Do you remember the elation I felt about my first encounter with one of our local Bighorn Sheep this past summer? Multiply that excitement by sixty, and you will be able to relate to my sheer sense of delight about a more recent event.
Erinnerst Du Dich noch über mein Hochgefühl, als ich im vergangenen Sommer das erste Mal eines unserer hiesigen Dickhornschafe sah? Multipliziere diese Begeisterung mal sechzig, dann kannst Du Dir meine Euphorie über ein Ereignis neueren Datums ausmalen.
As has been the case repeatedly in the past, once that long-awaited, sought-for first meeting with an elusive animal takes place, similar rendezvous tend to happen more easily—the Gordian Knot having finally been severed. Consequently, when I crossed paths not only with one Bighorn Sheep, but with an entire herd on a sunny Saturday in mid-February, I wasn’t overly surprised. Which doesn’t meant that I wasn’t utterly enchanted.
Wie ich bereits öfter erfuhr, gibt es eine Tendenz, daß gewisse Tiere, die sich anfänglich nur nach langem Suchen blicken ließen, plötzlich öfter zu sehen sind, nachdem der Gordische Knoten endlich durchschnitten ist. Folglich war ich nicht allzu überrascht, als ich an einem sonnigen Samstag Mitte Februar nicht nur einem einzigen Dickhornschaf begegnete, sondern einer ganzen Herde. Was nicht bedeutet, daß ich nicht völlig aus dem Häuschen war.
The rams and ewes of this mixed flock were licking salt off a street, in addition to sunning and grazing on a hillside on the beautiful grounds of Glen Eyrie, the same location of my previous solitary tête-à-tête. Fortunately only in a figurative sense, otherwise my noggin would have been badly hurting, despite my reputation of being hardheaded 😊.
Die Böcke und Auen dieser gemischten Schar leckten Salz von einer Straße, grasten und sonnten sich an einem Hügel auf dem wunderschönen Grundstück von Glen Eyrie, eben dem Ort, wo auch mein vorheriges Kopf-an-Kopf Treffen stattfand. Glücklicherweise nur im übertragenen Sinne, denn sonst hätte meine Birne gebrummt, trotz meines Rufes, dickköpfig zu sein 😊.
To enlarge a photo, click on it.
Um ein Photo zu vergrößern, bitte daran klicken.
Das sind ja tolle Nachrichten, wunderbare Bilder und … passe auf Deinen Kopf auf. Lach …
LG Jürgen
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Es freut mich, daß Dir die Bilder gefallen, lieber Jürgen. Und danke, daß Du Dir um meinen Kopf gedanken machst. 😊
Liebe Grüße zurück nach Hamm aus Colorado,
Tanja
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Bei den Tieren kann man schnell den kürzeren ziehen. Lach …
LG Jürgen
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Allerdings! 😊
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We’ve also had the unexpected pleasure of coming across a bunch of Bighorns greedily licking salt from the road surface. Not the most picturesque of settings, but the animals were so magnificent that it didn’t matter one bit. Thank you for reigniting the memory!
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I’m glad you were able to see them along the highway. It’s not unusual to espy them along Interstate 70 in Colorado, but usually it’s difficult to impossible to pull over to take photos.
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That phenomenon you mentioned — suddenly encountering “X” everywhere is one I first noticed with words, and then began to experience with flowers. Whatever the explanation, I’m so glad you got to see this group. The photos are wonderful.
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Thank you, Linda. I know I’m not alone in experiencing this phenomenon. One fellow blogger talked of “portals opening,” another of increased awareness. I think it might be a combination of both, but whatever is responsible, I’m grateful for it.
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Happy re-encounter to you. The Wikipedia article on bighorn sheep says this: “Sheep originally crossed to North America over the Bering Land Bridge from Siberia; the population in North America peaked in the millions, and the bighorn sheep entered into the mythology of Native Americans. By 1900, the population had crashed to several thousand, due to diseases introduced through European livestock and overhunting.”
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Thank you, Steve. It certainly was a very happy re-encounter.
It comes as no surprise to learn about the decline in Bighorn Sheep numbers after the “settlement” of North America. The introduced diseases nobody foresaw, but the indiscriminate killing (similar to what happened to beaver and bison, and countless other species) was avoidable. We are a species that is horrible at looking ahead and mitigating the effects of our presence and actions.
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What a thrill it must have been to see all those beautiful animals! And, yes, when you see something once, it seems as though your awareness has expanded and then you see it frequently. A curious phenomenon.
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Seeing them made my day, Laurie. And the more animals and plants I notice, the more I’m aware of how much I have missed throughout the years. It makes me sad, but better late than never!
Kind regards,
Tanja
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Oh, yes! The important thing is that you are noticing these plants and animals now.
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I find this – once I encounter something new, it’s like a portal opens and I find it again and gain. Nice photos.
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That’s really well said, V.J.–a portal. Once we have been allowed in, we are granted special presents. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos.
Best wishes,
Tanja
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better to stay away from its horns! 🙂
bye Tanja, have a nice day
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Yes, you are absolutely right! 😊
Best wishes for the week,
Tanja
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What a magnificent animal! Your portrait of him is glorious. I kept enjoying the way he took up his space so proudly~you really captured his essence. (I’m saying “he”…)
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Thank you, Melissa. The sheep with the big horns are definitely hes. The females’ horns are shorter and straighter, and they are smaller overall (I think the three licking salt on the street are female).
