Skinned A hapless South American Gray Fox is caught in the difficult circumstance of being skinned as a Puma preps to dine. The “zorro” didn’t stand a chance against the apex predator’s ambush skills. ~ Anecdote and Puma/South American Gray Fox capture, Skinned © Jerry L. Ferrara
Vigorously Splashes Away There was quite a bit of noisy activity taking place in a small shallow pool of water that was recently born from a not-long-past storm. It contained a ‘scold of gulls’ … more precisely a group of energetic and very noisy Laughing Gulls taking advantage of the cooling medium on a warm spring day. Here one member of the flock vigorously splashes away. ~ Anecdote and Laughing Gull capture, Vigorously Splashes Away © Jerry L. Ferrara
Up On Two The species Brown Bear does not relish surprises, especially when suddenly encountering one of its own kind in close proximity. While wandering through tall, thick, grassy riparian habitats, they will periodically practice the art of standing upright on their hind quarters to peer over the vegetation, just in case another bear is nearby. I am a bear, so do beware. Wander me, through the grassy sea. Tall reeds are, why I won’t see far. But what if there, be another bear? So up on two, I peruse the view. I am a bear, that is aware. ~ Anecdote, poem and Brown Bear capture, Up On Two © Jerry L. Ferrara
The Incoming Meal As a gift-bearing male Osprey returns to the nest, his female counterpart intently eyes the incoming meal … an exercise in courtship feeding. ~ Anecdote and Osprey capture, The Incoming Meal © Jerry L. Ferrara
Cause and Effect
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.
Suspended Suspended in midair against a cerulean sky, an Osprey’s attention is solidly gripped by the potential of a scaly meal swimming just below the lake’s murky surface. ~ Anecdote and Osprey capture, Suspended © Jerry L. Ferrara
Spring Renovation Home restoration is often a dirty job. Here, an industrious Columbian Ground Squirrel pauses during spring renovation of its burrow, den and mound. The soil on its front paws and heaped on the bridge of its nose and top of its head is telltale of its earth-moving methodology. One quick glance and the high-spirited rodent resumed excavation. ~ Anecdote and Columbian Ground Squirrel capture, Spring Renovation © Jerry L. Ferrara
To Build A Home Those of us who make our home in and around the beauty of North Idaho, and particularly near the watery environs of the awesome Pend Oreille, have the privilege of sharing this magnificent part of the planet with a most interesting, part-time local resident known variously as the Osprey, Fish Hawk or Pandion haliaetus. Globally cosmopolitan, the Fish Hawk is a true international entity for the Osprey nation inhabits all continents but one, that being Antarctica. When they return annually to our locale, generally from parts south, they industriously engage themselves in the duty of nest construction for to build a home is a major investment … the pivotal point from which they create, maintain, and nuture their kind … their future … their destiny. ~ Anecdote and Osprey capture, To Build A Home © Jerry L. Ferrara
What You Don’t See When in the wild, travel with careFor what you don’t see might give you a stareBut should you perceive that something is thereIt may cause shivers and nightmarish scares ~ Poem and Bengal Tiger capture, What You Don’t See © Jerry L. Ferrara, Kanha National Park, India