Cold Competence
Witnessing the strength & agility of winter.
They don’t have snowshoes, nor skis, or ice axes. They aren’t dressed in the latest trendy sportswear. For them to labor through the depths of winter’s snow & below-freezing temps takes sheer strength and agility.
As winter sets in and the temperature drops below freezing, we humans simply crank the thermostat. But on the other side of our doors, wrapped in their thick fur coats and sleek (but warm) feathers, Montana’s fauna perseveres through even the most miserable cold snaps Mother Nature throws their way.
Winter is a great time to witness animals' survival tactics, whether you’re on snowshoes, cross-country skiing, or have camera & big lenses in hand.
One such example is the bison, whose woolly winter coats keep them warm through the coldest of spells. Their behemoth size and causal cadence are deceptive. When urge strikes, these ungulates can move with surprising speed and agility, using their large heads and powerful necks as plows as they run, charge, and lumber through layers of snow. Once, as I was snowshoeing around Morning Glory geyser, I watched as a bull bison made his way down the snow-packed boardwalk. My anticipation mounted as he approached a fence, and I braced for him to knock it down. But he caught me by surprise. Instead, he gracefully leapt over it from a standstill—not touching the fence or the pool—before disappearing like a phantom into the nearby woods.
Foxes and coyotes use their keen sense of smell and the pouncing power of their hind legs to survive Montana winters. Watching them hunt is always a delight. Many times I’ve sat with numb fingers on the shutter release, waiting as they sit still and listen to prey moving beneath the snow. When their ears perk up and their hind legs tense, I know the pounce is imminent. I’m practically holding my breath as not to cloud up my viewfinder, when suddenly their pounce power kicks in and the upward lift of pure momentum sends them airborne. With a beautifully arched body, the canine employes its athleticism in a perfectionist dive and hits the snow head-on. I once watched a coyote perform this sequence for over an hour, catching a rodent every 20 minutes. When we departed, we were both content—it with a full stomach, and me with the fortune of witnessing it.
Eagles display their athleticism as they perform their flight skills, catching fish and protecting their meals. With a six-foot wingspan, they charge other birds—mischievous magpies, ravens, even other eagles—as they deftly defend their meat and move across the snow. The deer carcass is their trophy and certain cuts of the meat are reserved for their mouths only. However, the magpies have learned to team up against the eagles and steal a bit of flesh in the process. One pecks the eagle’s tail-feathers, distracting it and allowing another to sneak in and grab a morsel. While it may look playful, each of the different birds wants its share, and cautionary antics which frequently take place are actually based in survival.
Winter is a great time to witness these survival tactics, whether you’re on snowshoes, cross country skiing, or have camera and big lenses in hand. Being “out there” is rewarding not only in the sense of achievement, but also in the opportunity to witness our local wildlife perform in a way that most people never experience.
