Glacier National Park, Montana

Glacier scenery is incredible, so

The wildlife is really the icing on the cake.  I have images of only a few species, but they are wonderful.

Perhaps a white tail deer should be our introduction to the ruminants of the park.  Ruminants eat grasses and shrubs, perfect for the alpine tundra of Glacier.  As little as I know, I thought a ruminant simply had two stomachs and that regurgitation was a bit gross.  The rangers told me that it’s a lot more complex than that!  As many as four compartments to the stomach; fermented in the first.  Then regurgitated to be chewed again so that all the necessary nutrients could be extracted from a plant diet.

I think this is a white tailed deer – The ears are not as big as a mule deer.

Now moving on to a mountain goat.  Usually they are so far away I set my pictures up as “Where’s Waldo?” tasks for my grandkids!  But in Glacier they were up close and personal.  I wonder how this poor guy lost a horn.

But he makes climbing look easy!

It’s just put one foot here ….

He makes it look so easy.   What I loved about him was after his little ramble …

It was nap time!  Now that’s a ruminant I can relate to!

Next are bighorn sheep.  Not the Dall sheep I’m seeing (well, Where’s Waldo?) in Denali.  These are at Logan’s Pass.

It’s before rut so even the males move in small herds.  This herd was at least six animals.

Admittedly I’m using a 10x telephoto lens, but he’s still close. Later they move up the mountain …

They often graze in unison, and

 

Look up in unison.

And then stroll off.

Incredibly magnificent animals!

Next – Travels through Banff, Jasper, and the Yukon!