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Junior is Leading the Way


Junior is Leading the Way
Información de la foto
Copyright: Rick Price (Adanac) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 1 N: 5208] (17609)
Género: Animals
Medio: Color
Tomada el: 2009-09-14
Categorías: Mammals
Cámara: Canon 5D MKII, Canon EF 600mm f4.0L IS USM
Exposición: f/5.6, 1/500 segundos
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Versión de la foto: Versión original, Workshop
Tema(s): Full of tenderness / Plein de tendresse, Family Matters 3 [view contributor(s)]
Fecha enviada: 2009-10-08 18:15
Vista: 304
Favoritos: 1 [Ver]
Puntos: 28
[Normas para las notas] Notas del fotógrafo
While in Jasper in September we had some good luck find some of the Rockies surefooted cliff inhabitants, previously I posted a Mountain Goat. Today I have a Bighorn Sheep ewe and her kid, like in humans sometimes the youngsters want to show they can lead the way.

Bighorn Sheep
Ovis canadensis
>

General Description

By Gustave J. Yaki

The Bighorn Sheep has the distinction of being named Alberta's provincial mammal.

Its naming distinction does not stop there; nor does its Albertaconnection. The Bighorn Sheep had been seen by Europeans much earlier. The Spanish explorer Francisco Vazquez de Coronado had met it in the American southwest between 1540-1552 and although it was well-illustrated in the 1691 account of southern California by the Spanish missionary Father Piccolo, it was not until 1804, after Duncan MacGillivray (of MacGillivrays Warbler fame) first encountered it on the Bow River, near Exshaw, AB. on 30 Nov. 1800 that the species was given its official scientific name. At the time of MacGillivray's sighting, he was with explorer David Thompson on his survey of the Canadian Rockies. Today, this species is perhaps the best known of all North

American mammals, worldwide. The magnificent head-battering battles of the rams during courtship have been repeatedly seen in films, aired on TV and even featured in corporate advertising. Banfield, in Mammals of Canada, described their jousting perfectly. "The contest usually begins with pushing and shoving at close quarters, often accompanied by slashing jabs of a foreleg. Then, according to an established ritual, the antagonists part and walk away about ten yards, turn, rear up on their hind legs, twist their head to one side 'as if sighting down their noses,' and advance slowly toward each other, still erect. As they approach, their pace quickens, and they lunge forward onto their forelegs, crashing head-on, horn to horn, with a crack [so loud] that it can be heard a mile away. So great is the impact that a shock wave ripples back the length of their bodies."

These courtship battles take place during the mating or rutting season. In Alberta, this occurs in late autumn. About 180 days later, in late May or early June, the ewes seek ledges on steep rocky cliff near mountain streams where they give birth to the lambs, usually single, occasionally twins. The lambs wear a creamy-fawn-coloured, soft, woolly coat and stand about 40 cm (16 inches) high on wobbly legs. The mothers hide them during their first week, but they soon are able follow her at a fast pace, nursing or nibbling grass along the way as they join the rest of the herd, which is always led by an old ewe. The lambs gambol and soon can climb expertly. At five to six months of age they are fully weaned. The ewes, lambs, yearlings and two year olds remain together as a group of about ten but sometimes as many as 100 individuals, all year. The young females reach reproductive maturity at two to three years; the rams at three years. The three-year old rams form into bands of their own, and led by an older, experienced male, migrate to separate, higher alpine summer pastures. Not until autumn do they rejoin the ewes.

Always alert, they can see movement a mile away. In areas where they are not hunted, such as in parks, they have become fearless, and will readily allow approach, especially in areas where there is escape terrain in the form of sparsely-treed, rocky cliffs nearby. They require salt and will travel miles to find a natural salt-lick. They have now learned that salt is applied to highways in winter and will often lick and eat debris along the road-edge, unfortunately setting them up for auto accidents.

