What was that?

I'm a hunter by nature. It's in my genes and every fall I hunt deer, well actually I hunt year round. I haven't killed an animal in at least 15 years but I still head out with a camera when everyone else is in the woods with a gun. Last week I went out looking for deer and came upon this unsuspecting little guy. I'm sure his mother is in the processing plant and he is getting by on instinct.

Otter Family Portrait

Every time I drive by a bend in the Lamar River I look for these guys. This time I drove past, backed up, and identified a rock otter (from the same lineage as a stump bear). Then I noticed these guys swimming in the water. My next hour flew by! Video captures their personalities and activity better than stills, you will see more of these.

Watchful Mother

This footage is from a couple evenings during May while in Yellowstone. Photography has been sporadic this summer including  exploration of non traditional subjects: dogs jumping, demolition derbies, and county fairs.  Perhaps after 20+ years of photographing the prairie I needed a break. I'm looking forward to fall color and travel during September and October to rejuvenate the creative juices.

Bison crossing Lamar River

 

This was one of those moments, actually several minutes, that will forever be in my mind. It was a "Serengeti" moment in the Yellowstone.  Images of wildebeests crossing flashed as I witnessed this event. I was alone at the river's edge watching this unfold. Another videographer was several yards behind me and there were cars on the road but I was alone with the herd as it crossed, almost in fact and definitely in spirit.

Two Icons

It is not everyday that two icons of the west come into the same frame. This grizzly bear was wandering down Willow Park and met these bison.  They were not intimidated but clearly alert while the bear showed no interest in them. It's main meat diet now consists of tender elk and bison calves, not tough old bulls.

Technical: still frame from video

Moose Portrait

I'm in Yellowstone for the next two weeks working on filming bear jams, animal/human conflict, and grizzlies for the Park Service. I'll keep you posted with some still shots from time to time.

Turtle Turf War?

It is tempting to call this an action video about turtles battling each other for the best place on a log. However, there is a problem with calling this an action video. These are turtles, "action" is carried out at turtle speed, only slightly faster than snail speed. At the end of the day this is just another interesting observation in the life of a wildlife photographer.

Snakes in the Leaves

This was the unofficial start of spring photography after a long March. I have been out shooting so much that this piece has been on the back burner until now. I considered different titles: Snake Orgy, Reptilian Rhapsody, Sex in the Spring, etc. but settled on something a little more tame.  There was so much happening at my feet that I forgot to take an establishing shot and had to come back the next day. The fearless snake was recorded at that time. 

If snakes make you squeamish this is not the minute for you.

A Morning at the Rookery

I've shared still images from the morning but I thought I would share this nature minute to give a feel for the entire experience. I hope to be back in a few weeks to watch the chicks being fed. 

Sunday Brunch

Sometimes in the middle of nowhere (Hayden Valley in the winter) silence is the only accompaniment to nature's cycle of life. If only I could hear what the fox was listening to, surely more interesting than reading a restaurant menu.

Keeping Dry

I was in the woods as it started snowing yesterday and recorded some good fall to winter transition footage as the ground turned white. this guy was busy stocking up but could not figure out who else would be moving around in this kind of weather.

Technical: My last post had some footage uploaded directly to the blog instead of going through YouTube. Apparently it is not visible on all platforms so I'll go back to the intermediate step unless someone knows how to get footage visible to all using a direct upload.

Are you watching me?

This guy was busy burying acorns when he looked up and suddenly realized I was not a tree. Working in such close quarters I had a hard time maintaining focus and keeping him in the frame.

Technical: cropped vertical from C100 video frame

A morning with the cranes

I recorded this one morning a couple weeks ago. I like to watch the cranes wake up routine and listen to their raucous calling as they leave the roost each morning. As the season progresses they spend more time warming up making for even more interesting dancing and stretching routines.

An Afternoon with Scarface

 The last video from Yellowstone National Park this spring. Scarface is a well known and easily recognized grizzly bear that has been known to walk down the main street of Cooke City. We watched him with a couple dozen other tourists at the Confluence one afternoon in May. The choice was watching him or racing over to another location to watch a wolf attacking a cow elk.  The park service photographer captured this action that was occurring at the same time.  The Chase

Always so much to see and so little time!

Spring Pelicans

The recent cool weather not only reminded me of the upcoming season but also of an afternoon in May that was spent watching pelicans in western Minnesota. The usual location at the LacQuiParle Dam was filled with fisherman and therefore very few pelicans. I went up river to the Marsh Lake Dam where the pelicans were alone except for a couple fishermen and myself.

Technical: Recorded with a Canon C100 using a 100-400 mm lens.

Yellowstone's Overlooked Wildlife

Chipmunk in the Logs from Dale Bohlke on Vimeo.

I'm getting to the end of the video collected during my mid-May visit to Yellowstone. As is always the case, the biggest and most powerful get my first attention. However there is something to be said for a spending a quiet morning off trail watching a chipmunk go about it's life.

A Morning with Moose

I spent a beautiful morning with four moose in Yellowstone a couple weeks ago. The temperature was  a little chilly (about zero F) and the shutter button froze, something that has never happened before. A backup remote shutter release saved the day. Later I used  a blow dryer for a few minutes over the grip and there have been no problems since.  

The Rhythm of Nature

I like to add background music to enhance the rhythms of nature but the the rhythm of these snow geese speaks for itself and needs no improvement. I was mesmerized by their motion and rhythm as thousands of birds flew in unison. The flight took place in near darkness one morning at Squaw Creek NWR. ISO sensitivity ranged from 8000-16000, yes 16,000! Recorded with a Canon C100 using a 100-400 lens. White balance at 6000k.

Bison Sparring

Most of the time I get bored watching bison since they eat so much of the time.  During late autumn there is more excitement  when young bulls test each other by sparring with each other. Usually there is just head scratching but it can get quite violent. 

Technical: All filming was done from the roadside using a 100-400 mm lens on a Canon C100.

Lunchtime Marmots

This weekend is about tradition and America. What could be more American than picnicking in Yellowstone National Park?