Bison are incredibly well equipped to survive the harsh winters of Yellowstone National Park and the Great Plains. Their heavy coats protect them from temperatures as low as -25 degrees F. Their bodies are so well insulated against the cold that snow and freezing rain that land on them don't melt. This is why bison are often seen with faces totally covered with snow or frozen moisture as they exhale. Bison use their massive heads to sweep aside deep snow as they search for the grass below.
Their adaptations notwithstanding, about nine of every 100 bison will die during the winter. Most of these were ill, injured, old or in poor condition at the start of winter. Young bison facing their first winter have a higher mortality rate, with between 20 and 40 of every 100 not surviving. Major causes of death include accident, lack of food and predation.
Winter in New Mexico sees some amazing sunrises over the mountains. Clouds are more common than during the summer, and the rising sun frequently turns them a beautiful red and purple.
I usually am up and dressed long before the sun starts to peak over the mountain top, and I try to keep a camera nearby so I can dash outside to capture Mother Nature's beauty before it disappears.
Winter is still a few months away, but this solitary tree in a field of deep snow and even deeper snow drifts in Yellowstone National Park reminds us that winter in the park really isn't that far off. I really like the stark beauty, the shadows and the various shapes formed by the drifting snow. Yellowstone is even more magical in winter than during the rest of the year. It remains my favorite place in the United States to visit.
