We started with my spotting a large bird fly to a tree - I told Don it was more than likely a Great Gray Owl. I knew exactly where it was so I made a mental note to watch on the way home.
At Mack's Inn we turned around and went back to see the 2 Moose on the side of the road. But it was raining and still pretty dark out so on we went.
Just before 7 Mile Bridge we stop for our first Bison Jam of the year. And then on the other side of 7 Mile Bridge there are Bison crossing the Madison River so we stop again.
Looks like the one Bison has made a wrong step!! That must be one heck of a channel where he's at!! He made it back to the higher ground where the other 2 are standing.
Lots and lots of driving with not much to see. But we'd heard there had been 2 Cinnamon Bears at the Yellowstone Bridge and the Picnic Area so we kept our fingers crossed that we might see them. And we did!
They were just past the bridge and down below us doing some grazing. So we stood in the rain and watched them.
They wandered for a bit and then disappeared right down below us so the Ranger made us all GET BACK! But then they wandered the other way so back we went. We could barely make them out but could see they had both climbed the same tree. Luck was with us - they came back down and this time when they came towards us they crossed under the Yellowstone Bridge.
We all had to GET BACK again as this time they acted like they wanted to come up to the road again so Don and I loaded up and headed down the road.
Only to stop for the BABY BISON!!!!! Finding these is always a goal of the Spring Trips!!
Glad we stopped - he would be the only one we saw today.
We went clear thru Lamar Valley and turned around at Footbridge - only seeing Bison far from the road. We checked and the crowd and the bears had disappeared so we stopped for a sandwich and sat in the truck watching it rain.
We had another Bison Jam just past Floating Island - nothing was moving. Not the cars and Not the Bison! I'm not sure if one of the front cars spooked them but they acted like something had scared them and they finally moved so we could go on by.
But just down the road we have to stop again. This time we couldn't see what had both directions of traffic stopped. I was sure an animal had gotten hit and was laying in the road. DYING!! The cars from the other direction finally started moving but our side didn't. Then the guy in the first car gets out - and moves a bird off the road - it's a Sooty Grouse!! All that for a bird!!!!
As we drove by he moved back to his spot on the road. I'm afraid that's probably going to be what he ends up as - a spot on the road!!
Last year Don and I didn't have much luck finding Pika on our early trips. But the rain had stopped so we pulled off the road at our spot and walked along the rocks. Clear down at the end Don finally spotted one. Then off to the left we found a 2nd one.
We had 2 people stop to join us and LOTS stop to ask if we were watching bears. Bears??? Do you SEE a bear?? I'm not sure where they think we're hiding a BEAR!
And that was the end of our first Yellowstone trip of 2019. It turned out to be a pretty good day.
But driving back thru Island Park I watched when we got back to the spot I had seen the owl. And there he was!!!!! Sitting right at the edge of the trees in plain sight! Down the road we went and Don turned around the first chance he got. When we first got there I told Don to stay back in case he spooked and flew away - even if it was a distant shot I wanted that shot anyway! And away he went. Sad Cindy. But he only flew a short distance and I could still see him. We got closer and got some shots and he must've gotten used to the truck sitting there so we crept closer again. Any closer and our shots would be blocked by the trees.
He'd watch the ground and I hoped he would fly down and find something to eat but he never did. When we left he was still sitting there.
And there you have it - the 1st Yellowstone Trip for 2019. Hope you enjoyed it!! Thanks for reading!!
Cindy
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