On Saturday, May 24th, it was day four in the life of a moose calf here on the eastern flanks of the Livingstone Range.
The moose calf born May 20th in the Wedding Circle remains near our doorstep and continues to steal the show. The calf, frail in appearance, but full of resolve and tenacity, shows a winning ability to weather life's ups, downs and tumultuous rides in troubled water.
There have been times in the sunshine, romps through green grass, moments of frenzied nursing and quiet spring naps. There have also been more perilous creek crossings in which the calf, swept downstream, has nearly disappeared in thickets of dancing-in-the-water willows.
The cow moose has left her calf on occasion and, always nearby, has been stripping bark from aspens and balsam poplars, eating copious quantities of willow shoots and, last night at dusk, was gorging herself on glacier lilies outside our bedroom. Monica and I watched in lily-loving pain and bit our collective lips—it's the price of full-spectrum awareness—as the cow ripped mouthful after mouthful of the blooming wildflowers from the face of the Earth.
The two attached images were taken on Friday, May 23rd. The first catches the moose calf moments before it was swept downstream into a tangle of willows. The second picture, taken about 30 minutes later, zooms in on the calf, nearly dry again, safe—for the moment—on the far shore.
Two up-the-road neighbors have asked if the moose that delivered her calf in the Wedding Circle is their moose? Well, there are more than a few moose here on the flanks of the Livingstone Range and, as far as I know, not one of them acknowledges belonging to anyone. This noted, I'm contemplating writing to my neighbors.
The message: Yes, she's yours, and it's time for you to take her home.
As I write, the cow and calf are bedded and, still, within a stone's throw from my keyboard.
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