Grizzly

One of the animals sleep researchers are looking at to get a better understanding why they don’t have to deal with the negative effects from long terms of inactivity, is the bear. How are they able to sleep for months with no negative effect on their muscles and bone mass? A possible answer could be shivering in the den, which might help maintain muscle tone and a way to avoid bedsores as well. We humans deal with rapid bone loss due to inactivity. For example, when recovering from an injury, when a tiny few of us spend time in space or when some of us just sit around and eat chocolates. Researchers have found bone degeneration does occur while the bears are in deep sleep, but they do not deal with bone loss. Likely because they recycle calcium and phosphorus right back into rebuilding bone. 

On March 23, 2023. This big guy was the first bear spotted in Banff NP this year. Probably got up to make sure he did not miss the Northern Lights that night. He slept for about three and half months. I got to see him when there was plenty of snow in the valley, well rested and ready to battle it out for another season.

Short tailed Weasel

The short-tailed weasel, also known as ermine when it’s in its white winter coat. Is a member of the Mustelidae family. This weasel family includes some pretty tough members. Such as wolverines, honey badgers, and otters to name a few. Although the short-tailed weasel may be on the lower end of the weight scale in the Mustelidae family. But pound per pound, or should I say ounce per ounce, it’s a pretty tough character. Coming in at 11 ounces or .03 kg and up to 41 cm in length. The short-tailed weasel preys on mammals and birds. It’s great at hunting voles, but it can also kill larger prey such as rabbits. During the summer, the weasel is dark brown and white, but it molts to all white during winter, except for the black tail tip.

Even though it's longer and heavier than a vole, because it's about the same diameter as the vole it preys on, the weasel can easily chase the voles in the snow tunnels formed by its prey. Short-tailed weasels are relentless predators. On one occasion, one was spotted giving a ground squirrel a chase. It ended up chasing the squirrel into the burrow of its prey, and after a few screams from the squirrel, all was quiet for several seconds. We waited as we looked toward the entrance to the squirrel's burrow. Out came the weasel with the heavier squirrel in its mouth.

Moose

A female moose will have its first calf when she is 3 years of age. Cows generally give birth every year, twin calves being born once every three years. Otherwise, a single calf is born. Giving birth to equal numbers of bull and cow calves. So, the average cow keeps giving birth until they are 14 to 18 years old. To do a bit of math. Over 14 years from one cow and her offspring, if everything is equal. Two hundred and twelve calves can be born in over 14 years. But factors such as predators, diseases, weather, hunting and road and railway accidents, end up playing a big role in the moose population.

This calf who first spotted me, was a bit nervous. As soon as I saw it was looking toward me and as well, its ears pointed toward me. I realized if I wanted to see more of the calf, I better stay put or move back. It soon relaxed and started eating the willow shrubs. As it ate and moved, the calf ended up disappearing into the shrubs. But, at no time did I see its mother. This calf was born last spring. Calves stay with their mother for at least a year and a half. Female calves can stay even longer. If this eight-month old calf was separated from its mother, perhaps predators playing a role, the chance of it reaching adulthood just got less. A healthy cow plays an important role in helping its calf survive and contribute to the ecosystem as an adult.

Red Fox

The red fox is the largest member of the true foxes. Members of the genus vulpes of the sub-family caninae, are referred to as true foxes. True foxes are separated from other members of the genus Canis, such as dogs, wolves, jackals, and coyotes, by their smaller size, longer tail and flatter skull. The red fox’s typical lifespan is 2 to 4 years, but can live up to 10 years. It is found across the Northern Hemisphere, North America, Europe and Asia. Including parts of North Africa. Its range has expanded with human expansion, as well been introduced to Australia. Where it is harmful to native mammals and birds, helping it to be in the “world’s 100 worst invasive species”. Climate change has also helped expand its range, helping it move north in Canada into Arctic Fox territory. Becoming one of its predators.

In Banff National Park, Red Fox is native to the area. In the last number of years, are becoming spotted more often in the Bow Valley. Unfortunately, also in a few locations that are frequented by park visitors, possibly being fed.  Red Foxes are perfectly fine finding their own food, the Bow Valley has everything they need to survive. Most of the time, I tend to see red foxes in the colours we normally associate them with, and on occasion the variant of the red fox, called the cross fox. Which has a long dark stripe running down its back and another intersecting stripe to form a cross over the shoulder. This one was out hunting on the edge of the woods one morning, when I came across it.

