We were out looking for animals in the snow (see my post here … https://kritterspaw.com/2025/04/19/let-the-snow-fall/ ). We were fortunate enough to encounter a herd of big horn sheep munching on the grass as they dug through the snow to get to it.
It was pretty fantastic that they let me hang out for quite some time and observe and photograph their behaviors. It was a terrific experience.
I felt privileged to be in their company, particularly in the snow. It was thrilling for me.
I was sure not to wear out my welcome and cause them to change their behavior. I left to allow them to go about their business, but not before documenting my experience with some sweet photographs to keep for prosperity.
In the Southeast corner of Arizona lies this virtually ‘unknown’ Park managed by National Parks Service as a National Monument.
The site was established as a National Monument in 1924 to preserve and protect the rock formations and many pinnacles and spires that litter the landscape.
In 1934 the Civilian Conservation Corps built roads, trails, and structures to further establish the site and give many out-of-work young men jobs following the depression.
The park is over 12,000 acres; 84% of which is designated as a Wilderness Area. We loved walking the trails and were delighted to encounter a number of wildlife.
Not only did we see white tail deer and turkey, but quite a number of Mexican gray-breasted jays.
Mostly we were ecstatic to see our first coatimundi. Coatis are a small animal looking something like a cross between an anteater and a bear, but are actually members of the raccoon family. They live primarily in riprarian areas in canyons near water sources.
Their long snout, white face, and long tail make them very distinguishable from other mammals. We have camped out on multiple occasions over the years in areas known to be inhabited by coatis, with no luck, despite long periods of time in remote locations sitting in quiet for hours waiting for them to come in.
So when we saw our first ‘band’ or group of coatis we were beyond excited.
We were told to look for ‘dancing tails’, and it wasn’t until we saw it, that we understood what we were looking for.
With so little precipitation this year, we were lucky to find a stream with water that we frequented at dawn and dusk in hopes of catching sight of a coatimundi. It wasn’t until after multiple trips that we finally spotted our first coati.
We were fortunate enough, as it turned out, to get multiple sightings.
As with any nature, the more you pursue it, the more you learn. We discovered that the coati would come out foraging for nuts and grubs in the heavy fall leaves coating the ground.
Oregon’s coastline is one of the most beautiful diverse places to experience. Oregon has done a terrific job of situating scenic State Parks along the route, 18 in all.
Alfred Loeb State Park Beverly Beach State Park
Each park is unique in it’s own way. Some are day-use only, others offer camping (tent only or full hook-up). Many abut the ocean with access to it’s beachfront for shell seekers, surfers, fisherman, and walking along the gorgeous shoreline.
Bandon Coquille River Lighthouse
Picturesque lighthouses litter the drive along capes like Heceta Head, Yaquina Bay, Cape Blanco, and Cape Meares just to name a few.
Beverly State Park
Some are tucked along ancient forests of Sitka trees, which mostly only exist along the Pacific Northwest where rain and fog are abundant.
Other stops along picturesque coastline include little marina’s and quaint bays with scenic walking trails and plenty of fresh seafood. We even enjoyed the occasion to do some crabbing for fresh dungeness crab.
Kelly’s Marina at Brighton Bay
On the northern end of the Oregon Coast lies Ft. Stevens, home to the Military Historic Site and concrete artillery gun batteries and the popular tourist destination of the Peter Iredale wreck, left to rust, stranded ashore since 1906.
Peter Iredale Wreck
We barely scratched the surface of all the so many places to visit along the 343 miles (a mere 8 hour drive), that we did in 3-weeks. Maybe next time.
The sea otter is the largest member of the weasel family, but the smallest marine mammal. These cuddly fur balls can only be found in select places. Their numbers were once in the hundreds of thousands, but were hunted to near extinction for their furs between 1841 to 1911, until the practice was made illegal.
Today they are on the endangered species list and their decreasing population had fallen to 1,000 – 2,000 animals worldwide, and remain tenuous due to their sparse range. Today it is estimated that 3,000 animals exist along the coast of California from Half Moon Bay to Point Conception.
Morro Bay is one of my favorite spots along the California coast, and home to a small population of sea otters who come to the Bay for its calm lagoon water to have their babies and protect them from predators (namely sharks).
The otters have no blubber to keep them warm in the cold waters. Instead, they have a double layer of fur for insulation from the chilly waters which they groom frequently to keep clean. If their fur gets exposed to oil it loses its insulating factors.
