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Monday, January 18, 2010

Finally!!!!!

Those of you that have followed my blog for some time know about my desire for certain shots.


Those of certain animals.


Those of certain birds.



My whining about "missed opportunities" of animals and birds....


Well, I FINALLY got my wish to get some shots at one particular animal yesterday.



We were driving in the woods, capturing some snow pictures, since the snow was very heavy on the branches.

We had a great time, slowly driving along a road deep in the woods that was plowed for some loggers.


We saw some wolf tracks, which made me very excited...because that is another animal I haven't gotten the chance to catch on camera.

YET.

But no, that is not the animal I caught yesterday on camera.

THIS

was even

BETTER!!!:

My elusive MOOSE!!!!:

I know some people think they are ugly.

Not me.

They are gorgeous, huge animals!

She was quite a ways back from me, but she saw me.

I had to use the zoom to capture her.

And those DANG branches in the way gave me problems.

The zoom wanted to focus on the little branches

instead of on her wonderfulness.


And at first, there were so many branches I thought it was a male with horns....
but no, it was her huge ears I saw when I zoomed up:


Look at her humped back and thick fur!

I was so glad she looked healthy:




She looked curious but didn't look like she would put up with me taking her picture very long:


She was saying: "Are you done already???"


I have a feeling she wasn't as thrilled seeing me as I was seeing her.



I told her I had been waiting a long, long time to see her and get her picture.

She wasn't impressed.

Especially when I asked her if she could bring her boyfriend the next time I saw her......

Because you know ME.
Never satisfied.



Now I want to see a MALE moose and get a photo of him.



Oh yeah, and that wolf............................

31 comments:

Unknown said...

What fan-tab-lous photos! So glad you were able to fulfill this particular dream of photoshooting a moose; an animal my middle child has always wanted to see for real.

Now, you be careful with the impending shot of a wolf, 'cuz I know you won't give up!

Jenn Jilks said...

Congrats! I spotted two young ones in town the first year I moved here. In those days I was shy about stopping the car!

Jenn Jilks said...

Congrats! I spotted two young ones in town the first year I moved here. In those days I was shy about stopping the car!

DJan said...

Great moose shots, I must say. And lucky you to find her. You must roam around the countryside just waiting to shoot some unsuspecting animal. Glad you are a camera buff instead of a hunter...

L. D. said...

You are so lucky to see a real live moose. I have been going to Minnesota for years and have seen moose crossing signs for years but I have never seen a moose in the wild. Even on the Gunflint trail, nothing is in sight as the crossing signs say they are there. Good pictures. I hope you were staying at a safe distance.

The Retired One said...

Gaston: Ha..you know me too well! I will keep "hunting" for a wolf on camera for sure!

Jenn: My husband laughs at me because I am always yelling: Stop the car! because I see something I want to photograph. Yesterday on the freeway home from a trip to my daughters there were hawks everywhere but he wouldn't stop. I told him if the police asked us why we were on the side of the road he could act like the tire was giving us problems. ha He wouldn't do it though. Gotta work on him. :-}

DJan: I could never hunt the animals I photograph...I love them so much. Moose are protected here too, thank goodness. People up here love to spot them and photograph them. I had been searching for over 5 years, so I was so thrilled to see her. We often take rides in the woods in search of animals to photograph...but now many roads we normally drive are not plowed and closed due to snow. I am waiting for spring. :-}

L.D.: Oh yes, she was quite far away...I really strained my zoom lens to catch those shots. ha The bushes really challenged me because it wouldn't focus on her for a while...I finally had to aim at a tree behind her with no bushes in the way, get it in focus and then slide the camera down to where she was and the focus held for me to take her photo. (Little tricks I have learned along the way).

pehpot said...

lovely! and yes we also want a male moose.. and if you are not busy taking photos, we would like to invite you to join our blogversary contest where you can win $200 and more. We really hope you can check it out and join in the fun.

Unknown said...

My huband and I are both loving and are very jealous of your capture. When we visit the UP we will drive around for hours on the back roads hoping to come across a moose. What an amazing opportunity and beautiful images!

Brian Miller said...

gorgeous. i love moose...they just look so solid, yet...on my wish list as well...with a big rack on top.

Unknown said...

In the first moose photo, it almost looks like there are two more in the background.
Great photos!

The Retired One said...

Pehpot: you haven't commented in a while! I will check out your contest soon.

Ashley: I know what you mean. I live here and we are in the woods all the time capturing photos and this is the FIRST time I have been able to see one and get a photo!

Brian: Yup...next challenge? To find her boyfriend. :-}

Eva: In person, I think we would have seen if they were more back there..I think it is a rock you are seeing. Boy, I would've been BESIDE myself if there had been three. ha

Mitzi said...

Loved your photos. Wish I could ride along with you in the car. Would love to see a moose in the wild.

Ramakrishnan said...

Congratulations. What a fascinating series of photographs with matching script. Never seen a moose in real life.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Congrats, Joan, on getting some great pictures of the moose.

I also loved seeing that first picture of the snow on the evergreen.

Fabulous photos...
Hugs,
Betsy

Wanda..... said...

I love the shot of her looking right at you...but now you need a male...you will never be satisfied...will you Joan? That's good for us!

Jeanette said...

WOW!! I always get so thrilled when I see a deer..but a moose?! Thats fantastic! I love how she's looking at you!