Coyote

Coyotes are one of the success stories, and that’s without our help in urban centers. With little to no wolves, less snow and more and more green spaces, urban centers are a perfect habitat for the coyote population to flourish. In the wild, coyotes have to watch their backs if wolves are in the area. Wolves will not hesitate to kill a coyote. Wolves are not fond of any competition from other members of the canine family. During the winter, coyotes can benefit from scavenging on wolf-killed carcasses. But they have to be careful the pack is not around. Otherwise, the coyote will have a painful ending.

In Banff, the coyote is the predator I tend to see most often, in and out of town. No matter the season. One early morning as I was heading for work. When along the path I was walking on, I came across various body parts on the grass back of a building. Coyotes during the night had brought down a mule deer. They don’t seem to have the same fear of us and where we reside as other predators. But they do have a limit, they had fled before I or someone before me had reached the area in the dark.

The one in the picture popped out in front of me on a trail I was walking on. It saw me and realised it had to move off the trail. With me behind and other walkers making their way from the other side, there was no other option. It quickly made the decision, crossed the frozen creek beside the trail and watched me for a few seconds before heading into the woodland.

Grizzly

I would say I'm part of the one percent when it comes to experiencing nature in the Canadian Rockies, even if it is mostly in Banff and occasionally venturing into Kootenay, Yoho, and Jasper national parks. When I think about all the flora and fauna, sunrises and sunsets, and other things I've seen first hand over the years, I wouldn't trade my spot with anyone. And I have many years to go. There's a reason why getting my sleep, eating right, and being active are my top three priorities to stay healthy for everything in life. Getting out with my camera for many more years is high on the list.

A couple of years ago, in the middle of the winter, I filled up the car's tank with gas before enjoying the drive back to the mountains from Calgary. A gas attendant asked after finding out I lived in Banff NP. "What do you do in Banff? "Don't you get bored?" I replied, "I enjoy nature, and there is no time to get bored."

November was when I got this picture of M122. He had gone into the woods. I waited in my car, as I knew he was going to be out in the open soon. My heart began to race as I became excited, anticipating seeing him in the open. I was not scared, I knew I was safe in the car. It's nature, it still has this powerful effect on me. A sight of wood lilies on the edge of a forest, a Yellow Warbler calling from a willow shrub, a beautiful morning sunrise, Northern Lights over Mount Rundle, perfect grizzly tracks on wind-blown snow, or the grizzly who made those tracks a week later.

Life is short. Spend as much time as you can doing things that get your heart beating faster. Don't wait until you have more time. Make time. The only difference will be for me when I have more time. My pictures will get better.

Red Fox

For red foxes, having great hearing is important. It’s the main way they are able to detect various prey, like rodents. During the winter, when the prey is under the snowpack. The fox will stalk their prey with their hearing, following the unsuspected prey before pouncing on them. They are able to hear low-frequency sounds made by rodents underground, such as rustling, squeaking, scratching and chattering. Other animals are not able to hear some of these sounds, but thanks to a chamber in their eardrums of the fox, that echoes the tiniest of sounds. Foxes can hear them from over 100 feet away. Underground or hidden noises from 20 to 25 feet away. It’s the same distance for me when someone is unwrapping a chocolate bar.

Grizzly Tracks

On November 21 2022 around 1330 I came across these grizzly bear tracks on the wind-packed snow. The tracks were fresh, after making sure I was the only one in the area. I started to look at the tracks with all sorts of photo opportunities running through my head. I realized the lens I needed was not in my pack, but the tracks were too good to pass on. Homeward I went, and I was back forty minutes later. The wind was picking up and the tracks would be mostly covered in a few hours. With the camera in hand, I started looking at what worked as a photo. I had about ten meters of track on the frozen river. So many possibilities. I must have spent twenty minutes taking pictures. The tracks were so well defined.

American Marten

The American Marten can be found throughout Canada. A male can have a territory as large as 7.8 square km, while 2.6 for the female. The male will cover its territory in 8-10 days, hunting along the way. Defending it against another male, but they will be more tolerant of females. Being part of the weasel family, martens have the same typical body shape, long and slender as other Mustelidae. Their diet consists of small mammals, but will also eat fruits, nuts, insects, carrion and birds. I just recently came across what was left of a waterfowl that was eating underneath the car’s hood. Even with their small size, they are tough like other members of their family.  They will go after larger mammals, like snowshoe hares and marmots.

