We didn’t get much, maybe 6″, but we got snow! We’ll take all we can get. Bring it on.
With it often comes our animals. In this case, we got deer, elk, and a flock of mountain blue birds.
I certainly hope this isn’t the last we see of the animals… or the snow.
We were projected to get 1/2″ of snow, so weren’t we surprised when we got over 8″ of snow?
It came down in large soft flakes, covering the trees and the landscape. It was absolutely beautiful.
We were fortunate enough to get animals during… and after the snowfall.
Which we tried to take great advantage of.
It was amazing how quickly the snow came in… and how fast it was gone. Spring is coming and our snow season may be on the way out.
I’d be happy for a few more snow storms before Spring enters the foray. There is something surprisingly peaceful and beautiful about the fresh fallen snow. If we are to endure the cold… give me snow!
We had been promised snow on multiple occasions. They said we’d get 1 – 3 inches during the day, and 4 – 6″ that evening. Not to be that day, or the next, or the one after that.
I never thought I’d say it, but I’ve come to like the snow. It blows in all sorts of things, like this beautiful cooper’s hawk.
Or this little falcon….
As we feel the storm coming, the clouds and winds roll in, but the promise doesn’t come… our friends in South Carolina are soaking up the sun in shorts & tee-shirts on the beach. (This just after coming back from freezing on the West Coast, enduring incessant rains and cold temperatures on the California beach.)
We finally got our snow, about 6″. It was here and then gone. But with it, we got our animals.
We took the opportunity to go out and find them, and were rewarded with some nice shots of elk in the snow.
And big horn sheep
In the course of a week since we got back from CA, we saw deer, elk, ram, and even a coyote.
Gotta love where we live!
See more snow / animal pix here …
We love our deer, particularly when they bring their babies by!
Ever wonder the difference between white tail and mule deer. I know, probably not. Living in the mountains, we have had to learn the difference. Living in the valley, we never knew there was a difference. Oh, how our lives have changed – in so many ways.
The white tail deer are smaller than mule deer (affectionately called ‘mulie’s’. Generally speaking, white tails are smaller (between 130 -200 lbs full grown) vs mule deer (up to 250 lbs, and bucks can be as large as 450 lbs).
The easiest distinguishing factor is their tail. The mule deer have a black tip on the end of their tail, vs. the white tail have all tan / fur colored tails, with the inside all white.
They are a beautiful sight to see, particularly when young, innocent and full of life.
I adore watching the animals, and when I get to see baby animals it’s all the better.
They have this curious sense of newness and wonder that they wear on their faces.
Mom dotes on them and protects them from harm… and the baby listens and hastens at her insistence.
All the while the baby is tugged by this new world it finds itself in, with all the wonders to discover, and adventures to be had.
At this stage of their lives, with all their innocence, they have no fear of danger. If only mom could always protect them. They must be quickly schooled on the harsh reality of their existence.
Buck Springs is one of a number of old cabins littered around Mogollon Rim’s back dirt roads. 
There are two standing cabins on this site. The smaller of the two was built in 1923, while the larger was built in 1946.
The cabins found in this area were built by early Forest Service, ranchers and settlers while they worked the land. The area is also home to animals looking for food, water, and shelter.
The natural springs throughout the area provide vital water and pools for the wildlife that inhabit the area.
If you visit, remember leave it cleaner than you found it. These are precious places that hold their own history and beauty. Leave a lasting positive impression for future visitors…. not one of trash that one brings in and leaves as a poor testament to today’s mankind.
People ask me, ‘where do you go to get your animal pictures?’
It’s actually not an easy question to answer, as there is no straight forward answer.
I can tell you that ZERO of my wildlife photos are taken in a wildlife park or zoo. They are 100% taken in the wild. As all things wild, they are unpredictable.
Many wildlife photographers get a lot of their photos through their livelihood, as biologists or working in nature conservatory for AZ Game & Fish or Forest Service preserving an animal’s habitat. These sorts of jobs help the photographer, often early in their career, to learn the habitat and tendencies of their subject.
I have not had that advantage. I have had to learn the hard way on my own. While, I have stumbled across various animal habitats, like the pair of great horned owls at Whitewater Draw, that’s the exception more than the rule.
Sometimes it’s easy to go to where you know there will be animals, like Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, where the sandhill cranes flock to every November / December.
But for me, that’s more the exception than the rule. Sometimes, I get animal shots in my own yard.
Often, though, it’s a matter of getting out there. You have to look, to see. We make frequent trips to the rim, leaving early morning when it’s still dark out, to get to the rim at first light when the animals are still moving around.
Besides the rim, we go out on photography trips just in search of that great landscape or animal shot. Knowing that antelope can be found in the plains, or that there is a herd of big horn sheep that frequents the Greer area, can be helpful.
Other than that, one just has to get out there. You don’t find animals sitting on the couch eating bon bon’s, unless you’re watching the National Geographic channel. Ha! : )
In any case, luck favors the prepared.
Just this week, we were wandering around the woods (as we often find ourselves), actually looking for water where there was none. We found lots of dry holes instead of Lakes, but we did encounter well over 1000 sheep crossing the road. That’s not something you see every day – or ever before!
Sometimes, you just have to be in the right place at the right time.
I was just talking about the animals fattening up for the winter.. https://kritterspix.com/category/pix/
I know, it may not seem like winter just yet, particularly for those in Phoenix. But it was 39F here this morning… so winter is coming.
Yet, somehow, we got our first little visitor. Usually the babies show up in June – not September. This scrawny little fawn, still with her spots, made a brief appearance.
She’s got a steep learning curve ahead of her, and a lot to learn in a short time. Not to mention that she needs to put more fat on her little bones!
Momma, you hear that. Bring her back for a visit more often. We’ll do our part. : )
We got about 8 inches of snow out of this last storm. I am loving the beautiful fresh fallen snow on the trees.. and this sweet deer taking it all in.
Then… in a Whoosh, 1/100th of a second later, to be exact. From right behind the tree came quite a surprise to me… and this lucky deer.
OMG! What the HECK was THAT?!?!
In a flash, this mountain lion thought he had dinner. But in just a matter of minutes, he was back empty-pawed.
Dejected and hungry, he left the scene of the near miss, not to be seen again.
The deer have since been back… but are a lot more cautious and alert.
It was the first mountain lion I have EVER seen in the wild. I felt so fortunate to get a shot of it. As it was… I was looking through my viewfinder when it happened…. and it was over in less than a blink of an eye. Life happens quickly, it pays to know your path and be prepared.
It’s true that the South Rim is closer than the North Rim… by a bunch! But, give me the North Rim any day. The views are better, and the crowds less (that by itself is reason enough).
We enjoyed the many overlooks and stunning views along the way.
The aspen leaves were turning and the fall colors were stunning. The roads and the hillsides were covered with their golden hue.
You can see more of my Grand Canyon photos here… https://kritterspix.com/2018/10/05/grand-canyon-north-rim-bright-angel-point/ and here … https://kritterspix.com/2018/10/05/grand-canyon-north-rim-point-sublime/
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