Friday, March 23, 2012 Moose and Mt Goats

Deep snow has forced moose and mountain goats off the mountains to find food. The first mountain goat was spotted about 30 feet above Lowell Point Road on March 15^th. Up to four have now been reported, including two separate reports of a nanny with her kid. The usual birthing time is the second week of May! It's just amazing to see these "mountain ghosts" in the forest above the road, calmly looking down, eating young spruce needles, dead grass, and alder twigs while oblivious motorists zoom past.

The neighborhood momma and bull yearling pair seems to have split up. This morning, I glanced out the window before leaving the house for the morning walk. Yikes! The massive moose filled the window, as she strolled down the driveway and disappeared behind the garage. I leashed up the good dog and eased out of the house, camera in hand. She turned to check us out, then resumed reaching for cottonwood branches for breakfast with her mobile muzzle. Judging from the two generous piles of moose droppings in the driveway, she spent quite some time munching on the willows there.

Watching for moose and goats sure adds a lot of interest to being outside!

Happy Mammal Watching!

Carol Griswold

Sporadic Bird and Occasional Mammal Report Reporter