New images from the zoo!
Female Snowy Owl pruning herself. Interested in owning a print of this beautiful girl? Click here!
Pretty Snowy Owl
I spied these two grooming each other and then they spied me and stopped! Want to get a print of these two? Click here!
Such sadness fell over my house a week ago last Friday as my best friend, Bear departed the world for a life of no pain, fields of flowers and rainbows. Bear and I shared a fabulous life together for 15 years. He was a sweet soul who loved everyone and every dog and even every cat. The afternoon before he went on his journey a beautiful storm came through complete with gorgeous colors and a rainbow. How appropriate for my sweet friend. I will miss you Mr. Bear and you will forever be in my heart. With love, Mom.
After the storm, sliver of the afternoon sun highlighting the trees across the lake.
Golden and lilac light over the village.
The golden road
Me and Bear in 2006.
All the prints in this post are available in print form! Click here to order.
Shhhh! Kitty Sleeping
Neil, the Alpaca, in profile.
Yoga stretch for a clouded leopard.
Hyacinth macaws morning grooming.
Morning nap for a clouded leopard cub.
Stretched out and sound asleep clouded leopard cub.
The Girls!
the gossips!
BFFs
A light dusting of dirt should keep the bugs away.
Drinking water in the most dainty way!
Splashing to stay cool and clean.
Grabbing a snack!
Miss Sita investigating.
Zen tapir.
The first time I noticed yellow finches flitting around was two years ago. They were feasting on sunflower seeds from the tall stalks of once beautiful sunshine flowers that now were just pin cushions of seeds providing nourishment to the birds. By the time I noticed them they flew away, yellow streaks to across the field to find the protection of an old tree. These are elusive little birds.
I have been on a mission to photograph these guys. Today when I arrived to check my garden’s harvest I saw them fly over to the fence with their not so showy finch cousins. No sudden moves. I walked v…..e……..r………y……..s…….l…..o……..w…….l……y through the garden and stood very still, sometimes squatting out of site waiting for a yellow finch, also known as a gold finch, to present himself to my camera. Finally one began streaking around the garden looking for food as his little body caught the late afternoon sun.
Hanging out on the garden fence.
Yellow finch snacking on a sunflower seed.
Last Saturday was the Backstage Pass for the giraffe barn. The Nashville Zoo offers these backstage passes for people to see where some of the animals spend their nights and to see how much work the zookeepers do to keep these guys in healthy environments. We were able to feed Congo, the resident male giraffe, carrots and sweet potatoes. This was fun. Congo, being hand raised is very comfortable with humans. The girl giraffes are much more aloof. After the tour I stayed at the zoo all day and witnessed some really cool things!
Congo licking his chops after a carrot.
Cool view of Congo's mouth.
A friendly Congo loves to put his nose right on you!
Congo!
The giraffe herd: Congo, Margarita, Savannah and Sita.
A little mating ritual between Congo and Savannah! Amore!!
Savannah leaning on Congo.
Daddy wallaby
Nursing Joey and Momma Wallabies
Toucan. Reminds me of Toucan Sam from Fruit Loops. My favorite cereal as a kid.
Toucans.
Toucan grooming
the flamingo flock
Elephant introductions
Removing the fence separating the newest girls of the herd. This was so cool to witness. The new elephants from the Jackson Zoo have been here since November of last year. It has taken time for the older girls to get used to the new girls.
the herd
Elephant enrichment and exercise
Momma White Cheeked Gibbon and her baby in a tree. The baby is learning confidence.
White Cheeked Gibbon Madonna
The Nashville Zoo has a cool program called Back Stage Pass that allows a small group of people to visit various barns and back scenes of some of the animals on exhibit. Yesterday, a rainy and dreary Saturday, a group of us animal lovers and zoo supporters headed up to the Elephant barn to visit. When we arrived the two longest residents of the zoo, Sukari and Hadari were eating in their runs. Such majestic and jaw dropping beautiful, graceful animals. I think I had a smile on my face the whole time. The zoo is in the process of introducing two new elephants, Juno and Rosie who came form the Jackson zoo last year. It takes a while for the pairs to get used to each other. Juno and Rosie were outside in the yard playing in the rain. Elephants need to be with other elephants…. the more the merrier. Also all four are females.
We begin out little hike up to the elephant barn... lots of bright umbrellas!!
I called these two guys the puddle jumpers. All the kids were very well behaved. Julie, our guide explained that we needed to be quiet as to not disturb the elephants especially the new girls.
Hadari waving her trunk for the camera.
A little laughing for the crowd!
Snacking on hay.
This is Sukari. It appeared she had her back to us on purpose but it turns out she just like to lean and rest against the bars. I love how she has positioned her back right foot.
Just as we were leaving the barn to travel outside to the training, exercise area Sukari decided to turn around and wave good bye.
Elephant harness.
Juno and Rosie outside in the rain. They are about 10 years older than Hudari and Sukari.
Juno waving good bye to us. I didn't want to leave. I never want to leave the zoo.
The cool weather is the perfect time to see the big cats at the Nashville Zoo having a really good time!!
Clouded Leopard comes right up to the "window" at their Nashville Zoo nature enclosure.
Just like domestic cats, clouded leopards mark their territory with their mouths.
Big paws on the clouded leopard.
Profile of one of the clouded leopards at the Nashville Zoo.
Hanging out in the tree.
All the playing and climbing and pacing make a clouded leopard tired! Yawn!