If spotted by birds, they will alert others. In the case of the Black-billed Magpies, they will mob it until the marten has left the area. Witness this a few times. It can be entertaining to watch. Before I saw this one, I heard an agitated red squirrel and a Song Sparrow. I was trying to figure out what was going on, when I heard a sound above my head. I looked up and saw this marten perched on a branch like a cougar. When it feels threatened, as it did when I arrived on the scene, it will climb up a tree for its safety. Once it feels safe, it will either come down and run away or go back to what it was doing.

Hoary Marmot

Epigenetic changes are a chemical modification that occurs in DNA and can be used to measure aging by studying the blood samples of an animal. UCLA researchers while studying yellow-bellied marmots. They discovered that the biological aging of these marmots’ stalls during their hibernation stage and continues during the active season. During hibernation, the marmot only uses one gram of fat each day and with a lowered temperature, it feels like a cold rock. Well, a cold furry rock. This adapted way of surviving the cold months helps the yellow-bellied marmot live up to 15 years. Longer than expected for an animal of its body weight. 

For us two-legged mammals, many of our species look at spending just one third of our time sleeping as a waste. But many researchers are studying the biological advantages of humans adopting hibernation for long-term space missions or for saving organs for transplantation. 

For the young hoary marmot in the attached picture, it was not thinking about a healthy lifestyle. It was time to take a break from eating when it was spotted early one morning. It was less than two months old and the size of three pikas, showing the camera how cute it was.

Black Bear

Cubs are born in January and when we see them in the mountains, they are already four to five months old. They weigh less than a pound, have a very light covering of fur and crawl very slowly. The mother will eat their birth membranes, lick the cubs and warm them by placing them next to her less furred belly. She will move and adjust to her cubs’ comfort sounds and cries, always making sure not to place too much weight on the cubs. The nursing mother loses about a third of her body weight with full-time babysitting and nursing, compared to non-nursing bears, who lose 15 to 25%.

 The cubs, when getting out of their dens, can’t out-run predators, but can climb trees for safety. The cubs depend on their mother for food, as their chewing teeth don’t come out until later in spring. Until it’s time to nurse, the cubs will be busy hanging out, exploring near their mom or, like this cub, practising its climbing technique. Since the cubs are not able to eat at first, being up in a tree is a safe place to be. When the mother is ready to move or time to nurse, she will call them down. The mother may also climb up a tree when there is danger or just to be in a safe spot with their cubs.

 Around this time of year, if you see an adult female black bear, maintain a safe distance and scan nearby trees for little shadows.

Egg For Breakfast

The journey of a bird egg starts with a tiny ova, which grows into an egg yolk. When ready, the yolk is released along the oviduct. The egg white is first to be added at the start of the oviduct, which consists mainly of protein, water, and minerals. As the egg carries on along the oviduct, it grows two connecting strands, one at the top and one at the bottom. Which helps anchor the yolk to the shell and keeps it in the center of the egg. After this, the egg continues down into the uterus, where the shell is added. Which is made from calcium carbonate. In order for air and moisture to pass through the pores, it’s made up of a semipermeable membrane.

 Two pigments, one greenish in colour and the other is reddish-brown.  When used in different combinations with the white calcium carbonate of the shell, they can provide egg colours from greenish-white to rich brown and deep blue. And speaking of deep blue. A study was conducted to see how a male robin would react if its mate laid eggs that were a brighter shade of blue. The idea was to test if brighter egg colour was a signal of the quality and health of their mate, and in turn, the healthy mate would create healthier babies. In conclusion, the males whose nest contained the brightest blue eggs, fed their young twice as much. Thus resulting in healthier young.

 Biliverdin is the pigment that is responsible for the American Robin egg colour. It is possible that higher biliverdin levels in female robins indicate a healthier female capable of producing healthier young.

Now the next experiment should be, is eating brighter blue eggs healthier for you?

