6 Days in Yellowstone

I won't bore you with the details - just the photos - unless there's something new or needs explaining.  So have a look!!

Don and I started this Bear Jam - that's a Cinnamon Black Bear.
  

Got alot of shots of Black Bears standing up.
 

Last year we would have watched these 3 cubs and their Mom when they were just a few months old - now they're a year + a few months and in about a month Mom will be kicking them out to make their way in the world.
 

This is the baby Elk we found - was sure hoping to get a few shots of one on this trip and this one couldn't have been better!
 

This is a Grizzly on a Bison carcass in the Yellowstone River - south of LeHardy Rapids (south of Canyon). 

Harlequin Ducks at LeHardy Rapids.
 

We were hoping this Black Bear might try to go after the Mallard duck but he has probably been fooled by the ducks before and knows he's wasting his time.
 

Our Badger! Just Don and I to see him.  Wonder what everyone tho't we were doing?

Our 2nd Elk calf - this one is across the river.

Early morning Black Bear and she's really watching the hill behind us - we don't see anything but she and her cub take off.  It's a few minutes before we see a single Black Bear on a far hill.
 

Grizzly and yearling cub on Swan Lake Flats.
 

This is about the only shot I took of the carcass in Little America - we watched both a Wolf and a Grizzly on the carcass at various times.  The PhoneSkope got us much closer!

 

Yup - I started another Bear Jam!!  She was standing and looking - sometimes she'd look at this tree off to the left.
 

THAT is one scary yawn!!!
 

But now we know why she's so tired!!  The minute her back was turned it was Wrestle Mania for those 2 little ones!!  So much fun to watch them!! 
 

Something didn't seem right so she sent them back up a tree - they're quick to do as she says!
 

Pretty soon all seems well so back down they come - and it's back to wrestling!!
 

Luckily there aren't many people here - looks like Mom wants to cross the road.
 

Mom made it across with no problems but the babies are having none of that - cars and people?  No way!!
 

So Cindy had to quit taking photos for a minute and get the people to back their cars up to make a larger spot for her to get those babies across.  I guess if you start the Bear Jam you better be willing to direct traffic too!!

And there they go -
 

I've been watching this hill every time we go by - I just know there's a Badger there - and finally we go by and the photographers are gathered.  Glad we had the other one - we were so much closer!!
 

This Elk has a huge rack already - now check the next photo -
 

Life is so unfair - - 
 

Don and I had no trouble spotting this Black Bear - only problem is he goes up the hill where it's impossible to get another shot of him.
 

A Moose cow and calf - the calf is the one on the left.
 

Yes - there was even a Woodpecker Jam.  This Downy Woodpecker is right by the road and gets alot of photographers standing around with their BIG lenses. 
 

Nesting Sandhill Crane.
 

We were just in time to see the Coyote escort the Wolf across Lamar Valley to the other side of the road.

We go so many trips without seeing a Moose in Yellowstone - here's our 3rd for the day!!   

And here he goes again!!  Crossing the road back to the river.  The Bison sure watched him.
 

So glad we got some shots of a Fox!

This little pond beside the road had a whole bunch of these little birds on it - these are Red-necked Phalaropes.  I guess they're just migrating thru on their way to nest in the Arctic. 

A Marmot - one of 5 we saw in this spot.

There you have it.  Just a few of the almost 7000 shots I took - aren't you glad I didn't post them ALL!!  We spent 6 days in Yellowstone - a little over 47 hours of driving and our mileage was 1372.8 miles.  And one evening Don went to the office and made our reservations for next year!!!  I better start my count-down!!
Thanks for looking!
Cindy

May 5th - May 6th - May 7th

Here are the photos from last week.  Tho't I better be posting them since I'm going to be adding SIX DAYS IN YELLOWSTONE!!  Yes - our vacation starts on Tuesday morning - bright and early! - and ends on Sunday.

First up - we went to Yellowstone on Sunday. Turned out to be our best weather of our 3 trips we've made.  A friend of mine got up bright and early to go with us.  First up - just past the 7-Mile Bridge we made our first stop.  We found Canada Geese, a Sandhill Crane pair, 2 Bald Eagles and a Coyote.

We didn't make any other stops until we found a Bison herd just past the Yellowstone Picnic Area.  Lots of babies so we sat down and watched.

 Ahhhhh.  My favorites - Spring in Yellowstone!

Hoping for Black Bears we hiked down - I should say UP! - the road to Tower.  We had to do a bit of standing off the road - Very Still - to let the Bison pass.  Scary!!  But a bit further down the road we finally found a Black Bear and her yearling cub.

 I wanted a bunch more photos of them - after all I had walked UP there! - but here come the Bison again and there go the bears!  So we walked on up to Calcite and sat on the side of the road - my friend had spotted a Long-tailed Weasel !!

We were having great fun and wouldn't you know it - here come the Bison AGAIN!!!  After getting out of their way we couldn't find the Weasel again so back down the hill we went to the truck.

We did stop for a bit to watch 2 black Wolves - there was a carcass in the sagebrush.  They weren't all that close so I didn't waste alot of time taking pictures.

We hoped for Pika at the spot we always stop at but it was full of Golden Mantled Ground Squirrels - they got their pictures taken.

And finally a Moose at Last Chance.

I got up bright and early and headed north on Monday morning.  Stopped at the Burrowing Owls first.

Then on to Camas.

I've looked and looked and just can't spot a nest so I'm not sure if the Great Horned Owls ever nested at Camas.  But there are 2 of the that hang out in the trees.
 

Then on to Market Lake.  Calm water made for a Great reflection of the Western Grebe.

 The Mom was finally off the nest and there were at least 2 little Great Horned Owl babies.  
 

 LOVE to spot the Painted Turtles!
 

  
Marsh Wren - or as I like to call them - Little Bird-Big Mouth!  They sure are noisy!!

Tuesday Don was off so we loaded up and headed to the Tetons - in the rain.  We were in search of BEARS!

We couldn't remember which road they were down - Pilgrim Creek or Pacific Creek - so we went down Pacific Creek first.  No bears but I spotted a gray lump on a log and  quick told Don to STOP!  We backed up and here it's a Ruffed Grouse and as we sat there we got to watch him "display".  What a treat!!

Didn't try to get my shutter speed fast enuf - I did some video instead - but I like this shot of his wings all blurred - they really do go FAST!!  He must hold on tight so he doesn't take off!!

We finally found the bears - this is Grizzly 399 with her 2 - 2 year old cubs.  It was raining.  Alot!!

She crossed the road with the cubs and then she was much closer to us so got a few good shots.  Oops!  Butt shots!!

On the way home we went thru Alpine and stopped at this big rock pile to check for Pika.  Once again we came up empty but I finally got to see a black Marmot.  

 
And finally at Swan Valley I spied 4 Turkey Vultures in a tree and we turned around and went back for some shots of them.  So glad we did!!

Ok - that takes care of this past week.  Now to wait until Tuesday morning!!