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Wildlife

Please feel free to look around and explore my gallery; treat it as you would a forest or meadow, discover the beauty of our natural world, contemplate it, and most of all, enjoy it.

Iain

"Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts"
Rachel Carson

W2 - North American Bison The North American bison, or buffalo, is the largest land animal in North America. A bull can stand 2 m high and weigh more than a tonne. Female bison are smaller than males.
	W1 - North American Bison The American bison has one of the most dramatic stories regarding human impact on the environment. In the seventeenth century, an estimated 60 million bison roamed the plains of North America. With the arrival of settlers, the bison were pushed out of their native land and ruthlessly hunted - until, by 1890, less than 1,000 animals survived. Unlike the native Americans, who had traditionally hunted the bison for food, tools, and their hides, the European's slaughter was primarily for sport, with people shooting from the newly built railway, seeing how many they could kill in a day.
W4 - American Coyote The North American Coyote is often mistaken for the wolf, however, coyotes are usually slimmer and smaller than the wolf. The male coyote, on average, weighs from 9-23 kilograms (15-45 pounds) with an overall length with tail of 120-150 centimeters (40-60 inches), and stands 58-66 centimeters (15-20 inches) high at its shoulder. The female coyote usually tends to be four-fifths as large as the male coyote.
	W3 - American Coyote The coyote’s senses of hearing and smell are so well developed that a sudden odour or noise can make it change its course in mid-step. Its agility in this respect is incredible, perhaps unique in the animal kingdom. The coyote is a remarkably hard runner, galloping along at 40 km per hour, but capable of reaching 64 km per hour and if the need arises, the coyote can swim well. I photographed this wonderful specimen at Bosque del Apache, New Mexico, USA.
W6 - Red-tailed Hawk One of the most common and widespread hawks in North America, the Red-tailed Hawk is a bird of open country. It is frequently seen sitting on telegraph poles and trees where it watches for rodents in the grass along the roadside. I captured this red-tailed hawk on a snowy December day at Bosque del Apache, New Mexico, USA.
	W7 - Western Meadowlark An abundant and familiar bird of open country across the western two-thirds of North America, the Western Meadowlark is beloved for its melodic song. It is frequently seen singing atop fenceposts along roadsides in native grassland and agricultural areas. This western meadowlark was sitting out the snow in December at Bosque del Apache, New Mexico, USA
W8 - Snow Goose This medium-sized goose breeds on the arctic tundra and travels south in very large, high-flying, noisy flocks. The swirling white of a descending flock suggests snow hence its name. Over 32,000 snow geese winter at Bosque del Apache as this solitary individual decides he will find his food away from the flock.
	W9 - Snow-goose Blizzard Bosque del Apache, New Mexico becomes home for over 32,000 snow-geese during the winter months. Whist feeding the spectacle of this huge number of geese taking to the air together is an amazing spectacle.