The crowning glory of the Bighorn sheep is the ram's big horn, a massive brown spiral, which curls back and down, close to its head. The tips project forward and outward just below its eye. Because of it, the ram has a price on his head. The one with the biggest set is most sought be the hunting fraternity. Unfortunately, by always culling the biggest and best, the future generations will have ever diminishing-sized horns. The Bighorn Sheep have largely been eliminated from much of their former range, but some have been reintroduced successfully, most often with Alberta stock. Their distribution is in the drier areas of the mountainous country of western North America, from south of the Peace River in Alberta all the way into northern Mexico and eastward, formerly to the badlands in western North Dakota along the Missouri River, and to the Black Hills of South Dakota.

from Weaselhead.org
Argus, nasokoun, goldyrs, matatur, CeltickRanger, maurydv, goatman04, Noisette, eqshannon, loot ha puntuado esta nota como útil.
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 643 W: 15 N: 1566] (6115)
  • [2009-10-08 21:43]

Hello Rick
Nice scene capture with excellent details and natural colors. Well done
Regards
Razvan

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3805 W: 190 N: 11321] (34909)
  • [2009-10-08 22:13]

Hello Rick,
It's been a while since I saw one of your shots and I'm glad to see this one of a couple of Bighorns, a mom and her junior in their natural habitat.
I great well-composed image where these two are sharply seen against their rocky BG.
Thanks Rick and have a good weekend,
Ivan

Hello Rick,
Amazing natural scene, excellent momnet with a natural colors and a very good sharp.
TFS Ferran.

hello Rick
separate scene once again for the TN,the very good setting naturally harmonised with your subject,very beautiful moment,very good output in the(and here camouflagge)colours,fine details,a great photo!
TFS thanks for sharing
Nasos

Very well timed shot, Rick!
The title is very apt!
Bravo!
Goldy

A beautiful behavorial study in perfect composition nicely focused and exposed Rick, I did a slight white balance adjustment in my WS, hope you agree with the result MF.
Cheers,
Mehmet

very nice capture, TFS Ori

hello Rick

these animals also are camouflaged with their environment,
an excellent photo « prise sur le vif » of the adult and young Bighorn Sheeps,
fine POV, DOF and framing, fine focus great sharpness and details,

TFS

Asbed

Hello Rick,
a splendid picture of the Bighorn Sheep, i like this beautiful scene and pleasing composition with these Sheeps among the rocks, beautiful natural colours and superb sharpness.
TFS
Best regards
Maurizio

Hello Rick,

An excellent capture of this Big Horn ewe & her youngster with beautiful coloration, sharpness & details. Great POV, pose & BG.

They look surefooted of high rocky slopes!

Well done & TFS.

Best wishes

Umar

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2383 W: 94 N: 5492] (17498)
  • [2009-10-09 11:00]

Hello Rick,
I'm glad I'm not walking there. Great photo of these Bighorn Sheep in very good camouflaged colours. Excellent sharpness and details. Nice composition and timing. Beautiful surroundings.
Have a good weekend,
Peter

Hello Rick
lovely capture of this mother bighorn sheep and his youngster in her stony environment, great sharpness on the animals and the rocks and wonderful composition, i like it very much
Have a great WE
Jacqueline

Beautiful sheep but I'd swear they were goats. Must be a fine line between them. I love the contrast to the rocks and the action of the small one trying to get up the ledge. Good overall spacing too. TFS Trevor

Hi Rick,

We are amazed at what you were able to photograph in Jasper while we saw nothing! You are amazing. Jerry went to Wyoming alone and should be home tomorrow. As it turns out the temps aren't too bad but all the color is gone. I don't think there would have been much for landscape photos but he's seen lots of moose and some elk. Moose are still fighting it out but the elk rut is over and bears are in the high country. The berry crop failed again this year and they are after some kind of nut I think. They should be hibernating soon. Your sheep look fat and healthy in preparation for winter. Actually all the moose we've seen this fall have looked very plump and healthy too. Didn't see any ghost moose in Glacier this time. Your lens seems to do the job. Was this near the road?

TFS
Evelynn : )

You are much more than lucky Rick. You have a gifted eye which you use to the utmost....There is rarely if ever anything to correct with your images...except to sometimes crop them to fit a page....but that isn't your doing...They look superior in large...It would be nice if TN would someday give us space for 1000 across..
Bob

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5414 W: 593 N: 3647] (10019)
  • [2009-11-21 2:42]

Hi Rick

A great shot in familiar or natural environment for these two Bighorn Sheep. Seems
as if they are having such a casual stroll all along the cliff face like it is nothing more
then a walk in the park. Us humans need level territory though as the traction, which
was provided to us, is not nearly as functional on such angled slopes as what these
agile sheep have received.

A good composition with nice natural colours. I'm just wondering where you were
sitting, standing or hiding in order to get this lovely shot. Maybe you have some
secret high performance footwear that can take you place where others fear to tread.

Well done and TFS.
Regards
Loot

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