SHOT FROM THE FILE Archives - Page 2 of 45 - Ferrara Wildlife Photography

Puma – The Elusive

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.

North American River Otter – From the Clan of the Weasel

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

How Silently It Treads A giant ambles the quiet recesses of the wild It’s uncanny how silently it treads Vacant is the view one moment, then magically and mysteriously the behemoth materializes Through the course of its passage there’s not a whisper from the broom In the blink of an eye there’s a hushed departure —- It is incredibly stunning how the largest living land mammal is so adept at moving noiselessly through the environment. ~ Anecdote and African Elephant capture, How Silently It Treads © Jerry L. Ferrara

Spirit On The Wing It was late in the day and the sun was briskly heading in the direction of its nightly resting site. The light maintained a gentle bearing reflecting a softness absent of stark shadows. As a cool, moist breeze from the Pacific drifted through the tranquil coastal marsh, a gossamer creature magically appeared midair. The Short-eared Owl was on a quest. Its odyssey was strictly hunger-driven … and so, the moth-like specter silently sailed on wings wide … a spirit on the wing. ~ Anecdote and Short-eared Owl capture, Spirit On The Wing © Jerry L. Ferrara

Sandhill Crane – A Remarkable Traveler

A Remarkable Traveler In more than one way the Sandhill Crane is a remarkable traveler. In spring, they journey north to procreate and raise their offspring. In fall, the stately birds reverse the northward movement and overwinter in more favorable southern climes. Their migratory maneuvers involve thousands of miles. The Sandhill Crane is also a ‘time traveler’ of sorts … atleast when considering its genetic expression. Fossil remnants of Sandhill Cranes indicate the species has been extant in North America for about 2.5 million years according to Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology. The Sandhill Crane is currently considered to be the oldest living bird species on the continent. ~ Anecdote and Sandhill Crane captures, A Remarkable Traveler © Jerry L. Ferrara

SHOT FROM THE FILE

Puma – The Elusive

North American River Otter – From the Clan of the Weasel

Mallard – Maelstrom

Painted Wolf – Ears Galore

American Badger – The Masked Menace

Alaskan Brown Bear – A Pensive Pose

Spotted Hyena – Unique I Be

African Elephant – How Silently It Treads

Short-eared Owl – Spirit On The Wing

Sandhill Crane – A Remarkable Traveler

Ferrara Wildlife Photography