Denali National Park  

Riding in your car to MP 15.  Riding the bus.  Visiting overlooks.  Hiking trails.  Hiking off-trail.  You are always watching.  I subscribe to the multiple-eyes theory.  You’ll see more when there are 10 pairs of eyes than when it’s just your eyes.  But either way the basics are …

Starting easy

Note:  Almost all of these images were taken with either a 4x or a 10x lens. (I’ll try to indicate which for each picture.)  You’ll luck out occasionally, but the Denali National Park is designed to provide an environment for the wildlife – you’re just a visitor.

Look for anything that stands out from the pattern.  Dall Sheep are the easiest – white spots on distant mountains. (10x)

Likewise, caribou are often easy.  Horny shapes in riverbeds (4x),

and fields.  (4x)

Up close, brown bears (also called grizzly bears) also stand out.  (4x)

When they’re pretty distant it does get harder. (10x)

Caribou in Denali are like buffalo in Yellowstone.  You see so many you get tired of them!

Now a bit more challenging 

Constantly scan the fields – particularly ones with the specific habitat for the species you want to see.  This wolf stands out if you’re thinking that looks like good wolf habitat.  That’s why I always begin by touring with a wildlife biologist.  They’ll let you know which habitat is suited to each species. (10x)

Brown bears are gorging on berries this time of year so again, look for the out-of-place shape or color, or for movement as you scan.

Park rangers and “bear wardens” magically appear to make you keep your distance.  Unless you are on a no-trail hike … (10x)

Scanning, plus luck.  It’s very easy to miss this female moose in all that brush.  But that brush is moose food!!! (4x)

Now lets get hard

Pretty much dead center, but hard to spot… (4x)

Can you find the moose?  Hint – he’s bedded down and so all you can see is his white antlers above the brush. (4x)

Ptarmigans – the Alaska State bird.  (They’re one of the few birds that winters over in Alaska.  When the temperatures turn cold and days get short, they turn snow white!)  Obviously this is easy in this picture.  But you’d better see them now, because once they start walking into that brush, they get very, very hard to see. (All at 4x)

 

Look for the eye.

follow the movement …

 

Even a slightly turned head makes them harder to see.

And find the one in this picture!

Next – A brown bear digs for a tasty treat