Al Larson Photography

This is another photo taken from my front door looking down Daggett Creek. It is essentually the same subject as a couple of the previous photos. The big difference is  lighting and weather conditions. The sun burst was totally accidental, but it adds interest to the picture. My point here is if you don’t have the expertise necessary to plan these photos shoot many. I lack that expertise. There may be one that stands out above all the rest.

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The weather warmed a bit to above freezing. After a rain shower during the night fog hung low in the valley. This shot was taken looking toward the east just after sunrise. It is the same location as the previous photo. What a difference lighting makes.

The weather has stayed below freezing for some time now and the snow that fell several days ago is still hanging on the trees and shrubs.

The temperature registered  -1 degree F. this morning. I sprinkled some seeds on the snow and waited for the sun to come up. Soon the juncos and Steller’s jays arrived. Along with them came a pine squirrel (Red Squrriel or Chickory). It seems to me that on a frosty morning as this squirrels should be snoozing snugly in some cozy little nest away from the cold. Maybe this one neglected to stash a sufficient supply of food last fall. I can’t imagine foraging around in this environment on one’s bare feet.

This is the scene that greeted me this morning when I arose and looked through the bedroom window

This is the mother to the elk calf shown in the photo below. Both of them returned the following morning. The cow headed straight for one of the bird feeders and proceeded to lick out the seeds. I stepped out of the door to shoo her away. I approched to within fifteen feet of her before she backed away. I retrieved the feeders for I am not in the business of hand feeding elk! She returned to the clothes line to find the feeders gone. Then both she and her calf wandered about the yard browsing on the willows and alders by the creek. They sampled the green grass I had uncovered with the snow blower and they nipped off the dried seed heads of the flowers left in the flower beds.

When I had first confronted the cow she stood solidly before me with her head erect. She looked me straight in the eye. I was somewhat intimidated for I knew her forelegs were powerful weapons.  I retreated back to the house and continued to watch them from the safety indoors as they continued to forage in the yard outside.

Here it is Spring! One would think that flowers would be in full bloom and the birds building their nests. This snow seems to say, “Whoa.” However, this morning our first robin made an appearance in the yard and a Spotted Towhee visited the feeders. A flock of about 20 wild turkeys arrived to take over the yard. Even after having been away all winter the turkeys remembered and followed me to their old feeding area. This ol’ boy in the photo shows it’s not too early to strut.

Here is a night photo, shot in my backyard. The spotlight highlights the bridge, oak tree and the ornamental windmill. No filters were used. The warm sepia hue is probably due to the incandescent  spotlight. If you look closely you will see animal tracks all through the new fallen snow. Several elk had been carousing around the yard a short time earlier.

Imagine my surprise this morning at predawn. I arose, turned the porch light on and peered out the wndow.  Nearly an inch of snow had fallen during the night. Temperature stood at about 32 degrees. The snow was almost imperceptably slipping over the eaves. I hurridly put the camera into action and captured this shot. It’s a good thing I did for a few moments later the entire snow sheet went crashing to the ground.

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