Striped Skunk walking on Sally Jones Causeway – Canon R7, handheld, f17.1, 1/1600, ISO 2500, +0.3 EV, Canon RF 100-500mm at 472mm, natural light
It was early morning on the last day of August when I found a Striped Skunk walking towards me on the Sally Jones Causeway at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge. Since it was just after daybreak, the light was still low. I had my ISO high so I could hopefully get a few photos of the skunk before jumping back into my Jeep to avoid getting sprayed.
Because I don’t see skunks all that often at the refuge, I was excited. I have to admit my hands trembled a bit because of that. It is probably a good thing my ISO was high enough to give me a decent shutter speed.
Even then, I only took two photos that I felt were sharp enough to share. This is one of them, and very shortly after I took it, I quickly climbed into my vehicle because it looked like the skunk was coming straight at me.
I sure didn’t want to startle the skunk!
Striped Skunks don’t have great eyesight, and I wasn’t sure if this skunk ever realized I was standing in the road too.
Before the skunk got close to where I was parked, it walked off the gravel road and explored the edge of the causeway on the bank of the Sally Jones Lake.
I was happy to have seen this Striped Skunk and happier still that I was able to get photos of them. They make for fun subjects when bird photography is slow.
I see four to five more days in the long-range forecast when temps will be over 100°F, I sure hope it cools down here soon.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to view my Striped Skunk photo gallery plus facts and information about this species.
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