Giraffe (Close Up)
Giraffe are the tallest living land mammals and although it looks like their hind legs are shorter, all four legs are almost the same length. The scientific name "camelopardalis" originated from an early explorer who thought that giraffe resembled a cross between a camel and a leopard. A giraffe defends itself from predators with a powerful kick using both the front and hind legs.
Taken during the photography tour in Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.
Aoudad
Aoudads, also known as Barbary Sheep, are the only wild sheep in Africa. They can withstand great temperature variations and scarce water. Generally they obtain needed moisture from their food and can go without water for about 5 days. They were brought to the U.S. in the early 1900's for exhibition in zoos and parks, and survived well there; while the populations in Africa are declining due to hunting.
Taken during the photography tour in Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.
Female Blackbuck
Once abundant, blackbuck antelope are very rare outside game preserves in India. All young are born tan but males gradually darken to deep brown or black with age. Females remain a light tan with white markings and bellies.
Taken during the photography tour in Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.
Hartmann Mountain Zebra
One of the most significant differences between mountain zebra and the plains species is that plains zebra have 44 chromosomes and the mountain zebra have 32. The primary visual difference between Hartmann's and other zebra is the small dewlap under this zebras' chin. This species also has some physical characteristics present in the Grevy's zebra (no belly stripes) and plains zebra (wide striped).
Taken during the photography tour in Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.
Scimitar-horned Oryx
The scimitar-horned oryx is named for its long curving horns, which may reach over 3 feet. In fact, the scimitar is the only oryx with curved horns. They use their horns mainly for ritualized sparring competitions between rival males and sometimes during courtship. Because of their ability to locate and select these plants and physiologically conserve water, this oryx is capable of going for months without a free water source.
Taken during the photography tour in Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.
Ostrich
The ostrich is the world's largest living bird. Their weight, small wings, and weak flight muscles combine to make them flightless. An ostrich can maintain a speed of 30mph for 30 minutes and can reach a top speed of 45mph. Their strides can reach 11 feet in length. When cornered the ostrich can deliver a very powerful kick, able to disembowel a lion.
Taken during the photography tour in Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.
Ostrich (Close up)
This ostrich saw the truck in a distance and started running toward the truck. It came next to the truck and started to stick its head into the truck, apparently looking for food. It was a great opportunity to take a close up of it.
Taken during the photography tour in Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.
Southern White Rhinoceros Calf
Southern White Rhinoceros name, unrelated to its color (it is actually gray), is derived from the Afrikaans word describing its mouth: weit, or wide.The white rhino has poor eyesight but keen hearing and smell, and two keratin horns.
Poaching remains the greatest threat to the white rhinoceros. Its horn is used to make a medicinal powder in Asia and dagger handles in Yemen.
Taken during the photography tour in Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.
Common Wildebeest
After hearing so many stories about the wildebeest migration in Africa, I finally found how it looked like up close at the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center. Because these silvery grey animals with cow-like horns can sometimes, in the right light, look blue, they are referred to as the blue wildebeest.
Still, the migration in Africa is listed in the list of things to view!
Male Blackbuck
Only males blackbuck have ridged, spiral horns which can grow up to 29 inches or more. Dominant males command a territory of 3-40 acres that includes a harem of females and young. When alarmed, blackbuck can leap straight up into the air.
Taken during the photography tour in Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.
Gemsbok
Gemsbok is the largest and best known of the four species of oryx, or straight horned antelope. They are one of the most perfectly desert-adapted large mammals capable of surviving in waterless wasteland where many animals would perish.
The gemsbok's striking facial patterns are the inspiration for many African tribal masks.
Taken during the photography tour in Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.
Emu
The emu is the second largest living flightless bird and they are native to Australia. The Aborigines looked upon emu as the core of their existence - Emu provided them with food, clothing, shelter and oil used in the treatment of muscle aches, sore joints, inflammation and swellings. Outlines of emu were chipped into rock faces. Emu movements are mimed in many Aboriginal dances.
Taken during the photography tour in Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.
Fallow Deer
This is a young buck (female is known as doe) as the antler is still a single spike, and the number of points on their antlers increases with age. They are the most widely kept deer in the world, and most of the herds are semi-domesticated.
