Friday, June 13, 2014

Shenandoah National Park June 2014

I would say this is the year of the Black Bear in Shenandoah National ParkWe kept track of the number of bear and these were the numbers for 3 days of riding around and looking.  We counted 5 cubs and 15 adult and yearlings . Most years we are lucky to see even one.
 

 How Challenging photographing  black bears. They never want to look at you....
 And when they do they are in behind the ferns
   or walking away
You can't get your settings right because of low light in the forest
Or you see a big one and it's between  rock and a tree!

 A sow was foraging and three of her cubs were just running wild.Can you find the two in the ferns in this picture?
  This was probably a big male because sows only go between 100 and 175 pounds where males can weigh in at 300
 This was a small cub foraging alone..  He would NOT lift his head.  It was early morning and he was soaking wet from the dew.
 The bear population is estimated between 500 - 700 in the Park

 Sows become sexually mature at age 3 or 4-- mating in mid-summer
 The embryo does not develop until she dens in the fall and she carries the cub (s) for 6 weeks
 A cub weighs about 8 ounces and is hairless with eyes closed when born
Twins are common but four is not uncommon
Even though I was not happy with my photography skills I am happy about how many bears I saw and how easy they were to find.

To God be the Glory  ~~Great Things He hath Done

Shenandoah National Park

When this is posted I will be in Shenandoah again with my brother experiencing the  beauty that you see here.  This was my trip last year with my friend Rose.
 
 The first day was so foggy we hardly could see to drive on Skyline Drive and everyday we were there we would have to wait until about noon for the mist and fog to lift to head out.

I like the way it looks even with the mist rising up


My favorite part of Shenandoah is the wildlife and especially the deer.  Early June all the whitetail have their fawns.

Seeing one or seeing double  ~  it is so exciting and.....

You can get so close to them
Adorable






 Don't forget the spectacular sunrises and sunsets either.  There is plenty of those.





To God be the Glory  ~~  Great Things He hath done

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Some call it a "Fish Hawk"

But it is really an Osprey.  
A large broad winged fish eating bird of prey 



Because of their appetite for fish they will be found near and around rivers, ponds, lakes and any waterway that has fish
I was privileged to capture this Osprey at a local State Park last Spring catching a fish
It was amazing watching as he comes in for the catch
and come up with the prize.    
Then to watch as he devours it on a snag nearby 
  



To God be the Glory  ~~  Great Things He hath Done 

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