Category: Animals

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2017-02-13: Monochrome Monday

I’ve shared some photos and stories before from my time at a Mara river crossing, and thought I would share a few more images for my monochrome Monday post.  I hope you enjoy, and wishing everyone a great week.

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A lone gazelle tries his luck crossing the river.  My guide explained that the gazelle typically cross in small groups or alone, as there is a huge risk of them being crushed by the larger wildebeest and zebra.  Unfortunately, crossing alone makes them prime targets for the crocodiles.
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Part of the first wave surging up the bank.
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There were only a handful of zebra amongst the herd.
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The crossing came in waves; a group surged across, struggled to get up the banks, and just as the last few wildebeest worked up the bank, the next wave would surge forward to cross.
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Chaos and the herd mentality.

 

Please visit:
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and

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2017-02-17: What I’ve seen this week

I had a call Friday around 5:30 from one of my neighbours, inviting me to come up to their house with my camera, as they had a moose in their backyard!  I’ve seen moose a few times before but only for quick glances either while driving, or seeing them disappear into the bushes, so I headed up the road as quick as I could.

For a very large animal, moose are amazingly well camouflaged in and amongst the pines and other evergreens.  It was growing dark quickly as well and the moon wasn’t up yet, so getting an awesome shot was out of the question.  It was just so nice to be able to spend a bit of time watching the moose graze before it headed off towards the ravine.

I did see the moose again on my morning walk yesterday, but only briefly as it slipped deeper into the trees and completely disappeared within moments.  Maybe someday I will be lucky and see one in the daytime and have enough time to get some decent photos.

Wishing you all a great day 🙂

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This was the best I could capture (and this was the most exposed the moose ever got while I was there).  1/60 sec, f5.6, ISO 6400.

 

Please visit:
www.jennifersawickyphotography.com for wildlife, landscape and nature inspired artwork.

and

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2017-02-06: Monochrome Monday

A trio of photos from my time Uganda for this monochrome Monday.

Wishing everyone a fantastic week.

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A chimpanzee munches on figs high in the treetops in Kibale National Park.
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A huge flock of birds takes to the skies along the Kazinga Channel.
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Makara the silverback looking pensive.

 

Please visit:
www.jennifersawickyphotography.com for wildlife, landscape and nature inspired artwork.

and

https://shopvida.com/collections/voices/jennifer-sawicky for textiles inspired by my photography.

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2017-02-05: What I’ve seen this week

The early part of this past week I had a couple of great wildlife sightings in the neighbourhood, but after Tuesday, nothing at all.  Fingers crossed for an interesting week ahead.

Enjoy the photos and the rest of your day 🙂

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On my late afternoon walk Monday I spotted this barred owl at the top of my road.  I managed a couple quick shots before it flew off.  It was snowing and quite gloomy, so not an excellent photo, but an exciting sighting for me.
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Tuesday I spotted this fox in the backyard while working.  It hung around for about five minutes before disappearing into the bushes.
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Taking a quick nap in a sunbeam.
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Sniffing for mice or other prey.
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Here the fox is investigating the deer bowl.  I’ve not seen the deer now in about 3 weeks, since we had our thaw and refreeze.  The squirrels, ravens, grey jays and magpies are enjoying the food source though.  Soon enough it will be time to put all that away as spring shows up and the bears start to awaken.

 

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2017-01-22: What I’ve seen this week

Actually, I guess this should be more appropriately titled What I Saw Last Week, as none of the photos are from the last 7 days. It’s typed now though and no point in wasting time changing it.  On to the photos, and wishing everyone a great week ahead.

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Chickadees rarely sit still, so I am glad I managed to get a clear shot of this little one.
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A coyote made a visit to my yard one day; (s)he didn’t spend too long and I am grateful I looked out the window when I did to get these few photos.
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The coyote was very aware of me in the window snapping photos.
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What a difference the sunlight makes!
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A magpie spent a few minutes in the back yard, gathering food from the deer bucket.
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On my way back from town, I spotted this barred owl up the road; I quickly rushed home and grabbed my camera.  The owl was very far back from the road, and didn’t stick around long.
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Now you see it, now you don’t.  I only managed a couple minutes watching the owl (which was my first owl sighting of the year).

Please visit:
www.jennifersawickyphotography.com for wildlife, landscape and nature inspired artwork.

and

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2017-01-17: WPC Ambience

It may seem a little strange to post photos from a Masai Mara wildebeest river crossing for a post on ambience, but honestly, the ambience was a very integral part of the experience for me. When you are watching a nature program, they presenters do an excellent job of making a river crossing seem like an amazing spectacle – which is absolutely is!!!  They also do an amazing job at making it seem like a secluded experience, which it absolutely is not!

We left our camp at 6am for a 2+ hour drive to the potential crossing point, in the hopes of getting a good parking spot to watch the action.  On route we passed wildebeest in the thousands, if not tens of thousands, some marching the direction we were headed, and others, heading in the direction we had come from.

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Wildebeest as far as the eye can see.

I had never anticipated being the only person there, but I also didn’t expect to find quite so many other people there.  But, the atmosphere was a lot of fun.  I spent time chatting with my guides and with the people in the vehicle next to us while waiting to see if possibly the wildebeest might make a move.  They were certainly taking there time, and a good number of people gave up as the afternoon wore on.

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The view from our vehicle at the crossing point.  Land cruisers, jeeps, minibuses and land rovers, packed in like sardines and even double parked, all in an attempt to see the action.

When the gazelles approached the water and the crocodiles practically licked their lips, we collectively tried to will the little antelope back from their gruesome fate.

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People in the vehicles were saying things like “Don’t go in the water, it isn’t safe!”  If only they would have listened.
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I saw five gazelle attempt to cross the river, and only two made it out.   

And when at 3:15 the wildebeest started crashing through the water, those that were left were all uttering the same things “amazing”, “mind-blowing”, “unbelievable”.

The atmosphere surrounding that stretch of river on that day in late September, really made the experience that much more special.

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A surge of wildebeest crossing the Mara River in the Masai Mara, Kenya.  There were plenty more vehicles on the opposite bank!

 

WPC: Ambience

Please visit:
www.jennifersawickyphotography.com for wildlife, landscape and nature inspired artwork.

and

https://shopvida.com/collections/voices/jennifer-sawicky for textiles inspired by my photography.

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