Blog Archives
Bison Couple
Friends, these bison are a male and female during the August breeding season. He is roaring his disapproval of another bull who is daring to venture near his girl. She could care less, and looks totally bored with all the hoopla, a typical male has been rolling in the mud and her hair is nice and tidy, til Tomorrow MJ
Weekly Photo Challenge:Extra Extra
Friends, this Bison calf has stirred up a cowbird in the green green grasses of Theodore Roosevelt National Park in western North Dakota. The badlands have received lots of rain this year and the park is very green. Good for Bison, birds and other wildlife that live here til Tomorrow MJ
Bison
Friends, Custer State Park in South Dakota is a mecca for bison lovers, and my husband is at home among the big ones. This post is for him, enjoy JIm. The first is an image of mother and child, the child is nuzzling his mother and we human interpret that as affection, but really i think he was trying to brush off the flies, or trying to get her to rise to her feet, so he could have some milk.
This bison calf is not very old, they are born bright orange with a hump in their back.
This calf may someday be as big as this full-grown bull.
Baby Bison
Friends, this is not a cow, but a baby bison. They are born orange in color and really stand out in the spring green. This one is only a few days old and when we appeared he ran to hide alongside his momma. These were the first bison calves that we saw this year. The mams tend to hide their babies in the thick brush until it is time to venture across prairie dog town to the river. Have to go find some more bison, til Tomorrow MJ
Talking back
Friends, this big boy is complaining about something, maybe the cloudy day, maybe the presence of the photographer, maybe the wind blowing. Whatever his complaint, he is perched high on a flat hilltop right in the middle of a prairie dog town with lots of dirt to roll in. You can see his winter coat that is sloughing off in large patches. til Tomorrow MJ
Battles-Bison and Muleys
Friends, these youngsters are rehearsing for more serious battles over breeding rights when they reach the age of consent. The bison were shot in late winter or early spring and near sundown for the perfect golden light. The young mule deer are also tussling but not very seriously, with their newly polished antlers in the fall of the year. Enjoy til Tomorrow MJ
Stampede-Raising the dust
Friends, a herd of bison can be peacefully grazing or taking dust baths in prairie dog town, when suddenly something sets them off and they are off, stampeding across the prairie raising the dust. You can see from the horns that these are young animals, while the older ones seem to follow along, somewhat unwillingly. Shooting into the sun, emphasizes the dust, but also hides the details in the bison. A photography trade-off that needs to be solved with photoshop. til Tomorrow MJ
Weekly Photo Challenge: Two Subjects
Friends,Two American Bison heading up the side hill to greener grasses. While this may look like a couple, they are actually two males, the one in the front being a younger version of the one in the back. An early snowstorm in September had painted the sage and brush with white and as the snow melted, the clay on these slopes became very slippery. The whole herd was progressing very slowly with an occasional stall when an animal had difficulty moving to the higher ground. The Bison have been reintroduced to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park and thrive within the fenced region. Cattle of the badlands they compete with wild horses, elk, deer, antelope and other grazers for the lush grasses. Even the prairie dogs eat the grasses. til Tomorrow MJ
Weekly Photo Challenge:Journey
Friends, this was a journey across the river near sunset and into evening. She was bawling for her calf who meandered across the Little Missouri a few feet ahead of her, She is a mature Bison cow and her splashing in the river got my attention. I was photographing the sunset in the opposite direction and heard her behind me, I did not test her patience and made my way back to the vehicle. When it comes to the Bison, I always give them the right of way, living to photograph another day. til Tomorrow MJ
Weekly Photo Challenge:Ready
Friends, this young bison bull is ready for the winter winds to blow across the prairie and encase the land in ice and snow. Even though the wet snow of this first winter storm has melted all over him, he is still ready to take on all adversaries, even the larger bulls. His horns have not yet been torn up in battle and with his black head he looks rather menacing. I did not test his courage and after taking his picture, retreated to my vehicle. til Tomorrow MJ
MJ Springett 