A Conference, Retreat, or Convention?

Just a few, huh?  I get up one morning and head out to Safeway, and this is what I see!  I did not try to get an actual count, and there were actually more than you can see in the photo--must have been several hundred elk.  The small ponds and grass in this area seem to draw them. 

It was amusing because the small ponds were frozen over.  The older, larger elk would eat/drink around the edges of the ponds, but the inexperienced youngsters would try to walk across the ponds.   They could not get any traction and would be skating across the pond with a look of shock on their faces.  But they just seemed to keep all four feet on the ground and lock their knees until they made it to the other side safely.  It was fun to watch.

By the way, if you click twice on the photo (any of the photos on this blog) you will get a larger version.