Yesterday I mentioned the animals in Elk Island being happy to pose. Well, none more so than this little chap.

When we spotted him in the tree, we all jumped on cameras thinking it would be the shot of a second. But, I kid you not, this little guy was still hanging around and posing 5 minutes later.

In fact, I’d swear when we turned away he started complaining!

Here’s a few other shots.

Oh, the little white flecks on his coat aren’t issues with the camera, they’re little snowflakes – there was still a lot around. I may clone them out if I print one of these though as out of context they are a little detracting.

And no, I don’t think he would have let me brush him down…

(Oh, I was told this was a Red Squirrel. In the absence of other contradictory evidence I am assuming this to be correct)

Whilst in Canada we had an opportunity to visit Elk Island National Park to look for Bison.

Sadly the Bison decided it was too damn cold and snowy to hang out near the places where humanity might catch a glimpse, though we did see them in the distance.*

Still, the other locals were happy to pose.

In an effort to be prepared when leaving the house, I’d lifted out my 10-22mm and my 55-250mm lenses from my camera bag. By habit, I’d mounted the wide angle lens. It was only as we entered the park and I looked at my friends camera I began to get a niggling feeling I’d made a mistake.

Yup, animals tend to be skittish, landscapes less so – so if you’re in the same situation, mount your zoom lens in case an animal pops up. They probably won’t hang around while you change lenses and reset the camera.

*I’m kind of glad they were in the distance. Having partook in the eating of some of their friends in the preceding days, I felt guilty enough without having to look one in the eye. Funny thing, I’ve never felt that way when encountering a cow or a pig.

Sorry for the recent bout of silence. I was off to Canada to visit friends and get in a bit of skiing.

Rumours of Yeti sightings in Banff and Lake Louise can probably be explained away by me covered in snow.

Pictures and such will follow, but for now…

It’s absolutely amazing the difference 10 minutes can make. 10 minutes earlier and the sun would have been much nicer.

Mind you 10 minutes before that it was chucking it down.

And 10 minutes after I took this it was pitch black and chucking it down.

The Irish Marine Institute, Galway Bay.