River Otter

Apex predators have a major impact on an ecosystem, both from the point of view of controlling prey density and restricting smaller predators. They are crucial to the functioning of ecosystems, controlling disease and maintaining biodiversity. On land, in the air and in water. Some of the apex predators in the Canadian Rockies are bears, wolves, Bald Eagles, and more recently, in the rivers we’re seeing or coming across signs of river otter presence in the Bow Valley. The North American river otter is an apex predator. The otter population was nearly wiped out in southern Alberta. If their population keeps increasing, it will be a great success story for nature. Since their diet includes fish, frogs, birds, bird’s eggs, small mammals such as muskrats and young beavers and more. These species will be less happy with the river otter’s return. In the last few years those of us who spend lots of time outdoors have been experiencing a rare sighting of the otters. Hopefully, in the near future, it will be less rare.

Elk

Elk, like other members of the deer family, and bison, cattle, horses and many more have hooves. Which are like toenails and do not freeze. Hooves do not need a lot of blood supply, but the legs do. So they have a similar physiological adaptation as the birds, called a countercurrent exchange. Where the cold blood returns to the body right next to warm arterial blood moving down from the heart. Going back to the hooves, they act as an insulating layer between the legs and the frozen ground, snow or ice. 

As well, to survive the winter, they have a thicker insulating coat. Made of two layers, a dense coat under long guard hairs. The guard hair looks like honeycomb, thousands of tiny air pockets fill each hair, helping them to be waterproof and warm. Every winter I have seen this heavy winter coat at work, being thick enough, the fallen snow on the elk will not melt. On very cold winter days, the thick coat reduces the amount of heat lost, by lying down. Less heat lost through their belly, chest and legs this way. 

Elk will use stored fat to get through the winter, only around 30 percent of the winter energy requirement is met this way.  Remaining energy comes from additional adaptations. Elk reduce their metabolism by one-third. They will also go into a dense stand of trees where possible, the trees hold warmer air near the ground and as well catch snow before falling on them and the ground they are on. As well, help reduce the wind speed. Some elk in the mountains will migrate to an area where terrain difference can help them reduce the amount of energy they need each day of winter.

For many animals, winter is a time of survival until spring brings all- you-can-eat buffet.

Bighorn Sheep

I’ll never forget when I first heard the sounds of two rams hitting their horns together. It was the middle of the summer; both males were on the roads, licking minerals. One was pushing the other, when both looked at each other before their heads collided. Even though it was not with the same force that would have taken place during the rut season, it was still very loud. As if two large boulders had collided. Rams can weigh over 300 pounds and their horns can exceed 30 pounds. The force that is used when two male collide during the rut, scientists using the equation Force = mass x acceleration, 800lbs of force. A collision between two rams can be heard over a mile away. With their thick skulls, the rams are well protected from this force and it has been found that the volume of blood pumped to the brain increases before the collision occurs. This helps to create a “bubble wrap effect”. Just for comparison, an NHL player puts 100lbs of force when hitting the puck with a slap shot. And these horns for females and males, are made out of the same material as our nails are made of, keratin. A type of protein. I get my keratin when consuming eggs.

Grizzly

There are a number of qualities or traits that can help make one a good nature photographer.  I think one of them has to be being a positive person, where the glass is always half-full. If I wasn’t an optimistic person, I would be missing out on many opportunities. Every time I step outside with my camera, I think I’m going to get a picture. If I don’t have my camera when I go out, that’s when I feel I’m going to come across a unicorn made of chocolate. I do everything I can to prepare, so when that opportunity comes I’m ready to shoot. Before stepping outside, I check I have everything I need and it’s working. When I’m in the car, the camera is within arm’s reach in case an opportunity comes while driving. When on foot, I should be able to get the camera out and shoot within seconds. My pack only has what I need, everything is always in the same place. I should be able to find what I need with my eyes closed. Often with wildlife you may just get one quick chance at a picture. No time to look for the camera or figure out the setting before taking a picture. Have to be ready.

It also helps if you love being outdoors any time of the year. It’s a lot easier being happy when you’re where you want to be. You’re more likely to be looking around for wildlife signs and listening to the sounds around you. Instead of wandering outdoors and starting at your boots like the members of the many alternative music bands I watched and now listen to.  While being out there, I tend to think about all the past opportunities I have come across for photography. I seem to have very short memories of the days when I came back with no pictures. When I saw this big (M122) over the fall, it was a nice surprise, but I was ready.  I had the camera pointing at it within seconds.

He was coming to the end of his 23rd or 24th season, looking as big as ever. Experience has taught him where to find food and being a big bear, he can easily push off those predators that are far better than him at killing prey. The likes of cougars and wolves, he was following the pack’s day-old track when I came across him. One can’t just turn on a positive state of mind, but once reaching it with effort, life becomes a lot easier and more enjoyable. And when I come across a chocolate unicorn one day, I’ll be ready to take its picture. For now, enjoy the beautiful grizzly bear.