Unknown said...

I am so jealous! What a sight to see. Good to see her looking so healthy and out and about. Great pictures!

wendyytb said...

Oh! How lucky are you!!! What a shot!

Unknown said...

I grew up in the UP. (Naubinway) I think they were just starting to reintroduce moose from Canada the year we moved. I went back home for a visit years later and on the way to Tahquamenon Falls we saw a huge male moose walking across the road. Of course I didn't have my camera out and by the time I found it he was gone... It was amazing though. It only took me 30 years to see my first moose!

Joanie said...

So glad you finally got your moose shot! Hopefully you'll see more soon!

We played the license plate game while on a trip to and from NC for my brother-in-law's retirement from the Army, way back in 1995. We found every province of Canada and every state of the Union EXCEPT North Dakota. We were convinced either no one in North Dakota drives a motorized vehicle OR no one from North Dakota leaves the western part of the US in their motorized vehicle. It took us TEN YEARS to finally see a license plate from North Dakota!

Now I'm searching my blogsphere to see if anyone from Rhode Island drops by to visit. So far, nada. But someday!!!

The Retired One said...

Mitzi: Give me a call, I will take you in the car with me anytime! :-}

RR: I live where there are supposed to be several moose, and this is the first time I saw one in the wild, too!
It was a thrill for me!

Betsy: Thanks so much! I was so excited, and so worried I couldn't focus in on her because of those bushes in the way.

Wanda: I know, I know! I was thrilled to see her and get a photo and now I am asking for more! Ha
It is what keeps me going out in the winter to find critters. :-}

Jeanette: Yes, I was a little nervous that she was going to come closer. I don't know what I would've done, because I would be torn between getting more and closer shots of her and being ready to run. ha

DVM's Wife: Thanks! I was SO happy to finally see one in person and to be able to photograph her!

Wendytb: I have been waiting for five years to get a shot of one in the wild...I was so thrilled to be able to do so!

Christy: Aren't they amazing? A male must have been HUGE. I was so excited!

Joanie: You can hunt for license plates like I do for moose. ha

Ginnymo said...

Awesome photos!! What a treat to be able to see a Moose!! Now that is one thing I'd never see in my whole life!! Hope you see that wolf also Joan!!

Red said...

Now are you sure this is a female moose??? In Alberta whare I live the males have already lost their antlers. You"ll have to look before Jn. 1 to find moose with antlers here.
I had a moose and 2 calves in my front yard a few years ago.
Good luck in your search.

Loree said...

Lucky yo u. I can't wait for you to get a picture of that elusive wolf.

SquirrelQueen said...

Congrats on your first moose photos. She looks young, a very beautiful girl.

I lived in the heart of Anchorage for ten years and every winter moose would come through my yard. Usually a cow but sometimes a calf or two would be with the mother. Once a female decided my backyard was a good place to sleep so for about two weeks she would show up every night and sleep in my yard. In the winter time up there I always looked outside before stepping out just in case.

Good luck on the wolf, I have heard them several times but have only seen one.

When you get a chance I posted a photo of a hawk last week. Not a great photo but a good capture.

Judy

Rick (Ratty) said...

I had a huge smile on my face as soon as I saw your prize. I knew you would get your pictures one day. The best thing is that as long as you are watching, there will be more new and exciting things to look for, like that wolf.

The Retired One said...

Ginnymo: Me too! But they are hard to capture on camera. I have seen a wolf running along a highway up here, but never had the opportunity to get a photo then!

Red: I did not know that! How interesting! So now if I see one after Jan. 1st, I won't know for sure! ha I would love to have one in my yard, how awesome!

Ratty: I LOVE the hunt for critter photos, don't you? I can't tell you how thrilled I was to finally get photos of the moose!

Loree: Me neither! Hope it doesn't take me as long as it did to find a moose...but it is rare to see a wolf up here too..they run away very fast if sighted.

SquirrelQueen: I saw your hawk photo..awesome! I would DIE to have moose sleeping in my yard...how cool was THAT???

Sandy aka Doris the Great said...

Wonderful photo! No only is she gorgeous looking, but as a Newfoundlander, I can tell you she'd probably be delicious too!............. Sorry!!

The Retired One said...

Ratty: I know you understand how I felt when I finally got her on camera! Thanks!

Sandy: Oohhhh, I can't bear to think of eating her! I am humming and holding my hand over my eyes and ears now pretending you didn't say that. ha

Unknown said...

Wow. Those are some really wonderful shots. Well, she totally was posing for you...:)
Anyways, with the snow around and the trees, it looked even more beautiful. Great job!

The Retired One said...

Mr. Stupid: Thanks! She was curious about us just long enough for me to capture these shots...then she went straight into the woods. I was hoping she would step out where there were less branches, but I am just so grateful I got to get any photos of her. She was amazing!

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I retired in June 2008 and started my blog in November 2008. I worked at several jobs as a Registered Nurse prior to retirement. I LOVE being retired! Blogging has offered me a whole new venue to start writing again and to share new hobbies such as gardening, birdwatching and sharing my nature photography. If you like my blog, PLEASE click on "follow this blog". Having a lot of followers reading my blog gives me incentive to continue to do photography and to continue to write. I also LOVE comments, so I encourage you to leave me a comment after you read my posts. Thanks everyone, for taking the time to read me!!

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