Bighorn Sheep Lambs

Figure 1. Peninsular Desert Bighorn Sheep Lambs, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, CA.

Although I have seen bighorn sheep a lot, I didn't see lambs that much. Even I did see lambs, they are some months after birth.

On the first day of daylight saving time in 2014, I decided to go to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and hoped to see them. In fact, I've been there one week before and saw some sheep. But I didn't see lambs as some hikers said there were two or three. I was there a little too late and these sheep were on their way up the cliff. It only lasted for couple minutes.

It is hard to determine which is the best time. For me, Sunday afternoon in March 2014 is my lucky time, up to about 90%. Sometimes you need to be superstitious to see wildlife. I hiked the Borrego Palm Canyon as usual. Because it is daylight saving time, I started to hike from about 2:00pm. I tended to hike slowly and stopped now and then to watch the cliff and hear if there is any rock falling. When I arrived the oasis, it was about 3:30pm. The lighting was good when I hiked back. So I spent some time for landscape. Then I heard some sound below the trail. I stopped and tried to check. It is a herd of bighorn sheep. There were seven or eight adult and six lambs. The adults apparently are quite familiar with hikers and they just came close to the creek for a drink.

The lambs ran away upon seeing me. Fortunately they were not going too far. They went up the cliff by instinct. So I had some adults very close to me and some lambs on the cliff. Since I already have many adult shots, I aimed my lens toward lambs even these adults were so close to me for close-up shots.

These lambs were less than one month old. They are by far the youngest lambs I've ever seen. When you saw them bouncing up and down the cliff, you would admire their capability. Typically, one lamb did it first and others followed. This seems to be one way they establish their dominance. It's so fun to see them climb very steep cliff face down one by one. There were about twenty hikers seeing these sheep, until they went far and up the cliff.

It is good to see good pictures of these animals, but it is still far from the excitement of seeing them right before you. This is one of the best bighorn sheep sighting experience and to see is to appreciate.


Figure 2. Peninsular Desert Bighorn Sheep Lambs, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, CA.