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| *Arizona Far Country* |
... and what's over there is more... Far Country. ;) and a flower or two... but nary a critter.
Closer to camp... down in along that creek bottom is where we've been finding the critters to be hiding.
From Crawdads and minnows, to ducks, rabbits and turtles! one feathered fella I took to be a kingfisher...
The trouble has been, my picture trigger finger has been slow along with the fact that the critters have been mostly unwilling to pose.
Then... there's been this guy... or is this the girl and the other one is the guy?
Anyhoo... they live in the cottonwoods mostly, just behind camp...
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| *Arizona Owl* |
... and for the most part... they've been unwilling to sit for a picture too... or fly in a manner that allows a slow fingered drifter to click the button at the right time... and get a good clear portrait.
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| *Owl Along Ash Creek on Prescott National Forest* |
So, ya'll are gonna have to be satisfied with mediocre pics of the Arizona owls... Got these as he dropped out of the tree, swooped silently past... and dipped under a leaning log downstream...
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| *Who Who Who is watchin' who? :) * |
I gotta tell you... those pictures you see of soaring, flaring owls and hawks? The photogs that got 'em worked for their money I promise!
So... walking along below a high bank... I came along the sign of another local...
Now some will tell you that's just a coyote track... I say... Nope... A canine, coyote or dog, is oval or elongated... see how round that track is? and see how deep it's sunk in the mud? For it to be that deep and show NO claw marks... well... the chance that a canine, dog or 'yote, left that is pretty thin... then... look at the back end of the heel pad... this print isn't real clear there but you can see the sign of a Triple lobe pad... where a dog/coyote is double lobed there... and see how the point of that heel pad on this track, just behind the toes is flatter across the point? a canine is more pointed, or rounded there...
Then... if you put a big X on the track with the center of the X right on the forward point of that heel pad... with the lines running along the angle of the pad on each side, the lines would run out between the two outside toes on each side IF it was canine... In this track that line Hits the toes...
And then... there's the size of the critter that left these tracks...
Which means...
Either this was a Freak Hybrid 180 lb Coyote with the foot of a Cat... or these tracks were left by about a 120 lb or so Cougar... just a few hundred yards down crick... Awesome! :)
This here was about the only fella willing to sit for his portrait... The turtle ducked into the water... the rabbits ran... the squirrels scampered and the... deer... apparently got digested by that big cat... cuz we ain't seen a one!
So... when you're out strolling along the creeks and rivers in Arizona...
Take your time... take a camera... and see what you can capture... Just have a care for the critters that can eat ya! and get home before dark. ;)
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| *Prescott National Forest Sunset* |
Just Living Free
Brian
5 comments:
Hey Brian, that is definitely not a cougar track. Got to be dog or wolf I think. If you Google cougar tracks,you will see that the toes are nearly straight across the top. They look pretty big alongside your foot.
Wow... nice owl shots, CowBoy!!!!!!!
We're still boondocked in Red Rock country.... pushing beyond the 14 day limit :)) Watch your back if that's a Mountain Lion... they are sneaky.
Mark and Bobbie
Hi, I was curious about those tracks you photographed, and the comment that it was NOT a cougar. So of course I did the Google thing.
Here is a link to some info and pictures of dog versus cat (cougar, bobcat etc) that compare them.
http://www.bear-tracker.com/caninevsfeline.html
The way I see it. Those big cat prints just put you a little lower on the food chain! Be careful Brian! :)
Hi Brian,
Beside your writing, I see a second career as a photographer.
Great pictures!
Thanks for posting.
Bill
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