Blog Archives
Dancing Cranes
Friends, these greater Sandhill Cranes have just arrived from the south, and are so happy to be up north again.  They are dancing and celebrating the coming of spring weather. Watching them dance inspires me to celebrate as well, so i turn up the country music playing on my radio 🙂 til Tomorrow MJ
Hooded Merganser
Friends, it was a rough day on the water when this little male Hooded Merganser decided to appear in front of my camera. Â He is one of the first ducks to arrive on Crex in the spring and has found some food underwater. Â As he rose from his dive, he was startled by my presence and his white and black crest was raised in alarm. Â In this image the hood is still being raised as he motors away. I had to focus quickly and hope that i was on the right target. Â til Tomorrow MJ
Weekly Photo Challenge: Unfocused
Friends, this image is technically focused, but the subject, a Trumpeter Swan, is definitely unfocused. Â He has his nose tucked in and is napping peacefully in the early spring sunshine. Â He will be startled when he awakes to find a photographer taking his picture from a very close vantage point. Â til Tomorrow MJ
Great Gray Stallion
Friends, another gray stallion from the badlands as he surveys me from a hill top.  He came  from 100 yards away to give me a closer view of his beautiful form.  This is a different gray from the one shown yesterday, as he has a pink nose.   He is still a spirit horse to me and represents what i cannot put into words:  freedom, wildness and that ache within that strives to be outside with my face in the wind.  My connection to past generations who struggled to raise children in a sometimes hostile land.  Who rose every morning to endless chores and strong sunshine to warm their souls and bodies.  They are my heritage and the National Park was their legacy to me and all future generations of those who love the arid hills and the ever-changing river that still carves the North Dakota badlands. So with this post we leave the badlands (temporarily) and return to spring in Northwestern Wisconsin. I promise to return to the badlands soon as i am visiting there in late May.  til Tomorrow MJ
Wild and Free
Friends, this beautiful youngster was loping through the prairie dog town and easily jumped a hole.  It is deep summer and he has shed his foaling coat to become a sleek wild horse in miniature.  He /she is the future.  If you wish to read more  these wild horses and efforts to domesticate and eventually rid the badlands of these beautiful animals see this blog http://wildhorsesoftrnp.blogspot.com/. These fine folk are dedicated to keeping tabs on the wild horses by riding the badlands, keeping a wild horse registry  as well as buying and training horses “culled” from the park. til Tomorrow MJ
Wild Stallion-Blaze
Friends, this wild eyed guy is called Blaze. He is a red roan and has one blue eye. He is a very dominant stallion and puts on a show every spring defending his “girls” and generally raising a fuss. I raised horses for a time in my life and i would have trimmed his mane, but it lends to his wild look. I am looking forward to again seeing the wild horses in the spring, when stallions are fighting and babies are finding their wobbly legs. I am going very soon now and you will get live images instead of from my archive. til Tomorrow MJ
The Black Stallion-Mystery
Friends, this fine animal is named, Mystery, one of the wild horses that run free within the confines of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park in western North Dakota. Â I especially like seeing these animals cause some may be descendants of domestic horses raised by my grandfather in the early 20th century. Â He ranched along the Little Missouri River and raised horses for the army. Â Some of the remount stallions leased by the army were part-Morgan and i think this horse looks like Morgan type. Â Others with more knowledge will disagree, but it warms my heart to see this stallion, running free as in the bottom image. So today, the black stallion of the badlands. til Tomorrow MJ
Weekly Photo Challenge: Together
Friends, wild horses are very together in a natural setting of the North Dakota badlands. Â Often i have seen them with their heads together and we humans interpret that as affection, and maybe it is horse affection. Â Or maybe they are chasing flies away from each face region. Â Whatever it really is, i like to think of them as affectionate,gentle creatures that at the same time are wild and free. This post starts a series of posts on the wild horses of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP) til Tomorrow MJ
Wild rabbits-anytime of year
Friends, Rabbits are everywhere in the badlands and I am always amazed by the many colors in their fur. I am not an expert at identifying rabbit species, but these are probably cottontails of which there are three types in the badlands region.  Whatever their names, they are very secretive and will usually freeze when danger is near, and allow the photographer to snap their portrait.  🙂 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. Â The bison were shot in late winter or early spring and near sundown for the perfect golden light. Â The young mule deer are also tussling but not very seriously, with their newly polished antlers in the fall of the year. Â Enjoy til Tomorrow MJ
MJ Springett 