that does not take anything away from the thrill experienced in witnessing these magnificent cats. ~ Anecdote and Puma capture, The Elusive © Jerry L. Ferrara. Image recorded in the wilds of Chile’s Patagonian outback.
From the Clan of the Weasel Some different views of the North American River Otter. ~ North American River Otter captures, From the Clan of the Weasel © Jerry L. Ferrara
Maelstrom Vortex, tumult, maelstrom, chaosa feathered creature enters the frayPatterns keep changing and re-arrangingshape-shifting the murky medium’s array A Mallard hen is caught swimming in the kinetic flow of a woodland creek. The incidence of light on the liquid surface traced the asymmetrical flow of water as the duck moved upstream. ~ Poem, anecdote and Mallard capture, Maelstrom © Jerry L. Ferrara
Ears Galore With ears so largeI do take chargeWith them each dayI locate my preyFor I can hearboth far and nearBut there is moreto ears galoreBlood vessel-denseeach cools and ventsTheir surface largehelps heat dischargeI do confessthey quite expressMy current moodthey do alludeIt’s just my waywith these pinnae ~ Poem and Painted Wolf capture, Ears Galore © Jerry L. Ferrara, Zimbabwe, Africa
The Masked Menace As a gentle zephyr lazily licked the lonely Montana landscape, a ‘curious’ American Badger paused briefly while rambling through a Black-tailed prairie dog town. Fresh from digging at one of the rodents’ burrows and adorned with soil on nose and crown, the unsuccessful mustelid gave a stare at the camera. The masked menace then turned and trundled away. ~ Anecdote and American Badger capture, The Masked Menace © Jerry L. Ferrara
A Pensive Pose These two youngster Alaskan Brown Bear were in a pensive pose for a reason. They were on the look out for a large boar that was ‘interested’ in their mother. ~ Anecdote and Alaskan Brown Bear capture, A Pensive Pose © Jerry L. Ferrara
Unique I Be Unique I beSome think of meI outwardlyLook canidaeBut it’s not soHyenas knowThat comment’s fauxDogs? Oh, NO! NO!If you’ll assentHear my resentFor my descentIs cat-like bent The Spotted Hyena may appear to be a dog but it is not. While not really a cat either, scientific studies indicate hyenas may share a closer evolutionary relationship somewhere in the ancient past with felines rather than canines. ~ Poem, anecdote and Spotted Hyena capture, Unique I Be © Jerry L. Ferrara