Usually our trips to Yellowstone start at 3:45 - we decided we weren't going to "hurry" like we usually have to and slept in until 4:30 since we had so much extra packing to do. Plus I forgot I was in charge of picking up lunch meat so we had to make a quick detour to WinCo before we left town.
The weathermen called for snow and snow it did! All day. Hard to get good photos with the falling snow but we got out and tried anyway. Nothing to see along the Madison - we made a right and headed south to check for anything happening towards Old Faithful. Few Bison on the road and we did stop for a Great Blue Heron on the Firehole River.
Brrrrrr!!
Then we got stalled because of the snow. We got to Norris and since we have 5 Days we tho't we might as well head over to Canyon and see if they were seeing Wolves to the south. We got a few miles down the road and I suddenly remembered - The Road Is CLOSED!! You can only get to the North Rim Drive because of a water line break so since we couldn't go as far south as we wanted we turned around and went back to Norris and turned towards Mammoth. Just before the Norris Campground they have the road blocked. Have to get some cars un-stuck and they would have it back open - in maybe 2 hours.
Well. Now what do we do? We have plenty of time so we went back and headed to Canyon again. Didn't see any animals and the boardwalks were icy and some closed entirely so we didn't do much sightseeing. Back to Norris. Now they've moved the closure signs closer to the big intersection so we decided to go back thru Gibbon Canyon and look for bears.
No bears. So we had lunch along the Gibbon River and when we finally get back to Norris they have the road open. Not sure where the problem was but we didn't see anything.
But we got lucky and found a Grizzly and her 1 year old cub just past Roaring Mountain. They've made a real nice boardwalk out to a hot spot - I have no idea if it even has a name - but the Grizzlies were dining on some of the green grass growing under the boardwalk.
Mama stopped to check out the crowd gathering on the road.
Then instead of going under the boardwalk again - Mama decided to go up and over. Not sure she understood that part about there being a "middle" where you couldn't get out.
She wandered back and forth on the boardwalk with the cub trying to get up to her before she finally climbed back over on the far side and they made their way up the hill and into the trees.
At Mammoth we find some Bison and those cute little babies right by the road. Time for photos!!
As we head thru the S-Turn and past the Self-Guiding Nature Trail (this is just past the Blacktail Ponds) I spy a Fox to our right. Don hits the brakes and there's a pull-out right there and in no time we're turned around and now he's crossed the road and he's on my side.
A Fox was on my list of things to see and I can check him off the first day! He stops and must be able to hear something - he doesn't move for almost THREE minutes!!
But his patience pays off when a Uintah Ground Squirrel pops out just ahead of him. (He's towards the top and right of the photo)
The squirrel finally comes further out of the hole and when he turns to go back in the hole the Fox RUSHES towards the hole and he gets him!!
The Fox drops the squirrel but he must be too injured to do more than thrash around in the snow. Finally!! - he picks him up and away he goes with him.
A quick stop when he thinks he hears another one and he's finally off.
We didn't see where he went so we head on down the road - it's getting late - already 3:10 and we want to get thru Lamar Valley and back yet.
There's a Black Bear along the Phantom Lake drainage and we don't stay long as he's on the other side and not great for photos. We've just missed a Grizzly and cub by the Lamar River Bridge and it's a quick trip thru Lamar Valley - only Bison to see.
But when we get back to the Lamar River Bridge the Grizzly and cub have returned and we stand in the falling snow watching. Wasn't great for photos and I didn't get many keepers but here's a couple.
We head to Gardiner to get checked into our room and get things from the truck to the room.
What a day! What a day! I had to work until midnight on Thursday and the alarm went off at 6:15 am (Ugh!) Friday morning so I could ride to Salmon, Idaho with Don - he was delivering a truck to his customer.
We left town sometime after 8 am. Was a really nice day for a drive. Really not much to see - unless you like sagebrush! But I kept watching for something and I did spy a Burrowing Owl - we stopped on the way home but he wouldn't pop out anywhere for us.