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Oh, ok, that was my assumption but then I questioned myself on it. I hope the road crews are aware that animals are licking the salt when they consider what formula to use. I think they put some pretty bad stuff in what gets spread on our streets. Some towns use beet juice, tho, which would surely not be harmful 🙂
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I asked the caretaker exactly that question, and he assured me that they used “healthy” salt! That’s good to know.
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Ah, they were ahead of us! Good to know. 🙂
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You’re hardheaded?
I keep looking at those horns. They are incredible.
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Well, some people might say that about me, but I might have to take issue with that characterization. Maybe opinionated would describe it more accurately. 😊
And I share your assessment of those impressive horns!
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Das freut mich sehr für dich!
Herzliche Grüße
Brigitte
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Dankeschön, liebe Brigitte, die wiederholte Begegnung hat auch mich sehr gefreut.
Euch in Bremen noch eine gute Woche aus Colorado,
Tanja
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Ganz beeindruckende Tiere und tolle Fotos! Bei uns in Baden Württemberg hat es heute den ganzen Tag geschneit.
LG Andrea
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Liebe Andrea,
Es freut mich, daß Dir die Tiere gefallen. Sie hinterlassen bei vielen Menschen einen tiefen Eindruck.
Wir hatten vergangene Woche auch einige Male Schnee, doch diese Woche ist trocken und sonnig. Vielleicht könnt Ihr in Baden-Württemberg ja die Feuchtigkeit im Schnee gut gebrauchen. Ich hoffe aber, daß Eure Frühlingsblumen keinen Schaden nehmen.
Liebe Grüße,
Tanja
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Morgen soll es noch mehr schneien. Die Frühlingsblumen halten das bestimmt aus 😊
LG Andrea
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Ich hoffe es! 🌸🌸🌸
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What a wonderful sight! Strange, but those horns and the regal poses of the sheep remind me of Egyptian Gods.🐏🐏There’s something so captivating about them.
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They are indeed captivating and regal, Julie. You must know more about Egyptian gods than I. The only deity that comes to mind is Anubis, he with the canine head. I don’t think that one has horns, even though he would look even more interesting if he did.
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I was thinking more generally…they sort of reminded me of sphinx statues scattered around . I think I’ve seen too many movies about Egypt, and my imagination ran away with me. Lol! Fab pics, in any case!
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A vivid imagination is a good thing, Julie. I’m sorry I tried to rein it in. 🙂
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I also think that once experienced many things start to present themselves in greater numbers. It may be coincidence or just that we are suddenly more aware. That said, bighorn sheep are hard to miss I would think. Glad that you got to see so many.
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It seems that many of us have a similar experience re-finding, once we have found, Steve. And you are absolutely right. These creatures ARE hard to miss. 🙂
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That is quite a flock of Big Horns. And you got some lovely images from the encounter.
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Thank you, Otto. What was so special was not only their numbers, but also their proximity, as opposed to my encounter last summer, when I saw one lone ram in the distance. Seeing them made me very happy.
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What an exciting encounter! I thoroughly enjoyed your description, and can imagine just how you felt. You must have been walking on air for the rest of the day.
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It was, Andy. You are absolutely right–I was floating on cloud nine, or hovering in seventh heaven, depending on which side of the Atlantic one does its air-walking. 🙂
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Tanja, your close-ups are amazingly beautiful! I can’t stop looking at them. Such a stunning creature!!
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Thank you, Donna. I find them fascinating, too, and feel so fortunate to have re-discovered them, and to have been able to watch them from a closer vantage point. I still kept a safe distance and made sure they didn’t feel threatened, and the fact that not one of them changed its position because of my presence was a good indicator.
There is a good chance you will see Bighorn Sheep in CO this fall!
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Das war bestimmt eine Gänsehautbegegnung (wenn das jetzt auch etwas widersprüchlich klingen mag ;-). Wie schön und was für tolle Bilder dir gelungen sind. Es ist doch immer schön, wenn Wildtiere Zutrauen fassen! LG und weitere tolle Begegnungen ohne Kopfschmerzen 🙂 Almuth
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Liebe Almuth,
Vielleicht war es eine Schafshautbegegnung (keine Schafskopfbegegnung), aber ich war nicht eine der Menschen, die versuchen, wilde Tiere zu streicheln. Aber Glücksgefühle gab es auch aus der Ferne.
Liebe Grüße,
Tanja
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Das reicht ja, Glücksgefühle aus der Ferne! Ich freue mich ja auch an den Kranichen, die über meinen Kopf fliegen.
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Wunderbar. Darum beneide ich Dich.
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Dafür hast du andere schöne Erlebnisse 🙂
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Stimmt. 😊
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what a nice encounter!
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It certainly made my heart sing, Karin. 🙂
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[…] I loved her Feb 26 post about Bighorn Sheep […]
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Beautiful! I love the outskirts of human life. Probably a good place to be, only if these creatures would have us.😨 Be safe!
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