Wild Species
Creek Bottom Tales
So I'm driving down a backroad with the temperature outside of my truck a cool -20 Celsius, when I spot this creek meandering through a pasture bordering the road.
I pull over to admire it with the tracks just as you see them, and about that time a coyote bursts from the creek bottom headed for far horizons.
Of course its not the coyote that held my interest, but the creek itself, as it took me back to my youth growing up in southern Saskatchewan, and this creek reminded me of the creeks that my boyhood friends and I spent many happy hours exploring with our 22 rim-fire rifles in hand.
Today I have exchanged the 22 for a camera, and on this day I decided that there could possibly be a photograph waiting for me if I explored this creek further.
After layering up, I got out of the truck with my camera, and after crawling over the fence, I was soon making my way along the creek bottom on frozen water.
I didn't plan on going very far, as all I really wanted was a photo shot from the creek bottom with the coyote tracks leading away from me.
After I did that, I decided to walk to the first bend in the creek to see what lie around the bend.
About the time I reached the bend in the creek, this Short-eared Owl who had been taking shelter in a south facing cutbank blew his cover and took to the sky.
Boy was I surprised and excited all in the same breath, especially since he must have wondered whom the Idiot with the camera was that disturbed his sleep, as he did a fly-by to check me out resulting in the photos seen here.
Now you know the rest of the story.
Click on the photo for a closer look.....
