Snow Bears

So on a still rainy Sunday, I will continue blogging on that last still snowy November Sunday where the blog left off yesterday.  Still at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, I was treated to something new.  On every previous visit, the muskoxen, or Oomingmak, were somewhat sluggish, usually eating or napping.  In retrospect, I think they were just to hot in the summer to have any fun.  But on the first snowfall, I was treated to some action!  The muskoxen were clashing heads, literally!

They would lock horns, twist and turn, and then like cowboys in the old west, retreat a few paces and ready for the next clash!

However they did seem a little mortified when they realized I was watching them intently.  I think they thought all the visitors of summer were gone for a few more months.  Surprise Oomingmak, me and my camera never hibernate.  You have to admit, they look pretty neat with the white horns and white beards.  They remind me of Quakers.

No visit to the Wildlife Center ends without me spending some time bear watching.  Yup, this pose by Joe Boxer definitely made my snowy Alaska photo collection for the Christmas card.  It hangs on the window outside my office too, and it always gets a few comments.  People usually wondering how they would caption the bear.

Just wandering around before a nap.  A reaaaaaaaally long nap.

After a few minutes. he decided to wander off and curl up for a short nap.  He wasn't headed to a den...just a short snowy slumber.

Something about the fall colors just made me fall in love with this scene...the way the sky and the snow blend, the mountains have turned from green to blue, and on the lower ground, everything is shades of brown, including one dusky shaded brown bear.  Love it.

I think the sound of my shutter caught this bear just while he was getting drowsy, he looks like he kind of started.  This is the one hesitation I had in buying this camera...every picture comes with an audible shutter click.  When testing it in the store, I expressed concern about it not being stealthy around bears, and they just looked at me like I was a mad woman.  Well, here we are, and the bears do indeed notice the click.

And then it was time to head home.  Mr. Bear gave me a long slow gaze as I left.

And I was left with some beautiful pictures to tide me through the winter in case I didn't see them again til spring!