Rocky Mountain Elk – The Call of Fall
The Call of Fall The call of FallOft leads to brawlThe eerie wrawlTurns free-for-all ~ Poem and Rocky Mountain Elk capture, The Call of Fall © Jerry L. Ferrara
SHOT FROM THE FILE
Gentoo Penguin – The Final Touch
The Final Touch While its mate waits patiently on their rocky Antarctic nest, a Gentoo Penguin puts on the ‘final touch’. ~ Anecdote and Gentoo Penguin capture, The Final Touch © Jerry L. Ferrara
Polar Bear – BEWARE
BEWARE With its nose up in the airMight you feel that chilly stare?BEWARE the Polar Bear Scientists believe Polar Bears are “super sniffers”. They’ve been accredited with being able to smell their target prey [seals] at long distances. ~ Anecdote, poem and Polar Bear capture, BEWARE © Jerry L. Ferrara
Long-billed Curlew – The Promise
This Long-billed Curlew, the largest of North America’s shorebirds, was caught early one Texas morning along with its doppelgänger. The Promise The morning was subdued and gentle. It arrived without haste in increments that were imperceptible … until it was just there. The wind was notably absent, so the air had no vitality and the placid backwater’s calm veneer boasted to the open sky of how it would grasp all that came near. As the Long-billed Curlew rested on the rocky spit, its likeness was held captive and the promise was kept. So the water told the sky I will seize all who come nigh,and their spirits I’ll hold tight ’til the darkness of the night. ~ Anecdote, poem and Long-billed Curlew capture, The Promise © Jerry L. Ferrara
Great Horned Owl – Just As The Light Passed Away
Just As The Light Passed Away It was deep in the terminus of a clement day. The sun had retired from the haze-filled horizon but its faltering remains still dwelt in the landscape. We moved without hurry. Our hope was for a glimpse at “something” in the dwindling crepuscular light. That “something” almost always seemed to appear just as aspirations waned. As the path meandered this way and that, a stark visual presentation materialized against the monochromatic sky. Silently, a Great Horned Owl sat stoically in the barren branches of a tree…a perfect effigy of a predator in waiting. It was both a thrill and a fortunate moment, just as the light passed away. ~ Anecdote and Great Horned Owl image, Just As The Light Passed Away © Jerry L. Ferrara
Comet C2020F3 Neowise – Far Traveler
From July, 2020: Far Traveler Far Traveler, where have you been? Across the void and back again? Your journey’s steeped so deep in time Appearance, you do make sublime Go hurtle quick ’round bright orb Eccentric path that brought you toward While solar force extracts a toll And leaves your icy form less wholeSo if you survive through this plight Back to the “cloud” will be your flight Years before return might be Seven thousand, possiblyAnd if your dust and ice return That coma’s nucleus will burn Referred you are as space debris Yet your past does seem a key From whence the solar system came Shaped by the hand of Holy Name. ~ Poem and Comet C2020F3 Neowise capture, Far Traveler © Jerry L. Ferrara.
White-tailed Deer – The Monarch’s Crown
The Monarch’s Crown It may seem strange as day lengths changenot subtle the effectFor as light wanes it’s very plainresults are quite directFirst it begins with just the skina velvet dressing gownRub and scrape that mantled drapereveals the monarch’s crown ~ Poem and White-tailed Deer capture, The Monarch’s Crown © Jerry L. Ferrara
Red Fox – O’ Wily One
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
California Condor – Topa Topa
Topa Topa This California Condor image is a capture made of a famous character named Topa Topa, also known as just Topa. Topa was born in the wild but was not doing well at the game of survival. As a result, he was brought into captivity and housed at the Los Angeles Zoo in 1967. He was the only California Condor in the captive state until 1982. It was about that time and shortly thereafter all California Condors were removed from the wild and became a part of a breeding program designed to restore and re-introduce a larger, viable, free-roaming condor population. Topa has been an important part of that program siring many of these magnificent birds that have been returned to soar free. Prior to the captive breeding program, I will never forget the day we saw a substantial portion of the then-current population. The year was 1971 and Vicki, myself and one of my college profs were exiting the Sespe Condor Sanctuary north of Los Angeles when 13 condors flew right over the top of us. It was truly a Pleistocene moment. Awesome would be an understatement. I met Topa around 1980 at the Los Angeles Zoo while he […]
Western Tanager – A Palette of Color
A Palette of Color A palette of color gives voice. ~ Anecdote and Western Tanager capture, A Palette of Color © Jerry L. Ferrara