Arkansas Wildlife Blog and Gallery
Buffalo National River and NW Arkansas
This was an interesting day after a day off. I missed one of those occasional great shots this morning. There is a spectacular specimen of white-winged crow in Ponca right now, and I missed it. I did get a blurry shot, real blurry, but I had no shutter speed to do better so I shot anyway, banking on divine intervention that never came. The totally crummy exposure shows how much white is on this bird. It has more white than most woodpeckers. I spent about an hour hoping to get a decent shot. He is on my list. Interested photographers can stalk this bird around the Elk Education Center, and at the Ponca low water bridge. Really stunning bird.
The elk were out again today in the field just south of the observation pullout, and in the first field north of the mill pond. The later is the bachelor bull herd that has started to move in closer to the cows. I have written about these animals a few times. They have been rubbing off their velvet now for some time, and the process is nearly complete. Note that the bone white of freshly exposed antlers is now giving way to the deep brown color as they are exposed to the elements.
These small bulls are a year away from having any chance to end up with some cows, but instinct calls. I got pictures of them today grazing in a vegetable garden. I am sure the owner is a true elk lover.
I would expect to see this pattern carry on into the weekend. As things cool down this evening the elk should come back up for an evening show. Nothing spectacular yet, but still enjoyable to watch them.
I have not heard any bugling.
The elk were out again today in the field just south of the observation pullout, and in the first field north of the mill pond. The later is the bachelor bull herd that has started to move in closer to the cows. I have written about these animals a few times. They have been rubbing off their velvet now for some time, and the process is nearly complete. Note that the bone white of freshly exposed antlers is now giving way to the deep brown color as they are exposed to the elements.
These small bulls are a year away from having any chance to end up with some cows, but instinct calls. I got pictures of them today grazing in a vegetable garden. I am sure the owner is a true elk lover.
I would expect to see this pattern carry on into the weekend. As things cool down this evening the elk should come back up for an evening show. Nothing spectacular yet, but still enjoyable to watch them.
I have not heard any bugling.
Boxley Valley Update -- 08/29/08 AM
Besides being a wothless picture of an outstanding white-winged crow, it also demonstrates my sensor dust, rivaling the dust level in a cheap motel.
This has all the excitement of watching a herd of cows graze.
Calf elk offering up your standard calf elk picture. I like to take them anyway.
Youg bull dining in vegetable garden.
If you read my article in this issue of Arkansas Wildlife Magazine, you would say, hey, that's four elk, and you like odd numbers! Well, this is four, but the separation between the three on the right, and the one on the left looking away, makes it a 1 and a 3.
The bull on the left is gesturing to the one of the right to start sparring. You need to be able to ID these behaviors to get the jump on great shot opportunities. You will see this behavior often during the rut fall. Anticipation is everything.
Another one of my "threes".