Elk Enjoying the Wildflowers

Over the past week, I’ve highlighted a few of the many wildflowers growing in the Wichita Mountains of Oklahoma. But there’s a few more to share. In one area, I found meadows of gold … I’m not sure, but looked like a species of Coreopsis. They resembled the Lanceleaf Coreopsis, except a lot of burgundy color in the middle of the flower, which is normally yellow on the Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Note: a confirmed identity is appreciated, if you know the species). But the meadows were really in full bloom! On one morning, I arrived at a meadow to photograph wildflowers. As I pulled in, a group of 7-8 Elk (Cervus elaphus) scampered off. They had been grazing in the meadow. Here are a couple of images I captured as they ran from the meadow and up a nearby wildflower-covered hill:

Elk in wildflowers

Elk in wildflowers

As I photographed the many wildflowers, I was low to the ground. Looking up, I saw some of the elk beginning to make their way back down the hill towards the meadow I was working:

Elk in wildflowers

As I got back to photographing wildflowers, I lost track of the elk. But a little while later, I looked up to see some of them entering the meadow again. I grabbed my camera with my telephoto lens and grabbed a quick shot before they turned and ran back up the hill:

Elk in wildflowers

As you can see from these images, wildflowers were everywhere! And a few more wildlife species were available for photographing in the wildflower-covered meadows … stay tuned!

Photographic Equipment Used:

  • Canon 7D body
  • Canon EF100mm-400mm, f/4.5 – f/5.6, IS lens, shot at 400mm
  • Handheld, with IS “On”
  • ISO 500
  • Aperture f/8
  • Shutter 1/500 sec. to 1/800 sec.

 

 

Posted in Landscape Photography, Mammals, Nature Photography, Travel Photography, Wildflowers
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