Tag: Nature Photography

Vulnerability and Bruce’s Ramrod Ranch

Among White Moth Wings, A Pacific Gopher Snake Drinks From A Small Pond

Among White Moth Wings, A Pacific Gopher Snake Drinks From A Small Pond

IMAGE STORY:

I just got home from the ranch on Monday night. When leaving, I returned to my blinds and main pond to reset my camera trap. Compared to Saturday and Sunday, Monday warmed up. Thus, I thought the hot Monday afternoon would be a good time to see a snake drinking at my pond. It happens a lot in hot weather. Just after this thought, when I turned the corner and could see the pond. Lo-and-behold, a snake was drinking at my pond.

I have been an empath all during my life. I think about something naturally, especially sports and baseball games. Other natural thoughts, not forced, come true. It is a lot like seeing the future or thinking about what will happen, and it does.

As a result, I don’t believe that time is linear. It’s more like a river with eddies, backwashes, and bends upon itself. Some would think this is baffling and crazy, but I can go back years to events where this happens. The latest is the snake. At first, I thought it was a rattlesnake, but I didn’t really look at it. I went straight down to my truck, got my camera and 100 – 400 mm lens, and went back up, and it was still there drinking.

I photographed it lying down on the ground after moving around a bit. If I made a little noise, the snake would raise its head into the air and flick out its tongue to sense if there was any danger. It did this twice. I felt it was very thirsty. Snakes really bury their heads in the water when they drink. I have seen this before; it’s fascinating stuff. I think I took 1200 images in about ten minutes.

By the way, it was not a rattlesnake but a large gopher snake.

Please let me know if you want to join me in photographing birds and other animals visiting my ranch ponds this fall. I still have openings for the fall session, mid-September to mid-October.

If you want to join my nature photography community or view more of my imagery, please check out my website, dreamcatcherimages.net. Fill out the contact form on the right sidebar.

Beautiful metal prints, 24 x 16, are available for this wonderful image; traditional prints as well, contact, bruce@dreamcatcherimage.net

From A Small Pond, California Gopher Snake Submerges Head To Drink Water

 

 

 

Wildebeest Calves — “One In And One Out”

Mother Blue Wildebeest Greets Her Newborn Calf For The First Time

This image is from my February 2019 trip to East Africa. We were staying at the Ndutu Safari Lodge, at the southern edge of the great Serengeti plains, and one morning heading south we saw a birth of a Blue Wildebeest calf. I didn’t catch the birth, but this is the moment after when the mother turned around and first greeted her newborn calf.

Later in the day, further south, at the Ubuntu pans, a pack of wild dogs (Painted Wolves) was hanging around the muddy water there. Unfortunately, they had a very young Wildebeest calf just walk right up to them, and the temptation was too great. They just literally torn the calf apart and we watched and photographed the whole violent seen. Good for the dogs, but not for that poor Wildebeest calf.

So that day, and afterward, we kept saying to ourselves, “one in and one out”. That’s how it goes sometimes for the Wildebeest calves.

A Pack Of Wild Dogs Literally Pull-Apart A Baby Blue Wildebeest
Exit mobile version
%%footer%%