Grizzly

Just a few days before the picture was taken I had heard a large grizzly was around, and I thought it would be nice to see it among the fall colours we had at that time. A couple of days later, I got a heads-up from a friend that a large grizzly was passing through. M122 had decided to move on and was walking on a trail I use a few hundred times each year. We watched him slowly making his way away from town and I waited for him to pass through the area where I might get him in focus. Staying a safe distance from him, I had to focus through the vegetation. I was able to get a couple of images of him in focus, his eye visible and the fall colours around him. He’s 23 or 24 years old, even with the bad berry season we had this year, he still found a way to add weight to get ready for deep sleep this winter. It was the start of October; he was looking healthy as his new winter coat was coming along nicely. Having the experience and being in the same territory for much of his life has its benefits when it comes to finding what you need to survive.

Elk

Rut in zoology means an annually recurring sexual excitement in animals during the mating season. Particularly in the deer family, which include elk. When the males are active. History of the world dates back to the early 15 century, from the Old French word rut (“noise, roar, bellowing”, ruit, from Late Latin rugitus, from rugire (“to roar”). The male in the picture had just gotten ready after rolling in mud and his urine, with his antlers all decorated. Bugling as he made his way to the ladies.

White-tailed Deer

Once again, I was out early and had nature to myself. Listened to the birds around me and heard the breeze as it passed through the trees. I watched the tall grass as it swayed in the wind, as if unseen animals were moving through. Then from my left came a female white-tailed deer, and behind it two fawns. All three were nervous, when they saw me they quickly went back into the woods they had walked out of.

 I had seen the same family a week before, coming from the opposite direction. Before I could snap a picture, they were gone. But this time I had a chance to get pictures, they were going to cross a small field nearby I thought to myself. So I backed up and waited, enjoying nature as I looked in the direction I hoped they were going to come out. A short day's worth of time passed before I saw the doe come out in the open. A few seconds later, one by one the fawns came into view as well. They all saw me, it looked as if they were going to run across the open field. But stopped when they realized I was no danger to them. I stayed put and watched them through the light mist that was passing through and took pictures when the timing was right. They slowly moved across my view, they ate and watched me, repeated several times before they were out of view. Leaving behind memories.

Twins are quite common with the white-tailed deer; matter of fact 15 to 20 percent of the does will give birth to triplets when their habit is of high quality. But with twin and triplet fawns, not all are fathered by the same buck. Research has shown 20 to 25 percent of the fawn have been sired by a different male. These two fawns might be half siblings-twins, but I had left my DNA kit home that morning, so I’m only 20 to 25 percent certain.

Black Bear

The other week I went out birding during the evening. Sprayed on my favorite summer cologne, “Deet 30% by Chanel for men '', placed the bear spray canister on the outside of the pack and off I went. With lack of heat and smoke and a nice breeze moving through the trees, it was good to be out. I saw a small hawk in the woods, perched on a fallen tree. But before I was able to put the camera on it, it flew away. But the Lesser Scaup with three offspring were in no hurry, who I saw soon after. A few hundred meters later as I came around a turn, about 20 meters in front of me was a nice surprise. A young black bear must have heard me or saw me through the shrubs because it was already a couple of feet up a tree for safety. I touched my bear spray, but seeing the bear was more scared of me than I was about it, the spray stayed put. Nonetheless, seeing there was no way to create space between us for me to pass, I did a 180 and left the bear where it was. I connected with another trail, but on my way back from that trail, I heard a sound to the left of me. I looked into the tall grass toward the shrubs below the trail. A bear’s head popped up and looked at me. It was another black bear, but this one was cinnamon in colour and a year older. The trail was wider, so I moved to the other side of the trail and kept walking while looking toward the bear. It stopped looking at me and went back to eating the white dogwood berries. I stopped for a quick look, all I saw were moving shrubs and a couple of ears. Before I got to the car, I got a close look at a perched Great Blue Heron on a fallen tree. I got some images and I left. Another good bird walk. In the mountains, it’s rare I only come across birds during the bird walks. Always have to be ready for anything. This season the buffaloberry crop has not been good at all in the Bow Valley, the bears are travelling a lot to locate the calories they need before they head for the den in a few months.