Mama And Baby

It's really not much of a surprise to see a moose in Alaska. However, we see them in our backyard so seldom, that it is always somewhat exciting...especially for the boys. Today, as I came back inside from getting bread out of the freezer, I saw a moose feeding outside as close to our "backyard" as I have ever seen before. I got a couple pictures through the window (which didn't capture her quite as I wanted.) So I boldly ventured outside to try to get closer. I know the risks...if I got too close or threatening, she could charge at me inflicting great damage. I wasn't very far from my door...but I had slipped on my husband's sandals, which even if I had buckled them would have slipped off if I didn't step really carefully. So the sandals would have hindered a quick escape should it have been necessary.

So there I am, trying to walk stealthily through the overgrown weeds out back in sandals several sizes too big for me, to get a better view of the moose. My boys are inside, standing on the chairs, and making all sorts of racket knocking on the window trying to get the moose's attention! That is all I needed. After getting a picture of the moose, I turned around and saw, thoroughly hidden behind the overgrowth, the smallest baby moose I have ever seen this close. So I got a couple pictures of the baby too. I was so excited to see such a young moose. I wish that they were closer together so I could have gotten them both in the same picture. Of course, after seeing the baby moose, I realized what an elevated risk I was taking, as the mama moose would be much more aggressive if I showed to be any threat to her child.

Here, you can barely see the face of the baby moose peeking through the foilage.

I got this view after I went back inside (so it is through the slats of the blinds), and you can see the body of the mama moose at the far right side of the picture.