Fox, Ermine and Deer
I missed a couple of really great photo opportunities yesterday. The first was of a Red Fox crossing highway #7 . I had seen it a fair distance ahead of me on the snow bank by the shoulder and thought perhaps I might reach its point of crossing and be able to get its picture, but it was too fast for me and by the time I neared the %5B1%5D.jpg)
point where it was crossing it had already reached the other side and disappear -ed into the woods. It looked big and red and beautiful; much like the fox in this photo above, taken last April, 2007.
The second missed photo opportunity still leaves me full of disappointment for it was an Ermine (Mustela erminea)!! Also know as the Short-tailed Weasel, the Ermine's fur turns white during the winter season. The little one I saw yesterday was very small, and tall and slender, and white overall except for a dark dot on its tail. This is a strange sort of comparision but when I saw it standing by our shed, it reminded me of 'Gumby', the little, tall, slender green character, made of clay that had been created in the 50's. It was the length and slenderness of it when it stood and its big eyes that brought the similarity to mind. I had only seen one of these little mammals once before and that was several years ago. This sighting was in my own yard and it went under our garden shed in our feeder area so I am hoping that I might see it again.
The third opportun -ity; and I had my camera lined up on it very clearly while I stood in the shadow of my window while it approached one of our feeders: was a hungry White-tailed Deer. Then suddenly: it leapt and bound away in a flash and I then saw my neighbour in his back yard getting for a load of wood for his furnace. Still having my camera on the deer I took a video as it 'shot' through my feeder area. I have slowed the motion of the video speed so as to capture its powerful leaping movements
7 comments:
Don't you just hate those mixed moments? It is so frustrating! Maybe I should have asked that question in my quiz last week...most frustrating "missed" picture :-) I can't imagine seeing a ermine! Wow....I bet it was really gorgeous. I've always thought the pictures I've seen of them were just so beautiful. I hope it comes back and you get pictures. The fox looks great too....I've seen one in our area, but never had the camera with me. The deer video was graet...those were some huge leaps near the end. Amazing!
mary:
Oops,I guess I missed your most frustrating 'missed picture' quiz, but I guess I've just answered it anyway; for not getting a pic of the Ermine was most frustrating! The deer's leaps were huge weren't they! Glad you enjoyed. My thanks as always for I both enjoy and appreciate your comments.
Island:
I would even be happy to get even half a picture of a whale! :-). and I am still waiting for another look at the ermine.
Fantastic sightings!! It's disappointing when we don't get to freeze those moments with our cameras, but one nice thing is that those times remain etched in our memories as being special. I hope you get to see the ermine again. Maybe they hang around in the same areas? I don't know much about them. We do have them here, but they are rarely seen. In the meantime, I like your pictures of the fox and deer, and the video is great, too. Quick thinking to get it in motion like that. Congratulations on all those great sightings!
I know the feeling well--camera often too far from reach, even when it's on the front seat besdie me in the car!
There's always so much to see, I feel sometimes we capture just a glimpse!
Love your tribute to burdock. Pretty on snow; not so pretty in my dog's muzzle! :-)
A Fox, Ermine and Deer all in the same day! That's pretty darn exciting even if you didn't get pictures of all of them, you can still store the memories in your mind's memory bank.
Thanks for sharing the video too.
nina:
I agree, there is so much to see and with each new discovery I love to research and immerse myself in the fascination of new found knowledge. My camera too is my travelling companion, always within hand's reach. :-)
ruthiej:
The day did seem to have a theme about it: "fleetingly seen; then gone". Sometimes though, perhaps its good to have a reminder that not all has to be recorded digitally to make a lasting impression; for as you said, the image can be stored in my mind's memory bank ... yes,you're right; I can still see the little ermine now! :-)
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