A brief deviation from wildlife: An Ephemeral Appearance The Green Flash [the smallish thin green line at the top of the distorted sun] is a rarely observed phenomenon. As the sun slipped slowly into the tenebrous horizon, the ‘green flash’ made an ephemeral appearance over the dusky Pacific Ocean. ~ Anecdote and Green Flash capture, An Ephemeral Appearance © Jerry L. Ferrara
Allogroom You are a member of my prideAnd so in you I will confideTo stay in ‘touch’ and allogroomA strategy that seems a boonIt keeps us close and healthy, tooPromotes less stress, good vibes ensueAnd with this comes cohesivenessSo for the moment, there’s less stress ~ Poem and African Lions capture, Allogroom © Jerry L. Ferrara
Mere Guise We resemble a hawkbut actually we’re notThough not quite so regal’some’ call us an eagleWhile we act like a vulturewe’re not of that cultureTo some a surprisewe’re of falcon franchise… the rest is mere guise ~ Poem and Crested Caracara capture, Mere Guise © Jerry L. Ferrara
A Blue Crab Breakfast In a Texas Gulf Coast marsh, a juvenile Whooping Crane [left] watches studiously as one of the colt’s parents catches a Blue Crab breakfast. ~ Anecdote and Whooping Cranes capture, A Blue Crab Breakfast © Jerry L. Ferrara
Nanuq He wanted to crawl in the boatwe didn’t think it would floatHe seemed not to careour wish not to shareA dangerous moment to noteThe time to leave was apparentbut the engine was totally errantIt ground out a soundpathetically boundIt spoke of being aberrantAs panic captured the crewall wondered, “What should we do?”The big furry guythen gave us the eyeDistress was about to ensueWe were just about to beseechwhen pulled we were from his reachNearby was a boatthat tossed us a ropeAnd foiled the bruin’s near-siege Our guide forgot to fill the boat’s gas tank. Image captured in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. ~ Poem and Polar Bear capture, Nanuq © Jerry L. Ferrara
The Bounding Bovid Excelling at the art of leaping, an Impala buck gracefully bolts skyward. In my copy of Richard D. Estes’ The Safari Companion, the author tells of how the elegant antelope is capable of vaulting heights ten feet high and up to thirty-six feet in length. The Impala’s athletic prowess is a definite asset in the bounding bovids’ “survival kit” for eluding predators. ~ Anecdote and Impala capture, The Bounding Bovid © Jerry L. Ferrara
The Tension was Taut During our recent trip to Africa, we found ourselves on a morning ‘walking safari’, trekking through a Zimbabwean woodland. As our path approached an open space in the sylvan landscape, a lioness resting in the forest’s cooling shade suddenly stood up and began moving almost parallel to our course. That, needless to say, was exciting even though she gave us no heed! When the she-cat inadvertently ambled into and surprised a small band of Impala, it looked as though ‘all hell’ was about to break loose. The tension was taut but ephemeral. Instead of creating mayhem, the lioness simply sauntered by the wary antelope. ~ Anecdote and African Lion, Impala capture, The Tension was Taut © Jerry L. Ferrara
Eventide When the day’s end is doneit’s farewell to the sunAnd the brief eventidewill cast light far aside ~ Poem and African Elephant capture, Eventide © Jerry L. Ferrara, from the remote Zambezi River, Zimbabwe, Africa
Furtively, a Nile Crocodile rises to the water’s surface: A Nile Crocodile A Nile Crocodilewaits in covert styleThe purpose of its dressmight lead to some distressSo those who’re unawareshould practice to bewareFor in the serene statea deadly force awaits ~ Poem and Nile Crocodile capture, A Nile Crocodile © Jerry L. Ferrara
Like ghosts they drift across the ‘scapewithout apparent formBut from them telltale signs remainthe purpose to informAt latrines is where the choreof messaging is framedFor in the waste are missives sentassertions are proclaimed ~ Poem and Painted Wolf captures, Painted Wolves © Jerry L. Ferrara from Zimbabwe, Africa