*Image: Elk bull Chippy makes his way across the field at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center with a little bit of jewelry caught in his antlers!*

Ah, August - a month that acts as the transition between summer and fall. I’ll admit, I’ve been ready for October to arrive since June, but I tried my best to appreciate this past month nonetheless!

Luckily for me, the wildlife made it easy! From the first bugles of the elk rut season to the dozens of fish species that grace our mountain streams, I am lucky to have had many incredible animal encounters over the past four weeks. On the other hand, my third year of university have been packed with work, research, and general stress. Finding a balance between these things is tough, and I am going to try and hammer down a better schedule for myself this month!

However, nobody reads these blogs to hear about boring school struggles. Let’s get into my top images from the month of August!

Honorable Mentions

Number 5 - Just Two Boys Being Boys

This image was taken on an off-chance trip to Cataloochee Valley early one morning. I had returned to university a few days prior, and I was already missing my beloved elk boys. However, I had gotten word that an elk many of us in this niche Smokies community call “Palmer” was bugling. So, instead of going to Cherokee, I changed course and drove up to Cataloochee.

I found the herd pretty quickly with Palmer bringing up the rear. He was bugling, yes, but he still wasn’t super interested in any of the cows. In fact, his soon-to-be arch nemesis, Gulliver, was showing more interest in the girls right in front of him. These two were a treat to watch as Gulliver initiated a brief sparring match, a chance for both bulls to work out some frustrations as their testosterone skyrocketed.

The image above really accentuates their rocky relationship - Gulliver, curious and bright eyed, and Palmer, a bit peeved at his breakfast getting interrupted. We’ll have to see how this “friendship” progresses in the next few weeks!

Number Four - Black Bears and Black Cherries

One of the most important tools in a wildlife photographer’s belt is understanding the biology of the animals they want to photograph - in the case of this yearling black bear, my knowledge is what really made this image happen!

For the first two or so weeks of August, black cherry trees fruit. This is a tasty and nutritious food source for many animals but, most predominantly, black bears. For these two weeks, the bears hardly touch the ground - they are spending all of their time high in the cherry trees to feast!

With this information in mind, I packed up early one morning and drove out to Cades Cove in Tennessee. It didn’t take long for me to see a sow with three cubs beside the road, followed by many other mom-cub pairs. As fun as it is to watch these big animals clamber about in the trees, none of them offered a good photo opportunity… until this guy! He was in a small tree over the road, much to the delight of two dozen visitors and photographers. The cloudy morning kept the lighting nice and even just in time for me to snap some images of him, with the shot above being my favorite of the bunch.

Notice the small notch on his ear? Yearling bears live a hard life of rejection after rejection. Their mothers chase them off, leaving them to fend for themselves for the first time in their lives. To make matters worse, large boars (male bear) will kill any other bear who is not a mature sow in their territory. This little guy has to learn to tread lightly if he hopes to survive!

Number Three - Return of the King

There is just something about the bugle of a big bull elk that pierces the soul. Chippy, especially, has a voice that captivates all who hear him

This morning was an interesting one - after unsuccessfully flirting with a harem of twenty cows, Chippy ditched them to pursue a duo of equally disinterested girls. This image was taken as he lamented his frustrations after yet another cold shoulder. The poor guy just couldn’t take the hint!

Most elk cows don’t come into estrus until September. However, this is a very small two day window. Bull elk are constantly checking upon the girls in their harem to not miss the opportunity to mate, and this leads to many rejections and very few reciprocations!

But hey, he’s got a good voice, so that’s a plus!

Number 2 - Battlezone

This is a continuation from the morning I discussed in the fifth photo on this list. Gulliver and Palmer pushed each other around for a little while, with Palmer coming out victorious at the end.

I would also like to point out the drool on both of their chins… how handsome!

Number 1 - Distinguished

This image was not one that I liked upon first glance. Chippy came down to the river on the trail of two cows. The lighting was behind him and incredibly harsh, so instead of trying to get a traditional shot, I went for something artistic. It took me a while to edit this image in a way that I liked, but there is something about it that I am now drawn to!

I am always a sucker for black and white edits, and I think it works well with the dark sillhouette and bright early-morning water. This just goes to show that you can make a great photograph happen in unfavorable conditions!

Other Images

Monthly Adventures - River Snorkeling

When you think of the Smokies, do you think of snorkeling? Most people would say no and, admittedly, I would have said the same until about three weeks ago.

The southeastern Appalachians is a hotspot for freshwater fish biodiversity. In fact, this region has more freshwater fish diversity than any temperate tract around the globe! There are 67+ species that call these mountains home, many of which are only endemic to the Appalachians. We can point to many stream characteristics, from cool temperatures to high oxygen levels that allow for fish to thrive.

One of the best parts about being a biology student is that the entire outdoor world is our classroom. Over the past three weeks, my Vertebrate Field Zoology class has explored some of the local streams in Yancey and Transylvania counties. Both of these areas boast 20+ different species of fish.

River snorkeling is a fun and immersive way to see fish and aquatic animals in their natural habitats. It is not always the most reliable way to identify species (bright, distinctive color is practically nonexistent under water), but it is a blast when you are surrounded by a group of nerdy animal people!

Below, I have compiled some videos of the species we have seen so far… and these are only the ones I was able to get a clear video of!

Description: A brown trout (Salmo trutta) zooms by.

Description: A northern hogsucker (Hypentelium nigricans) sucks up detritus and silt along the stream floor.

Description: A band of river chubs (Nocomis micropogon) rooting up prey from under a rock.

Description: A blackdose dace (Rhinichthys atratulus) in a riffle.

Description: A fantail darter (Ehteostoma flabellare) playing peekaboo.

Wrap-Up

As you can see, August has been a busy and fun month! As the temperatures begin to cool and the leaves start to change color, I am so excited for what fall will bring.

If you are interested in learning more about my September plans, you can subscribe to my monthly newsletter at the bottom of this page (don’t worry, it’s free). Not only will you get some exclusive content (ooh, fancy!) but you will also gain access to my monthly life lists, where I literally write out every single vertebrate I see over a month’s time. Hopefully, it will inspire you to get out there and experience some of the remarkable biodiversity around us!

I will also quickly remind you that I have a print shop with some of my favorite images on this website. If you are interested in supporting my work or taking a piece of the Smokies home, then I suggest you check it out! Every purchase is appreciated AND 10% is donated to a wildlife charity! How cool is that!

Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed this monthly overview, and I look forward to seeing some of you in the field soon!

August 2024 Overview