Wildlife Near Me…

Red Fox. Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park.

My wife Stephanie and I had just returned from three months on the road, and I lasted just over a week before the itch to wander  hit me … again. Our trip down the coast and across the desert was wonderful, and I took so many breathtaking photos, but it was not strictly a photography trip. Missing was time on my own, focused totally on what was developing on my camera’s viewfinder, and hours in the cold and dark waiting for that  brightness of early morning to illustrate what the world held for the coming day.

Youse Blend! Barred Owl, Bellingham, Washington.

Some will get this, but many will just roll their eyes and say that I am just always wanting more! Exactly! More wilderness, more birds, bears, and other creatures. More light creeping over the skyline. More camera time. There can never be enough.

Burrowing Owl on the way to Organ Pipe National Monument. AZ.

I also hadn’t seen a bear in over three months, far too long a length of time for me to be happy. Now while there are bears in the Southeast, I didn’t really expect to see any… and I didn’t. So, I headed for my nearly infallible bear fix, Yellowstone National Park. And I did see bears, but my timing seemed off on every siting. They remained just out of range, or in the brush, or, in one instance, they just disappeared.

Baby On the Move! Yellowstone National Park.

Coming across the Norris Canyon road (part of Yellowstone’s Grand Loop), I ran into a massive traffic backup. That big, in Yellowstone, screams bear! And most of the time, I just look and move on. Not willing to add to the mayhem or to get the same photo that a million others have. I don’t begrudge anyone their photos, especially for those that may never have seen a bear in the wild before. Any image of a bear is worthwhile; I am just looking for something more personal and unique. But this backup was huge!

Yellow headed Blackbird. Ridgefield NWR, Washington State.

As I moved along in traffic, a truck pulled out, opening up a splendid parking spot, so I scooted in. Taking a look, I found a mother grizzly and her three cubs playing and tumbling in the middle of the field. They were definitely cute enough to take pictures, so I hopped out, opened the hatch, grabbed my tripod, and took two steps to set up. Nothing! They were gone and the crowds were turning away. But how, within two minutes, did four bears totally disappear from the middle of a field? It is not like they are small creatures, and for mom to herd unruly cubs usually takes forever. I know they are fast, but not light speed fast.

Take Off! Ruby Throated Kinglet! Ridgefield NWR.

My lack of bear karma lasted the entire week. What was worse was getting back and finding, that for others, that was a great week for bears. It seemed everyone else got great bear pictures – including a friend who must have been ten minutes earlier and within a hundred feet of me in that backup. His images of mom and the cubs were excellent.

Coati. Chiricahua National Monument, AZ.

That karma continued with other wildlife as well. Coyotes wrestling along the Lamar River were just out of reach. The photos were disappointedly blurry. No moose, wolves in the foothills just black dots.

Desert Cardinal. Patagonia Lake, AZ.

Then, on my last day in the park, I hiked up a small hill in a field where I had seen fox before. I set up and waited, until out of the woods sauntered a beautiful red fox. He or she came along the edge of the field and then turned straight at me… so I backed away with my tripod and lens, but the fox kept on coming with no deviation right or left. I continued to back away. Then I was talking to the fox, explaining that he/she wasn’t supposed to get that close. I might have mentioned that at that proximity my telephoto was completely useless.

Eye to Eye! Yellowstone National Park.

There are ethics to wildlife photography, and foremost  is respecting boundaries for animals in the wild. But sometimes it takes both sides to understand the parameters, and this fox was, at the least, unperturbed by my presence. The fox seemed to have a twinkle in its eye, and a smile on its face – but then I remembered that was because I was far too close.

Chipmunk. Sheepeater Cliffs, Yellowstone.

For my part, I am always aware of location and presence. I do everything to limit impact on wildlife – including passing up photos because they might potentially have negative impacts. But every encounter, regardless the species, is a symbiotic relationship. And sometimes, in the moment, you have no choice but to let wildlife take the lead and set the boundaries. Those moments are rare, and special. Those moments are what make wildlife photography so wonderful.

Taking A Break! Coyote, Yellowstone.

Was I bummed when I returned ?  Not at all. Being in Yellowstone is always a pleasure, and I got to camp in my truck, spend quality time in the wild (including my cold and dark mornings) and see one of my favorite places again. Besides, it gives me good reason to return to one of  my favorite parks.

Taking Flight! Ridgefield NWR, Washington State.

As to the title of this posting, when I got back to Bellingham I did a search on wildlife near me (after a week of searching “gas near me,” “hotels (or camping) near me,” or a favorite for road trips “barbeque near me.” I was pleasantly surprised to find that many of the places mentioned were properties protected by the local Whatcom Land Trust, including Stimpson Nature Preserve, Lily Point Marine Park, Squires Lake, Point Whitehorn and more. So this post is a reminder that I primarily consider myself a wildlife photographer, and while I love a beautiful landscape, it is the fur, feathers and scales that interest me the most.

ENDNOTES:

Our public lands are in deep trouble. I’ve talked about this for months, but the situation keeps getting worse. Parks and outdoor recreation have always been a bipartisan value, but right now, that seems to have been forgotten. While the sale of public lands was recently avoided (proposed by Mike Lee, R-UT and Chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources), a current $1.2 billion cut to the National Park Service budget (31%) has decimated staffing (24% of its permanent staff), maintenance and visitor services. Meanwhile, in early July, the long-standing Roadless Area Conservation Rule was rescinded, opening up more than fifty-eight million acres of national forest to logging, mineral extraction and other development.  This includes more than two million acres in Washington State (one example – the Pacific Crest Trail intersects with 20 individual roadless areas just in Washington).

As I have mentioned before, these are cuts to America’s legacy of wild places. In a recent survey, 76% of Americans have a favorable opinion about the National Park Service. More than the US Postal Service(72%), NASA (67%) the CDC (55%) and way above the IRS (38%).

What you can do to oppose budget cuts for the outdoors: 

·       Write to Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington DC 20240.  Or call, Interior’s main phone number is (202)-208-3100. Submit electronic comments at https://www.doi.gov/contact-us#no-back

·       Write to Chairman Bruce Westerman, House Committee on Natural Resources, 1324 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515. Main phone number (202) 225-2761. https://naturalresources.house.gov/contact/

·       Write to Chairman Mike Lee, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, 304 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510-5150.  Main phone number is (202) 224-4971. https://www.energy.senate.gov/

And most importantly, copy any comments to your local senators and representatives as it is very unlikely that you will hear back from any of the agencies that are in the process of cutting budgets, staffing and public amenities such as clean, healthy, and managed parks.