a Saturday drive

When Mike mentioned we should go for a Saturday drive...to check on fishing on the Grand Rhonde, I jumped at the chance! Grabbing my camera we headed out..the Grand Rhonde fishing spot he wanted to investigate is about 2 hours here from the house, near Troy, Oregon.

We headed out and my first stop was above Asotin, WA on the prairie..the windmill and scenery just seemed to make such a quiet, scenic picture.


As we traveled, I remembered seeing Big Horn Sheep in the area, I hoped I could find some sheep and perhaps even get a long shot...maybe a nice shot with my long camera lenses.
We first happened across some mule deer. Some were grazing on the hillside, this doe was resting in tall grass..she thought she was hid. As I approached for a better shot, she got nervous and stood up, and gave me this amazing shot.


We talked again as we went down the road, about possibly seeing Big Horn Sheep...and THEN...there they were....and hardly off the road! I got out and manuevered for a shot..they seemed totally uninterested in us....and since there is very limited hunting on these grand critters, they were unfazed by human companionship. We watched the sheep as they fed on the hillside...the "big guy" kept his herd under check, pushing and shoving to keep them together and with him. amazing! He gave me a couple shots of looking directly at me....it was an incredible moment!


We also saw a herd of elk, but they were bedded down a long ways from the road, with no way to reach them..I took a shot, but it was a long ways away, and I was not impressed with how it turned out.

and..as we left the area, I asked Mike if he thought there were bald eagles in the area....and...just like he was on cue...an eagle flew in, landed on an old snag across the river, and sat there.....this was the only eagle we saw all day, and he stayed on his perch, watching the river for fish...I did not have a very close shot, but the shot I got has lots of interest, as it has a lovely background...thank you Mr/Mrs Eagle...that could not have been better!

I do not know if I will ever have another day filled with so much wildlife...even the grey skies could not lessen the impact of these pics..we, as photographers , always hope for a bit of sun, but the grey skies just imitated the quiet, peaceful mood of the critters and the day.....