There are a number of photos I have been meaning to upload here, but just never seem to get around to it.
This first one was taken on the early morning run to the vet for Gideon’s surgery. One great thing about getting on the road early. I have seen this herd many times, but never this close to Highway One. Unfortunately, somehow, I forgot my camera and had to use my iPhone. Two of the males are getting ready to fight.
“The tule elk (Cervus canadensis ssp. nannodes) is a subspecies of elk found only in California, ranging from the grasslands and marshlands of the Central Valley to the grassy hills on the coast.[1] The subspecies name derives from the tule that it feeds off of, which grows in the marshlands. It is the smallest subspecies of all American elks, with the average weight of adult males only 450 – 550 pounds. The females average 375 – 425 pounds. The calves are similar to deer fawns, with brown coat and white spots. When the Europeans first arrived, an estimate of 500,000 tule elk roamed these regions. But by 1895, habitat loss and hunting had reduced the elk population to only 28.[2] Conservation measures were taken to protect the species in the 1970s.[3] Today the wild population exceeds 4,000.[2] Tule elk can reliably be found in Carrizo Plain National Monument, Point Reyes National Seashore, and portions of the Owens Valley from Lone Pine to Bishop.” (wikipedia)
I will add a few more later today and perhaps tomorrow, but I have been procrastinating on work long enough!
This is a light fixture in a restaurant – The Chart House, I believe. I did title this post a hodgepodge, remember?
This was a doorway in San Juan Bautista. It lent itself quite nicely to a soft black & white treatment.
This was also taken with the iPhone, thus the “halo effect” from the HDR. I took this back in May.
Okay, that’s it for today. Look for more tomorrow!
Lovely images, splendid elk history, lucky girl to site them, wow.
You always do something transporting that ends in reminding me where I live. And why.
I didn’t realize there were tule elk in Big Sur. Mostly on the south coast?
I’ve only seen them at Point Reyes on the Peninsula. Very cool.
Sunset image surreal effect, very nice. Were those elk near San Simeon? I hope your baby is getting well Kate.
Hope Gideon is recovering nicely. These are wonderful photos. That light fixture stopped me in my tracks. Very dramatic and against those black diagonal lines–great eye! The sunset shot is simply amazing. Beautiful. Great work as always!
The source you quote about the elk doesn’t mention the Big Sur/Nacimiento area as an elk range. I drive past that spot daily where you snapped that shot and have been blessed to spot the elk there many times. The most exciting time was when I was driving north and a herd was galloping north along the barbed wire fence on the WEST side of the highway! Fortunately, I slowed down to keep pace with them so I could observe them, when suddenly the leader made a right angle turn and leapt over the fence onto the highway in front of me, with the rest of the herd on his tail. The herd then hopped the fence on the east side of the highway, back onto the ranch land cow pastures. They all sailed easily over the fences with the exception of the younger smaller elk who struggled to crawl between the strands of barbed wire, breaking one of the strands loose from its post so that the wires separated enough to allow passage. Sadly, the last small elk straggled so far behind the others that it panicked, but instead of following the others through the gap in the fence, attempted to leap over the fence and ended up getting caught atop the wires with its belly pierced by the barbs. After a few wild kicks of its hooves in the air, it finally managed to find the lower rung of wire with its rear hooves and lifted its rear end high enough to drag itself forward off the wire. I hope it survived…
Nice! I think you mean a hodgepodge! Or hotchpotch!
Your last photo looks surreal, it’s so gorgeous!
Simon, you are absolutely right! I meant hodgepodge. I had a brain fart and forgot the last “ge”!
Thanks everyone for the comments. Yes, the elk are on the way to San Simeon, on the northern stretch of the Hearst Ranch. During the day, if one knows where to look, one can see them grazing up on the ridge. They are also on Ft. Hunter Liggett, although I have only rarely seen them there.I thought it was time to put up some varying photographs.
And Katie’s camera blog, your daily photo posts are amazing. I will be adding you to my photo links. You are an inspiration! I am glad you liked the lighting fixture. I thought it was quite dramatic, also.
A bit of this and that? 🙂 What I like best about that elk shot? the birds on the wires above them! Thank you for all the great info about them. My favorite is the lamp. If I turn my laptop, just so, it eliminates the wire or pole the lamp is suspended on and it looks like some planet moving in a deep, dark sky. Thank you for sharing these, Kate. I so enjoy what you see with your “eye”!