Bald Eagle

I was driving when I noticed a juvenile Bald Eagle, perched on top of a dead douglas fir. I quickly decided I would turn around at the next opportune location and see if I could get in a position to get the picture of the eagle without scaring it away. I thought I had a good chance, large birds tend to perch for a long period of time, this one was perched near a pull-off, where people were moving around, the bird was not too shy. But my main reason trying to get this picture, the tree base was located below the road, giving me an opportunity to get the picture having the camera at the eye level of the Bald Eagle. Not always easy with wildlife. Took me about ten minutes to get back to the pull-off and another fifteen minutes to get close enough to get the picture and to leave the bird enjoying the view.

Until next moment,

Amar

Red Squirrel

The larger fauna tend to get most of the attention compared to the small. If they are small and common, even less. The red squirrels fall in the later camp, they are found across Canada, often the only mammal spotted or heard during hikes. Occasionally they come across fame when they or their cousins photobomb visitors photos. But for most part they go about their business when not concerned about being on the dinner plate of many predators who find them tasty. They are found year around, except when they are staying warm underground during cold days. Since I see them so often, I always wait to get their pictures when they stand out. That was they case few weeks back, while walking through the forest.

Until next moment,

Amar

Red Fox

I was making my way down the trail, when  looked ahead in an open area. There, was a fox hunting for food, I stopped and got my camera out, while the fox stopped to look at me. Pausing for only few seconds before it continued hunting. I did not move any closer, kept taking pictures until it was out of sight. Then it was time for me to exit the area.

Until next moment,

Amar

Cascade Mountain

When your home is in a beautiful national park, you don't have far to see the beauty.  It had been snowing on the mountains and raining in the valley. I woke up to overcast weather and low clouds moving through the valley, soon with the rising sun things started to clear. I left home early, to make my way to work and having enough time in hand in case I needed to stop to take pictures. The sunlight was now lighting up the fall colours in the Central Park. Having my gear in the back-pack, within few minutes only few hundred meters from home,  I got  busy taking pictures. Home sweet home.

Until next moment,

Amar

Mount Chephren

Parts of Banff National Park are already looking like winter has arrived then other places. Here are part of Waputik Mountains under the snow.

Until next moment,

Amar

Sunset

 It's never just about the picture, I get out to enjoy nature and occasionally I come back with an interesting image. When I was out last month, I just wanted to get out and explore the trails, after the hike I was driving  by a small lake next to the road, noticed the water was calm and about half an hour away from a possible bright  sunset. So I found a place away from the road, sat down on a rock and took in the surroundings. I could hear few birds on the opposite side of the lake and near me  insects were busy on ground and on the water. Time quickly passed, when I noticed a little bit of red in the clouds. Few  minutes later the clouds were on fire. For about ten minutes I got to watch a beautiful sunset and take pictures along the way. A good ending to the day. 

Until next moment, 

Amar

Mount Rundle

For over a day rain and snow was falling from the sky and the mountains were hiding in the clouds. Then one evening the clouds started to move out before the sun left for the day. It was not until next morning Mount Rundle was fully visible, but enough was exposed that evening to see it covered with new snow.

Until next moment,

Amar

Mount Patterson

It was another great day in the mountains, taking pictures in the morning, followed by exploring . A good way to spend time.

Until next moment,

Amar

Grizzly

 It was a good year to spot bears, the abundance of buffaloberries brought them to bottom of the valleys. Afterward they spread out, searching for food elsewhere. But now October is here, cold weather is pushing through,  soon the bears will be looking for a place to sleep for the winter. First it will be the young bears, females and females with cubs and then followed by the larger bears.  Bears do not go into true hibernation, for example like the marmots, for the bears the body temperature only drops few degrees, as does their heart rate. They still use  fair amount of calories per day, coming from the  fat they put on during all that eating. Some will wake up during a warm day in winter, but they will not be very active, they will soon curl up again and go back to sleep until spring arrives. 

Until next moment, 

Amar

Larch Trees

Through my camera and lens, I was zooming in and out looking for the right combination of spruce and larch trees to get the picture I wanted to take. I could feel the wind was starting to pick up and darker clouds were moving in. Before the weather made things difficult to get the pictures, I was done. This image was my keeper.

Until next moment,

Amar

American Marten

I came across this very cute american marten who was searching through pile of fallen leaves. With its colouring and particularly the orange on its chest helped the marten blend in with its surroundings.

Until next moment,

Amar

The Monarch

The goal was to get closer to the mountain The Monarch and take picture of it before hiking up to the ramparts and heading back. But after I left this small lake, it got darker and wind picked up, rain was on its way. It was time to head back the same way I arrived there. I was happy I stopped at this unnamed lake to get few pictures of the mountain and the larches.

Until next moment,

Amar

Elk

It coming toward the end of the rut season, the dominant males are getting tired, you can hear it in their bugling compared to start of the rut season. It will not be long before the large bulls will behanging out with the bachelors once again. It will be interesting to see what this bull will do, before the rut season I seen him few times and each time he was on his own.

Until next moment,

Amar

Floe Lake

There are lot of great places in the Rocky Mountains to see the beautiful larch trees in their golden fall colours. This year I visited the beautiful Floe Lake in Kootenay National Park. A few hour hike to the lake, on one side the towering limestone cliffs and on the other surrounded by the larch forest and at this time in their fall colours. Many hikes offer a reward at the end of the trip, in this case any of the elements that make up the landscape would be a great reward. Put the items together, there is no second.

Until next moment,

Amar 

Sunshine Meadows

It was jut last week in the morning when it looked bit like winter, much of what was front me was covered by snow. But the fall colours still popped through, in this case in the form of the golden larch needles. The snow started to melt soon after I took this picture, as the clouds moved out of the way and the sun pushed through. Winter is still far off.

Until nest moment,

Amar

Cave and Basin NHS

A beautiful morning at the Cave and Basin NHS, a national history site for being the birthplace for Canada's national park system. I was out early hoping to get pictures of the sunrise, at first it looked as if the sun was not going to push through the clouds. All that quickly changed and along with some rain came a rainbow. 

Until next moment,

Amar

Osprey

This picture was taken few weeks back when the ospreys were still in the park. The adults have gone south, first the males, followed by the females and then soon after the juveniles make their way.  The young head south on their own, somewhere in their beautiful brain is all the information they need to reach their destination. The Osprey mate for life, but they do not travel together or head to the same place during fall migration, the next time they will get together is during spring when they are back in the mountains at their nest. The young will stay south for couple of winters and on their return will look for a mate to start their own family. 

Until next moment,

Amar

Mount Rundle

It often happens with sunrises, just when it looks as if nothing is going to take place, the sky lights up. That was the case few weeks ago, the morning sky caught on fire lasting several minutes. It's why you have to get out there to take advantage of unexpected.

Until next moment,

Amar

Black Bear

Banff National Park has same amount of black bears as grizzlies, but the later get most of the attention. One of the main reason is the black bears are well represented across the country, so they are often seen, but not so with the grizzlies. There are less of them and now only found in western Canada. But both play an important role in the wild, as do this adult black bear.

Until next moment,

Amar

Elk

The large bull is moving his harem from out of the forest to the open. Where he can see what is happening, if any other male is moving toward his females. Only rest he gets is during middle of the day, once he starts bugling, he will not stop until mid-morning. 

Until next moment,

Amar