I was up at 5am this morning to shoot sunrise.  Sunrise didn’t come, however, where I located until after 6am.  It gave me time to scout out where I wanted to shoot from.

I went back to Vermillion Lakes at the outskirts of Banff.  I shot probably 25 images but I think this one turned out the best.  I was able to include the full moon.

Then I drove the length of the Bow Lake Parkway roundtrip looking for wildlife.  It was scarce this morning.  Actually, I had spent the night at a roadside parking area on the parkway next to what I soon learned was railroad tracks.  Between 11pm and 3am, four trains went by within a hundred yards.  Each time I thought, “well, that’s it for the trains”.

Anyway, the parkway is really a narrow two-lane road that runs parallel to the main highway.  There are supposed to be bears and wolves along the road but I haven’t seen any.  I’ve driven the road three times now.

I did find this elk, though.

I’m getting a little cocky now that I’ve photographed a number of elk and bear.  I thought, why not try to get a little something extra for all the good folks back home.   So I tried to encourage him…..SMILE….

Ah, c’mon.   SMILE.

How about a little somethin’ for the folks back home?

Check out his tongue.  I can’t believe he doesn’t have more respect for you than that.

I think I had one of his cousins for dinner last night.  I tried an “elk burger” at a local restaurant.  Actually, it was pretty good.

I head to Calgary later today.  Hope you have a good day.  I intend to.