WHERE NOT TO PLACE YOUR BIRD FEEDER

A few days ago, I was suffering a little spring fever even though spring hasn't quite made it up to my elevation. Last year I placed a bird feeder on a beam on my deck because it was handy to get to to refill and still high enough that only birds could get to it. The problem with that, the birds whitewashed my deck. Something I didn't much care for.

I figured this year I should find new a place where I could still get to the feeder easily and the birds could feed and poop to their hearts delight. I came up with the idea of hanging it on the woodshed. Once hung it didn't seem as though the birds were not catching on to my new location very fast. I could detect no reduction in birdseed volume.

Yesterday I was over at the woodshed and to my immediate amazement there wasn't any birdseed in the feeder at all! I suspected at once I had been robbed. It was too early for the bears to be out snooping around so who was the culprit? I thought I had a pretty good idea who it was. Sure enough a little while later the bandit returned. And, I was able to catch her in the act.

Notice how she is using the same log round I used to stand on to pound the nail. Shoulda moved that for sure!

Moral of the story: Deer delight in low hanging fruit.

©Kinsey Barnard

Mule Deer in Winter

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This past week Koty made it on to the out an injured list. My poor boy just cannot get it through his head that he is not a puppy anymore. He gets so excited and rambunctious that he throws his back out of whack. As my vet says "Siberians are NOT the most stoic of dogs." That's an understatement. When moves the wrong way he screams like someone is sticking him with a red hot poker. As with me, when this happens there's not much you can do but take aspirin and tough it out.

Koty Out and Injured

So, there wasn't much hiking or traveling around searching for photo opportunities. We pretty much hung around the ranch and I entertained myself by photographing the mule deer.

Mule Deer Traversing the Meadow

One of the interesting things about winter photography can be that you get nearly black and white photos without shooting in black and white. And you get just a hint of natural color from the landscape. Of course, you can always make this happen n Photoshop but I prefer to shoot nature naturally.

Mule Deer Doe

The other thing you will notice is how well they blend in to their surroundings. In winter deer predators are abundant in this environment. Mule deer must be particularly alert to wolf packs and mountain lions. The mountain lions on this mountain are enormous. So are the wolves.

Mule Deer Foraging for Grass

The gal below was so pretty resting in the snow with the last little bit of sunlight reflecting just off her big mule deer ears.

Catching the Last of Winter Rays

I really love mule deer. They are elegant and charming creatures. Much less skittish than the whitetail deer. Before the winter is over they will let me draw very close without a care in the world.

Mule Deer Portrait

That's it from Dancing Deer Ranch.

The End


GREAT GIFT IDEA!!!! MOTHER AND CHILD


©Kinsey Barnard Photography

MY PHOTO PICK OF THE WEEK

Naturally, I'd be delighted if you were to purchase but looking is free and you should see this photo if you are interested in the old west. It's truly lovely and will transport you to another time, if only for a moment.

Busy Beaver

We are settling in to winter a little early this year. Th mule deer are returning in numbers. I was wondering if they would still come and spend the winter with me since I have been gone the past two winters. I am so glad to welcome them home.

Mule Deer

We drove up to Fernie to see what the snow situation looked like. They've got quite a bit already. I didn't take any photos as I didn't see anything that inspired me.

Later in the week we took a hike along the Tobacco River. I noticed a very large cottonwood down in the trail and assumed it had fallen in a wind. But, much to my surprise it had been chewed down.

Beaver Victim

Honestly, I didn't think we had beavers around this area but clearly we do or did. I'm sure someone has killed it/them, don't want those pesky creatures making a mess. You really have to admire beavers. They are like the little train that could. They will tackle trees bigger than I will with a chainsaw!

Amazing Tenacity

The view of the Galton Range from along the river was beautiful. Still a little fall color and quite a bit of snow for this early.

Galton Range

It was a lovely fall afternoon for a walk and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I took this photo of some natural foliage just because I thought it was quite artful. If I could paint I would paint something just like this. I think it's just a bunch of dead thistle.

Natural Flora

Mostly we just hung out at the ranch. I "patrol" the property regularly during hunting season as, despite the fact I am surrounded by a million acres of national forest, people still feel they must mess with my forty. It's also pretty dangerous to hike at this time of year as people will shoot at anything that moves so we stay on the ranch pretty much. Not a bad place to hang out I have to say. We can easily spend a couple of hours just wandering and visiting special spots like Walden Pond

Walden Reflection

But, truthfully I don't have to even leave the house to be swept away by beauty. The view from my front window is a source of never ending joy. I photograph it often and it always shows something new and alluring. It never ceases to amaze me how every moment in time has its very own signature. It's what makes photography so intriguing for me.

The View

©Kinsey Barnard