Wildlife Photos

Here are the photos of note, taken while we were camped in Creede, and Del Norte, in southern Colorado


This young Big Horn Sheep was sitting on the side of the narrow road, on the steep slope, lower than road level and we drove by, Lance spotted him, and we continued 25 yds farther and stopped the car.  We  crept back so we would not scare him away, and to our amazement this little sheep was all by himself and as curious about us as we were about him.  He came right up to us and,  since our friend Dale was wearing a sheep colored shirt, he felt like he and Dale were kin.  We were delighted that he seemed to have no fear, and our inclination was to hold out our hand.    All three of us were spellbound.  We froze to encourage him to stay so close, so I could take some photos.  He stood within a couple of yards of us, sizing us up, and slowly determined that we were not his kind, and we had nothing for him.
 

The little sheep left the road and went down the embankment and settled in a sunny spot about 25 yards away.  I took a dozen photos of him and he was a very tolerant subject indeed. He went on about his business of sitting int he sun.

Soon, we were the ones to leave as we had a whole lot more fun to do before calling it a day!






On another day we saw a few Marmots.  These little fellows are very cute and seem huggable.  They are not friendly, and if they get skittish they jump into their burrow just like a prairie dog, which I am sure they are related to in some way.  They are kind of like a badger, sort of beaver-ish too.  They are so cute!  When they retreat, they scamper along with bowed front legs, and they fling their short tail wildly in circles, round and round as they go!  They are stinking cute!

Cute little guy,I wish you could see the tail going in circles!

Over the course of a few weeks we also saw several moose,  one at a time,  feeding in the grass near streams or ponds.  They are ungainly creatures with long gangling legs, a bulbous nose and a short body.  They have antlers that point skyward, and their hair is a very dark brown, surprisingly dark brown: so brown it can only be a moose!  (That is what I look for when looking for moose!)  In spite of  looking as though they are made of spare parts, moose are very beautiful and I never give up hope in looking for them and am delighted when I actually spot one.  They are rare, or should I say, they are not easy to find, or maybe they are plentiful around here and it is me who is rarely in moose country! Probably the latter.

And we saw plenty of  sheep!  Big Horn Sheep!  I wish my dad was alive to tell him about all my adventures.  He would have sat for as long as it took to hear all of my stories of my terrific days in Colorado.  I am in my element here!  The Boonies!  Why was I not a mountain man? (I digress.) 

 These sheep were standing on the roadway, and Dale slowed his rig so I could scramble with my camera.  These lambs and ewes were taking off quickly.

 These sheep were quite far away and I had to zoom in to see them far up on the hillside.  We watched them  for quite a few minutes but they were on the move and clipping along the steep and rocky terrain with amazing sure-footedness.  They have no problem getting around up there, even the little lambs.  There are folks that think these are goats,  because of the goat-like look of them.  I too thought they were goats, but mountain goats have  snow white, shaggier hair and are much more spectacular, with their black, pointy horns. These little sheep are scruffy and beige...oh, nothing is sadder than to be beige animal, unless it is to be a scruffy beige animal, and these were.  A sad looking little lot they were.  But, such is sheepness!   My friend Dale is the final say on these matters.  He knows everything.

More sheep

  

These fine fellows are rams.  They are quite spectacular with their white rumps and their curling horns.  Wow!   What a sight.  Sorry these photos are blurry.  I had to zoom in to get this shot and when you zoom, all is magnified and so any little movements are also magnified, hence the blurriness.  I will get better though.

Here is Dale.  He is a very dear and generous man.  Lance and I have him to thank for the terrific 30 days we spent in Creede!  He was wonderful to take us up in the boondocks, the tops of the mountains, and show us many of the peculiarities of Creede and the area.  Thank you Dale, so so much for everything!

Notice the sheep colored shirt Dale is wearing!  Love him!