A gorgeous sunset over the pier at Oceanside, CA.
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Category Archives: Vacation
Vacation…
We are back after a 15 day vacation. My husband had a business meeting in Seattle so we (the whole family plus Grammy ~ 10 people in all) spent a couple of days hanging around there and then we crossed on the ferry and started our Highway 101 adventure! We toured through parts of Olympic National Park and then followed the coast down to San Francisco and then cut across California, Nevada and Idaho to make it back to Bozeman, MT just in time for my husband to have another business meeting then headed home. This is one of the thousands of pictures I took on our little trip and was taken in Olympic National Park….
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The Beach…
Early morning stroll on the beach in Cancun before it was busy…
January 5, 2014
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The Weekend in Black and White
Mule Deer
We spotted this big mule deer while in South Dakota and the Bad Lands a few years ago…
Where do mule deer live?
Mule deer and black-tailed deer (collectively called mule deer, Odocoileus hemionus) are icons of the American West. They are distributed throughout western North America from the coastal islands of Alaska, down the West Coast to southern Baja Mexico and from the northern border of the Mexican state of Zacatecas, up through the Great Plains to the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and the southern Yukon Territory.
Mule deer are primarily browsers, with a majority of their diet comprised of forbs (weeds) and browse (leaves and twigs of woody shrubs).
Deer digestive tracts differ from cattle and elk in that they have a smaller rumen in relation to their body size, so they must be more selective in their feeding. Instead of eating large quantities of low-quality feed like grass, deer must select the most nutritious plants and parts of plants.
Because of this, deer have more specific forage requirements than larger ruminants.
Why is mule deer and black-tailed deer habitat conservation necessary?
The MDF’s mission is necessary due to loss of habitat, predators, poaching, highways crossing through the middle of transitional ranges, and subdivisions being built on winter ranges.
Only landscape-scale conservation efforts can make long-term gains in mule deer abundance in many areas.
What does a mule deer look like?
Mule deer are generally easy to identify due to their large mule-like ears (generally 3/4 the length of the head).
They usually have a distinctive black forehead, or mask, that contrasts sharply with a light grey face. The lighter facial coloration makes the eye rings and muzzle markings seem less obvious.
Mule deer are brownish-gray in color, have a white rump patch and a small white tail with a black tip.
Mule deer usually live 9-11 years in the wild and can live to be much older when in captivity.
Mule deer range from 3 to 3-1/2 feet tall at the shoulder, 4-1/2 to 7 feet long and have a tail that is 5 to 8 inches long. They can weigh between 130-280 pounds. The female deer are smaller than the male.
For more information visit here...
And a little Bad Lands landscape…
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Nature Notes
In and Out of the Aspens…
While we visited the Tetons this past September, the elk danced in the aspens…
Later that evening we enjoyed a spectacular sunset…
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Nature Notes
Skywatch Friday
Sunbathing…
We spotted these two iguanas within a couple of yards within each other in Tulum, Mexico while looking at the Mayan ruins. They seemed pretty happy to be perched above the ocean and soaking up the sun. It was very neat to watch these guys, definitely something we wouldn’t see in Montana!
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Nature Notes
Happiness is…
Night Sky…
Crocodile in Nichupte Lagoon…
Our first day in Cancun we saw this sign and thought it might be neat it might be to see a crocodile, from a distance…
Imagine our surprise when a couple hundred yards down the sidewalk we spotted this guy sunning himself…
Too neat!
The American crocodile is considered an endangered species in nearly all parts of its North, Central, and South American range. Survey data, except in the United States, is poor or nonexistent, but conservationists agree that illegal hunting and habitat depletion has reduced populations of this wide-ranging reptile to critical levels.
A small, remnant population lives in southern Florida, but most are found in southern Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America. Their habitat of choice is the fresh or brackish water of river estuaries, coastal lagoons, and mangrove swamps.
A prehistoric-looking creature, it is distinguishable from its cousin, the American alligator, by its longer, thinner snout, its lighter color, and two long teeth on the lower jaw that are visible when its mouth is closed.
This species is among the largest of the world’s crocodiles, with Central and South American males reaching lengths of up to 20 feet (6.1 meters). Males in the U.S. population rarely exceed 13 feet (4 meters), however.
Their diet consists mainly of small mammals, birds, fish, crabs, insects, snails, frogs, and occasionally carrion. They have been known to attack people, but are far more likely to flee at the sight of humans.
Most countries in the American crocodile’s range have passed protection laws, but unfortunately, few governments provide adequate enforcement
For more info visit here…http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/american-crocodile/
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Nature Notes
Sunshiny Yellow…
Spotted this beautiful yellow guy on one of our many walks in Cancun. No clue what he is…
Loved this light, lacy tree he was hanging out in too!
With its giant brown pods…
Dancing Aspens Farm Blog 