This week Egidio is curious to see what we Lens-Artists contributors consider to be wild. In this post I present images that personify my sense of wild as: undomesticated, untamed and natural. Below, a photo of the demure blossom of salmonberry, “a species of bramble in the rose family native to the west coast of North America…the salmonberry plant bears edible fruit, typically yellow-orange or red in color, resembling raspberries in appearance.”Wikipedia
Last June I participated in a hike, sponsored by Friends of Willapa Bay, to visit Bear River on a trail not yet open to the public. The Willapa National Wildlife Refuge is rewilding Bear River to provide critical spawning and rearing habitat for native salmon.
As I considered the photos in my archives, I realized very few are truly wild simply because I was there with my camera. I had driven, walked a path and/or had access to where I was without needing to cut my way through bracken or confront predatory creatures on the way!
Columbian black-tailed deer are residents on the Long Beach Peninsula. The large grassy meadow in front of The Breakers, provides lush grazing for this family. Stands of evergreen trees on the north and south borders of the meadow offer shelter. This 24 acre summer meadow/ winter marsh is owned by the Breakers Condominium Association Long Beach, and is maintained as a natural habitat.
When this Dall’s porpoise washed ashore at Long Beach, it didn’t take long for the gleaning community to congregate. Above, three Bald Eagles (2 mature, 1 immature) feast while a crow looks on. Below, a Bald Eagle flies over a Turkey Vulture waiting in the queue.
This view of Salt Creek Falls is accessible via a short, steep trail from the parking lot and upper viewing areas.
Willamette National Forest is one of countless wilderness areas maintained by the US Department of Agriculture and US Forest Service. The current administration has gutted both agencies and many more; not good for those of us who like to visit wild places.
Lindy Low LeCoq 
Lindy, these are fabulous wild images. I like them all but the one on the eagles is my favorite.
Thank you, Beth. The photos of those birds on that carcass has been lurking in my archives, waiting for the right challenge to bring it out!
Lindy, you picked the perfect challenge for that photo!
Lindy, the eagles were the top takeaway today, but the entire post was wild and wonderful
Thank you, Yvette. This was just the right challenge to present these photos!
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I honestly didn’t know eagles were carrion-eaters. I always thought they ate only live prey.
Oh, they are opportunists and will kill, steal and glean to survive and thrive!
Lindy, what a terrific response to the challenge! The rewilding of the Bear River must be a great project. It’s wonderful to have these pristine areas near us. I love our national forests and enjoy every chance I have to experience them. These are beautiful and wild photos.
Thank you, Egídio! This challenge was the perfect opportunity to show some photos of Bald Eagles being themselves. Obrigado!
The area around Bear River was forested in the early 1900’s and left a mess. Here’s a link to more information on its restoration.https://www.westernrivers.org/projects/wa/bear-river-willapa-bay
Thank you for the link.
Beautiful wild life, Lindy. Love the eagles. The falls photo was taken from a delicious angle!
Thank you, Ann Christine. This was the first challenge that I felt the eagle feast belonged in! Those falls are so pretty. I hope to visit again this July when I go fishing with my sister and brother-in-law.
Sounds a lovely outing!
Good selection! Cool eagles, and headless deer.
Oh, dear Ralph! Only you would see them that way!!!
Great photos Lindy. I love those feasting eagles, and the waterfall through the trees.
Thank you, John!