Tundra Winds Images by Donna's photostream  

Lately I've been photographing elk cows and calves and have been wondering "where the boys are".........Luckily, we found some at the Fall River entrance to Rocky Mtn Natl Park, and in town near the Elkhorn (ha!) Lodge.

Their "job" for the year completed (pro-creation), the bull elk at Rocky Mountain National Park and environs, were lazing in the sun, chewing their cud, and sleeping. It was such a nice, calm late winter day, why not?

Okay, we missed out on a lot of the coyotes seen in Rocky Mtn Natl Park yesterday, and worst of all, were about 90 seconds late for photos of the bobcat along the Fall River at the Alluvial Fan.......but we DID get shots of their main prey ; )

The animal greeting us upon entering Rocky Mtn National Park was a female coyote. Pat Gaines happened to be in the Park as well and saw more coyotes than "Summitridge Arts" & I did.......Pat has such a knack for being in the right place at the right time! (We also missed the bobcat at the Alluvial Fan by about 90 seconds, we were told by other photographers!) Unfortunately for me I had the wrong lens on when we saw this girl......and I had to make a rather "large" crop. I guess I need to be "readier" than I was yesterday! I'm thinking the next trip may be in the evening. Having to leave my house at 4:30 a.m. just rattles my brains this time of year!!

These two cows have a visitor.......magpies often take a ride on elk, providing the benefit of pecking off parasites. It reminds me of Victorian ladies in their feather hats.......