Re-visiting the Sandhills

Sand and Sky

A selection of photographs from the Great Sandhills area of Saskatchewan can be found at AlbedoSurge.

Other blog articles about this area can be found here.

 

The Great Sand Hills – Part II

A Prairie Sand Hills Panorama (Click to enlarge)

Old Sand Hill, Slowing down...

Walking out to the distant dunes, I quickly realised that the typical moving sand hill is not the common feature in this area. Most of the hills and low lands are fixed -  clothed in prairie grasses, wolf willow, sage bush, wild rose, creeping juniper and  occasional stands of cottonwood. Infrequently cactus can be found, such as this blooming Opuntia species.

Opuntia Cactus Bloom

There is a certain quality about the area, perhaps accentuated by the smell of sage under foot, that brings one back into the wild west. I was half expecting a raiding party of Cree warriors to come over the next crest, or see the slow, creaking progress of a prairie schooner, hauled  between the hills by plodding, lowing oxen. Indeed, a coughing and lowing bull on a solitary mission (seeking romance, perhaps?

The Forlorn Shorthorn

Or looking  to challenge competitors?) did stroll through while I was walking on the hill crests. Although he was polled, I kept a respectful distance, as there was no refuge of trees in the vicinity. He moved on out of sight, and his low bellowing was to occasionally punctuate the remainder of my morning outing.

After about an hour and a half of walking, I came to my first real virgin sand dune, so I set up the tripod for some landscape photographs. A black mark on the sand drew my attention, and a closer look revealed a large darkling beetle apparently feeding or drinking from the base of a

Blooming in the Sand

small plant shoot. I switched myself to macro mode and went down on my knees on the sand to try to obtain a ground level photograph. The winds had been picking up the morning progressed, and I managed only one record shot when a gust took the hat right off my head and plopped it directly over my subject. The Sand Hills were said to house five different tiger beetle species, and during my

Darkling Beetle, Eleodes sp.

morning walk I had been keeping a careful eye open for these fascinating creatures, without success. Finding this large darkling beetle had cheered me up a bit, but  now my first opportunity at bug photography was thwarted by a loose hat and a wayward breeze! No time to kick myself however – I slowly raised the hat, hoping that the beetle would freeze long enough for me to get another shot. No such luck, it dashed off, scuttling across the sands at a hectic pace. I tried to snap off some photographs as he ran, but I found this to be an exercise in futility. I decided to switch to my Canon SD 850 and on video mode I managed to record a short segment of his ‘escapade’. He did stop momentarily to feed at a decaying mushroom and this finally gave me the opportunity for some quick photographs before he scurried off again.

The result of this beetle pursuit can be imagined. My virgin dune was no longer pure, having been trampled by a bug-hungry photographer, so I packed up again and continued on. Just around the next hill I finally came across my quintessential, unsoiled sand hill and I settled down record the landscape before me. Using my wide angle 18 – 70 mm zoom with a polarizer, I worked the scene, experimenting with different angles and view points, trying to capture the essential dune against the blue prairie sky. It was one of those occasions when I lost myself in the subject, alone in this wild place without distraction, running on the photographer’s high. Whether the results show it or not, it was an intensely satisfying experience.

My Untouched Dune

To be continued…

© Adrian Thysse

 

The Great Sand Hills – Part I

Mule Deer in the Great Sand Hills

The Great Sand Hills area is the largest remaining contiguous native prairie in Saskatchewan. Covering an area of over 1,900 square kilometres (about 750 square miles), it is a home to a wide variety of native plants and animals, including some which are considered species at risk. Last weekend I spent a few days in Saskatchewan, exploring the Great Sand Hills and the South Saskatchewan River valley.

Upon entering the preserve on my first morning I observed some distant mule deer,  however the first animals to be seen up close were a herd of cattle which were obstructing the road.  I slowly worked my way through the herd, somewhat impatiently as the sun was gradually showing itself and I did not want to

Mooooove!

lose the best of the early morning light before I got to the dunes. The initial views were hilly, and the road sandy, but there are no signs of the famed ’sand hills’. It is only when I neared the small parking lot that the true sand dunes became visible.

Most of the sand hills are not protected and they survive only due to the diligence of local landowners, ranchers and environmentalists who recognised the unique value of this area. Cattle now fill the ecological niche that bison once filled and it is for this reason that this prairie still retains its integrity. As you enter the publicly accessible zone you are greeted by a sign erected by the Sandhill Stockmen’s Association. This cooperative has taken action to educate the public about the Sand hills and helps to preserve it by limiting access and ensuring that the area is not overgrazed.

Entering the car park

The view of the first dunes are impressive.  Although the dune nearest the parking lot is marred by the foot and bum prints of beach -deprived vacationers, in the warmth of the early morning light it was still a grand sight. I needed to move further into the back-country to find some untrodden dunes to photograph, so I packed my gear and made my way up the path to a highpoint above the parking lot. At the top of this crest a boot rack of sorts had been erected, a wooden cross-bar lined with an assortment of old weathered cowboy foot wear: a reminder of the cattlemen that found this area worth preserving. From this vantage point I could see more distant dunes, so I headed out along the hill crests towards that area.

The Boot Rack. Nailed.

To be continued…

 

Where Am I?

On the dunes...