Winter in Grasslands National Park
Canadian Prairies were hit by a strong snow storm in early November. We received between 20 and 30 cm of fresh powdery stuff. I happen to be in Grasslands National Park as the storm was passing through and spent two days photographing snow-covered prairies. I have photographed in the park during winter before. However, I have not seen the park so white and pristine. Snow storms come and go, and in this part of Saskatchewan the fresh snow cover does not last too long. It is either blown away by strong winds or partially melted by warm chinooks arriving from Alberta. Driving conditions were so...
Read MorePhotographing blue moon and bison in Grasslands National Park
A full moon occurs every 29.5 days. Since every month except February has at least 30 days, there is a possibility for 2 full moons to occur in one month if the first is close to the beginning of the month. If there are two full moons within a month, people often refer to this phenomenon as a ‘blue moon’. The name ‘blue moon’ first appeared in the article “Once in a Blue Moon” by James Hugh Pruett published in Sky and Telescope magazine in 1946. He simplified a definition that appeared in a 1937 Maine Farmer’s Almanac. He wrote “Seven times...
Read MoreBison viewing in Grasslands National Park
This post is coming with a slight delay – I have been quite busy preparing for the photography trip to Iceland. In mid May I went to the Grasslands National Park in southern Saskatchewan. After a week of rain, the vegetation was starting to look really green. There was so much moisture in the air that a thick layer of fog cloaked the Frenchman River Valley and provided some great photography opportunities. My buddy Larry captured me in action one morning, a tiny person in a vast open prairie. In addition to new moisture, sloughs and dugouts were quite full of water remaining from last year....
Read MoreEarly winter in Grasslands National Park, East Block badlands
Early winter in Grasslands National Park (East Block badlands). I love photographing fresh snow on the prairies in early winter. The grass still standing from the summer season has not been pushed down by the weight of snow yet, providing a gentle texture to the rolling prairie landscapes. This photograph was taken in in the badlands of East Block. We were located very close to the north edge of the park, near the McGowan’s campground. It was cold enough prior to our trip in early December that we did not have any difficulties crossing several frozen creeks to reach this viewpoint....
Read MorePrairie near 70 Mile Butte at sunset, Grasslands National Park
Prairie near 70 Mile Butte at sunset, Grasslands National Park – West Block. Last rays of setting sun light the hilly area east of the 70 Mile Butte. To reach this point, drive along the Ecotour Road until it descends down a steep slope into the Frenchman River valley. Park by the rattlesnake warning sign and follow a walking trail leading west from the small parking spot. Watch for rattlesnakes that frequent this area in the fall, when individual animals travel several kilometres to gather in their favourite warm spots – rattlesnake hibernacula – where they will spend 6-8...
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