Taken during the photography tour in Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.
Jack Rabbit
Jackrabbits are not rabbits, they are actually hares which are larger than rabbits and generally have longer ears and hind legs. This fellow was out in the open fields of the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, with one of it's ear open in front, to try to catch sounds, which most probably that was coming from the truck we were in.
Nine-banded Armadillo
While taking break during the photography tour, we saw this baby Nine-banded Armadillo wandering around the grounds of the camp site in the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center. Nine-banded Armadillo is a solitary, mainly nocturnal animal. It is an insectivore, feeding chiefly on ants, termites, and other small invertebrates.
Texas designated the nine-banded armadillo as the official state small mammal in 1995.
Red-Crowned Crane
The red-crowned crane (Japanese crane), one of the rarest crane in the world, is known as a symbol of luck, longevity and fidelity. It is classified as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Taken during the photography tour in Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.
Giraffes grazing
Just before reaching the end of the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center's photography tour we came across the giraffes grazing around a small area of trees with the evening sun on our back.
Mesquite ProRodeo Series
Took an opportunity to immerse myself into what rodeo is while in Texas as I was there during the rodeo season which usually runs from April through September. Did a search in Google and found this place Mesquite ProRodeo, and attended the event on the last Friday in Dallas, as I was to fly to Portland that very Sunday.
The event starts with the American National Anthem and with the US flag being carried on the horse galloping around the arena.
Mesquite ProRodeo Series - Bareback Riding
A bareback rider uses a rigging made of leather resembling a suitcase handle on a strap. It is placed atop the horse’s withers and secured with a cinch. As the horse comes out of the chute, the rider must have both spurs touching the horse’s shoulders until the horse’s front feet hit the ground after the initial jump out of the chute. This is called “marking out”. The rider will be disqualified if he fails to do so.
Mesquite ProRodeo Series - Bareback Riding
Must be a bumpy ride for this contestant - I have not seen a horse jumping this high and without a saddle, then again where I come from, there are not a lot of horses around. One of the few contestants that managed to stay on the horse for the entire time.
Mesquite ProRodeo Series - Saddle Bronc Riding
A saddle bronc rider uses a thick rein attached to his horse’s halter. As in bareback, the contestant uses one hand and tries to stay securely seated in his saddle for 8-seconds. The contestant strives to keep his toes turned outward while he spurs from the horse’s shoulders to the back of the saddle. He must maintain this during the 8-seconds to score well.
Mesquite ProRodeo Series - Steer Wrestling
The steer wrestler, also called “bulldogger” has to use strength and technique to wrestle a steer to the ground as quickly as possible. As in tie-down and team roping, the cowboy starts out in a box with a breakaway rope barrier attached to the steer and stretched across the open end of the box. The barrier will be released when the steer reaches its head start. The steer wrestler uses a “hazer” to catch his steer. The hazer gallops his horse along the right side of the steer to keep it from veering away from the steer wrestler.
Mesquite ProRodeo Series - Steer Wrestling
When the cowboy reaches his steer, he slides down and off the right side of his horse, hooks his right arm around the steer’s right horn, grasp the left horn with his left hand and using strength and leverage slows the animal down and wrestle’s him to the ground. He must get the steer on its side with all four feet pointing the same direction for his ride to be complete.
Mesquite ProRodeo Series - Team Roping
Team Roping consist of two skilled ropers – a header and a heeler – and their horses. Team Ropers must perfect their timing – not only between themselves but their horses. Team ropers each start in a box with a chute between which the steer enters the arena from. As in the other roping events the steer receives a head start with the barrier attached across the open end of the header box. When the barrier is released, the header takes off with the heeler trailing slightly behind. The header ropes first and must make one of three legal catches on the steer, around both horns, around one horn and the head or around the neck. Any other catch is considered illegal and the team is disqualified. After the header makes his catch he turns the steer to the left to expose the hind legs to the heeler. The heeler attempts to rope both hind legs. If he only catches one foot the team is assessed a 5-second penalty. After they catch their steer the clock is stopped when there is no slack in their ropes and their horses face each other.