Sea otter pup’s fur traps so much air that they can’t dive underwater. If a mom needs to go out and hunt for food, she wraps her pup in kelp so that it bobs to the surface like a cork. The pups begin to learn to swim after 4 weeks and wean from mom by 8 months.
The otters feed on kelp forests and sea urchins keeping the marine environment healthy, and enjoy crabs, mussels, and clams. They give birth in the water and cuddle their young while floating on their back.
We watched as two ‘teenagers’ horsed around in the water dive bombing nursing moms and babies in the ‘nursery’ to less enthusiastic little ones that spilled into the water whining for mom. It was fun to watch and beautiful to see the otters flourishing in this special place.
It sounds like a spicy green you put in your salad. But in reality collared peccary is better known as javelina. It’s as foreign to these parts as spicy greens. Down South, you know, Phoenix / Tucson area is a more suitable home for the herbivore desert swine that subsists on desert fauna like mesquite beans, prickly pear, and desert greens.
The collared peccary is so called for their light colored collar around their neckline.
These small ‘pigs’ are relatively small in stature – only 2′ tall by 3-4′ long, generally 35 – 55 lbs. We encountered a small family of three – presumably the mother, father, and baby. They were very affectionate with one another and rubbed their scent on their skin to identify with one another.
The javelina are myopic and have poor eye sight, but rely heavily on their sense of smell and hearing. They spar with one another in a playful manner, as if to teach skills for the wild with predators such as coyotes, bobcat, and mountain lion lurking.
They were quick to vanish at the sound of danger, but slow to notice me watching with my camera.
They were more interested in the patch of lush green grass they enjoyed in an otherwise field of fallen dry pine needles in the thick forest they found themselves in.
Despite their unusual sighting, we were happy to see them and capture some fun shots of the peculiar beasts.
Just East of Alpine nearly to the New Mexico border is a 75 acre beautiful lake at close to 8,000 feet elevation. It’s home to huge herds of elk, turkey, and a variety of waterfowl.
Campers, bicyclists, fishermen, four-wheelers, and hunters flock to the respite. It’s just off Highway 191, otherwise known as the Coronado Trail National Scenic Byway, which follows the trail of the explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, who in 1540 sought the fabled “Seven Cities of Cibola”.
Wildflowers abound during the summer following monsoon rains, attracting birds, butterflies and other flying pollenators.
The Wildlife area provides a riparian area enjoyed by osprey, bald eagle, weasels, and tree frogs.
Whatever your allure, Luna Lake offers a little bit of everything for anyone who enjoys the outdoors and nature.
I love this season. It’s baby time! It’s the perfect time to sit in my blind and hope that I get lucky.
There is something peaceful and relaxing about observing nature unseen by the animals that live in it. One can hear the sounds of natures – the movement of animals, the wind and rain that pitter patters on the ground; the foraging of animals looking for food, quietly moving through the forest, ever so graceful.
You can get close to them and observe their behaviors and get up close and personal with them in their environment.
Of course, it often takes hours and days of repeated ‘sessions’ in the blind to finally ‘get lucky’. Animals, after all, are by nature, are not necessarily creatures of habit. They mix it up to stay alive and avoid the predators.
But, over the course of a number of days, and a lot of hours, my patience and determination paid off with little white tail bucks, baby elk, and gray fox.
North of Pinetop / Lakeside is an area known as Greens Peak. At over 10,000 ft, it gets plenty of snow in the winter, and is lush green in the summer. Hidden back along a well marked dirt road is one of our favorite places to camp, Carnero Lake.
I used to leave it’s actual name out of my posts, as it’s ‘our’ place. But it seems it has been discovered and become a bit over populated for our taste. Nonetheless, it remains a weedy haven for ducks and coots, and the occasional eagle and osprey.
For us, it’s a peaceful respite and place to relax and enjoy nature in all it’s glory.
Baby grosbeak awaits breakfastBaby acorn woodpecker awaits breakfastCoot with her baby float through the smartweeds, hiding in the reeds.Coots get into it on the waterDuck splashes around Carnero LakePelican lounge in large bay at Alamo LakeField of sandhill cranes.Osprey defends nestRed Crossbill birds feed off of charcoal pit at Aker LakeHummingbird feeds on nectar.
