Earlier this week, I accompanied my friend and accomplished wildlife photographer, Barry Stewart on an evening photographic safari. We focused our attention on the lower end of Kananaskis Country, the Highwood Pass in particular in search of grizzly bears. We were successful and managed to find and photograph a mother and her cub. We got a few other pictures as well, a very good evening!
This first shot is of a baby Rocky Mountain Sheep that we encountered on the roadside as we traveled to our ultimate destination. These sheep are very plentiful and not “top of the list” for photographs any more, but a newborn is special so here it is. File this one under “Cute”.
Sticking to the cute theme, here’s a shot of the young grizzly bear we were fortunate enough to see. I don’t believe this is a newborn. Its size suggests it is last year’s baby, spending its last summer with Mom before going on its own.
Following are two pictures of Mom, a beautiful blonde coloured grizzly bear. I think this may be the same one I photographed two years ago in the same area. It’s difficult to know for sure but there aren’t many of this colouring and given that she was in the same location makes it probable.
In the above picture she had just crested a ridge below the highway and was moving to get behind us to cross the road.
Above, Momma and the baby were coming up from a valley below the highway and in this picture, she’s scanning the area to ensure it is safe to move onward to cross the highway.
Just before leaving to go home, we spotted this pair of deer grazing along the side of the road. A nice couple who posed for us.
My last shot is not one of fauna, but rather flora. This beautiful mountain bouquet of wildflowers was difficult to resist and because I really like it, it’s in here with the animals.
The prominent red flower is known as Indian Paintbrush, complemented with some white asters and purple whatzit (sorry can’t identify those ones). Anybody knows, let me know too!
Update: The purple/blue flowers are Common harebell, also known as Blue Bells of Scotland. Thanks to Helen Rowe for helping me out.
HI Peter,
Love the fauna but the flora is spectacular, I believe the blue flowers are Common harebell or also known as Blue Bells of Scotland, latin name campanula rotundifolia , found on grassy slopes or rocky out-croppings mostly at lower to mid elevations.
Thanks for the reflections, loved the different shades of blue.
Thanks Peter
Helen