Mesquite ProRodeo Series - Mutton Bustin’
Kids wanting to start learning what rodeo can offer to them? Here's the opportunity as Mutton Bustin' is just for that. Any youngster 4 years old or older and weigh 55 pounds or less can sign up. They will be given a helmet and vest to wear and they need to do is to ride the sheep and hang on as it runs.
Mesquite ProRodeo Series - Tie Down Roping
Precise teamwork between the tie down roper and his horse plays a big part in the success the roper has receiving the fastest time. The contestant starts from the box with the calf in the chute adjacent to the box. The calf receives a head start and once the calf reaches its advantage start, the barrier is released across the open end of the box. The horse is trained to come to a stop as soon as the cowboy throws his loop and catches the calf.
Mesquite ProRodeo Series - Tie Down Roping
He then dismounts, sprints to the calf and throws it by hand (called flanking). If the calf is not standing when he reaches it, he must allow the calf to get back on its feet. After the calf is flanked, he ties any three legs together with a pigging string. The horse in the mean time, must pull back hard enough to eliminate any slack in the rope, but not so hard that it drags the calf. Once the calf is tied, the roper throws his hands up in the air to signal completion. He then remounts his horse, creates slack in the rope and waits six seconds to see if the calf remains tied. If the calf kicks free, a no-time is received.
Mesquite ProRodeo Series - Bull Riding
With one hand, a bull rider grasps a flat braided rope which is wrapped around the bull’s chest; just behind the front legs and over its withers. One end of the bull rope (tail) is threaded through a loop on the other end and tightened around the bull. To secure his grip he then wraps the tail around his hand – sometimes weaving it through his fingers to further secure his grip.
Mesquite ProRodeo Series - Bull Riding
In bullriding a contestant is not required to “mark out”. While spurring can add to their score, riders are judged solely on their ability to stay on the bull.
In this case, the rider was not able to stay on this fierce kicking bull.
Mesquite ProRodeo Series - Bull Riding
The cowboys and cowgirls accumulate points over the span of 12-weeks in hopes of gaining a spot to the Mesquite ProRodeo Series Finals. The top 10-points earners will get to be invited to compete in the finals that consist of the TOP NOTCH in the sport. Winner will get some prize money which could reach USD 21,000.
Mesquite ProRodeo Series - Mustangs
At the end of the event, the lights dimmed (it was actually pitch black!) and the horses were allowed to run around the arena with the spotlight shining on them as they galloped. Rather nice dramatic end to the event.
Mirror Lake with Mount Hood (Panoramic)
Mirror Lake is a mountain lake in Clackamas County of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is about 11.4 kilometres (7.1 mi) southwest of Mount Hood. From the car park, it is a 2.9 miles round-trip to Mirror Lake with elevation gain of 780 feet. For someone with not much of exercise and without much hiking experience, this is not an easy hike!
But it was worth the hike to have this opportunity of clear sky and a great view of Mount Hood in its background!
Wahkeena Creek
Blame it on the hike at Mirror Lake for a shot with Mount Hood in the background, I was too tired to hike up to see the Wahkeena Falls, so I had to content with the waters at the Wahkeena Creek which is at the bottom of the fall, water flowing downwards toward Columbia River.
This is along the historic Columbia Gorge Scenic Highway.
Multnomah Falls with Benson Bridge
Multnomah Falls is a 611-foot-tall roaring, awe-inspiring cascade of icy water waterfall on the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge, along the Historic Columbia River Highway. It is the tallest waterfall in Oregon and second tallest year-round waterfall in the United States (by the United States Forest Service)
Upper Multnomah Falls
Multnomah Falls is split into an upper falls of 542 feet (165 m), along with a small cascade between the two and a 10 foot fall immediately above the main drop which is sometimes called Little Multnomah Falls. This section is viewable on the Benson Bridge.
Lower Multnomah Falls
The lower Multnomah falls has a height of 69 feet (21 m). According to Native American lore, Multnomah Falls was created to win the heart of a young princess who wanted a hidden place to bathe.