But we did stop for a "rookery" - which is a collection of nests high in a tree - and these belonged to the Great Blue Herons. These were right by the highway and Don was good enuf to take the chance of stopping - he wasn't sure the trade-in pickup would start again!! I always find it strange to think that these birds nest in a tree!!
That orange bill you can see - just above center - is a Great Blue Heron.
Don had to go to work and I debated - nap? or Camas? Tried the nap which once again Wasn't Happening so I loaded the car and headed north to Camas.
Right Decision!!
First time I've come up in the evening - I was hoping for Short-eared Owls - so really didn't see much else to get photos of. The Sandhill Crane was still on her nest, lots of Red-winged Blackbirds and Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Coots and various other waterfowl. And a somewhat distant Trumpeter Swan.
I finally spotted the Short-eared Owls - it was time to hunt so they were mostly flying far from the road. But they would land and I'd just hope it was close to the road.
And finally!!
Love these guys! He took off so I followed and watched for more. I did see a nice Ruddy Duck.
The owls continued to fly far from the road until I about drove by this one! Just as I spied him he gulped down whatever he'd caught for dinner but he did stick around for me to get some really nice shots of him. Or her.
Nope - all gone!!
He finally took off so I continued down the road - I was the only one out there but I still had to check sometimes to make sure I was still on the road and when I glanced back at the road one time what do I see???
A Long-tailed Weasel !!
I slammed on the brakes, threw it into Park and I was out the door. Glad no one else came along since my door was left open!!
These guys are really so sooo Small !!! And FAST!!!! Incredibly fast!! I got out and stood watching where I tho't I had seen him and he came out of a hole and looked around.
Sweet!! He was incredibly curious and kept looking at me and then running towards me - then just as quick he'd run back the way he'd come. Good thing!! I couldn't get a shot of him when he was that close!! He'd look around and then take off again.
He finally looked across the road one more time and he was across in a flash. I tried but couldn't spot him again so finally got back in the car to head home.
I'm so glad I had to give up on napping and went to Camas tonight!!
- - Ok - I was having trouble with the video of the Loon - hoping I have it figured out and it works for you!
Haven't had much time to get out with my camera - even less time to get some photos posted so I'll combine a couple of trips out to Camas and Market Lake. If you've stopped just for the Common Loon - scroll on towards the bottom. I even got a short video of him calling.
First up is a stop to check on the Burrowing Owls - only one in view so hopefully this is the male and there's a female sitting on eggs somewhere!
Can't visit either Camas or Market Lake without seeing hundreds (thousands?) of American Coots. This one was fairly close for a shot.
They have such strange legs and feet that I'm always trying to catch a shot when they're out of the water - see what I mean?!
Camas is the place to go if I want to see the Short-eared Owls and I've been lucky and got some shots of them.
When I can get one of the Cinnamon Teal ducks to sit still for a photo I'm happy - this one was busy and didn't seem to notice me.
The Willets are a noisy bird and like to stay on the road - in front of the car. Makes it hard to get a shot of them but I must've snuck up on this one at the edge of a pond.
Found a Long-billed Curlew walking thru the dry grass. He blends right in.
A Yellow-headed Blackbird
A Canvasback
Starting to see the Black Crowned Night Herons at Market Lake.
Usually the (American White) Pelicans won't let me get close for any photos but sometimes I get lucky and they don't take off - just paddle slowly away.
You can still find Sandhill Cranes
Even one on a nest!
Found a Trumpeter Swan that didn't mind getting a few photos taken.
Baby Canada Geese are showing up - Finally!! Love the babies!!
Tree Swallow
Mom Great Horned Owl was finally off the nest today and I could see 2 little ones - but so hard to get a shot of them thru the branches and the leaves coming on - so I just had a quick look thru the binoculars at them and then turned to get a shot of Dad.
And finally - the surprise of the day. Didn't expect to see a Common Loon today!! They have an unmistakable silhouette so I spotted it from a distance but getting a shot of it was harder than I tho't it would be! They dive and when they do they come up way Way WAY far away from where they went down!! I was backing up and going forward and backing up again - but I finally got my shot and also a quick video and he even gave that unmistakable Loon "wail". Glad I didn't give up on this shot!!
