Winter Wildlife: Camera Critters

Outstanding wildlife photography opportunities have been rare lately, with the bitter cold winter weather making it difficult to stay outdoors for any length of time and the animals being mostly in a survival mode and often not doing anything especially interesting.

I was able to capture this doe grooming one of her fawns from a previous year. Deer are highly social animals. While they may disperse somewhat during summer and autumn, it is common for extended family groups to band together during late autumn, winter, and early spring, with a certain degree of dispersal occurring again in late spring as the new fawns are born. This doe lost her fawn from 2009 during the past hunting season, but she still has a doe and a buck traveling with her which were born in 2008 and are now over 1.5 years old.

All photos were taken with Canon 7D and 500mmF4 L lens.

Deer Grooming In Warm Rays Of Late Afternoon Sun

Sometimes an unusual visitor shows up at the natural bird feeder. Raccoons are mostly nocturnal animals, but this one arrived shortly before sundown to feed on the bird seed.

The Masked Bandit

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More Mature Bulls Now Than Ever Before?

"Crazy Legs 1997": A Monster Bull*

Today's photos are video still captures from Hi-8 video tapes, which cannot compare to output from a dedicated still camera or even a modern camcorder.

In a recent internet debate with SupportPAElk, Jack Manack Jr. of Elk County Outfitters made the following comment in reference to our contention that too many of the large bulls have been killed in the elk seasons.

"You guys question my comments about there being more mature bulls now then ever before and the fact that there are less to see around the no hunt zone. The answer to both of these questions is the same. This is how much good the elk hunt is doing for the health of the herd. What it took people 70 years to do to the elk, the hunt is reversing in just a few".

Jack Manack Jr. 2009

In light of this statement a brief look at the historical record is in order.

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Camera Critters: Red-bellied Woodpecker, White-throated Sparrow

Today we feature more birds from the natural bird feeders. There is a very limited variety of species that utilize them, but those that do are there in plenty.

All of the photos were taken with the Canon 7D and the 500mmF4 L.

Red-bellied Woodpecker-Early Morning ISO 640

The next two photos were taken as the rays of the late evening sun bathed the feeding area in a warm glow. Taken at ISO 200.

White-throated Sparrow


White-throated Sparrow-a different view

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Winter Cardinals With The Canon 7D

At times it seems there is a dearth of photographic subjects at this time of year, but then one has an evening when the light is beautiful and bird activity is excellent at the natural bird feeder. The biggest downside to this feeding area is that one does not see a wide variety of species.

Cardinals are very common, so for today's Camera Critters I am featuring three photos of these beautiful birds.

Female Cardinal

Male Cardinal

Female Cardinal Perched On Pokeweed

All photos were taken with the Canon 7-D and the Canon 500mmF4L lens. The female cardinals were taken at ISO 100, while the male was ISO 200.

For more Camera Critters photographs, Click Here!