YELLOWSTONE'S WILD WORLD

This is your weekend update for Yellowstone – have a great time in the park and be safe!

Lately, our days have been filled with a lot of rain, most often at inconvenient times.  Like, when the black bears finally get up from a nap but you can’t photograph them because it is raining too hard.  But, we need the rain and look at how beautiful everything is now!

Looks like we are in for some drier weather so get ready to have a great weekend.

****Please note, from now on I will be posting Monday through Friday only, with notes that will help you prepare for your weekend in the park.  I will take Saturday and Sunday off from posting and do a large update on Mondays.  Hope that this works for you – these long days make it hard to get everything done.

The Lamar Canyon pack, six of them, including 926, Twin, 965, Mottled, and two female yearlings, have been out and about quite a bit but sticking close to the den.  Be sure and plan to spend your early mornings or evenings near Hitching Post in Lamar Valley.

 

926, with Twin in the background, head out for a day of hunting, early in the morning.

 

Twin does a leisurely stroll across the road.

926 pauses in the road.  Notice the fur missing from her belly.  Sure sign of nursing pups

 

 

 

And, away she goes.

A larger view…

 

 

 

Female yearling crossing the road.

926 returns to the den area, via 21’s Crossing, with a full belly

 

 

 

 

On the way back to the den, 926 gets the bison and pronghorn riled up.

 

 

 

Notice how the bison have their tails up?  That is a sure sign that they are agitated and don’t want to be messed with.

 

 

Wonder what was going through her mind when she stopped at the edge of the road to pee, right in front of me?  Maybe she was taking ownership of the road?

Lamar Valley and Little America (the area between the Yellowstone River bridge and Slough Creek) are filled with bison calves and more are on the way.  Be looking for them doing cute things, like running and kicking.

A glimpse of a rainbow in Lamar Valley.

Don’t forget the other bison as well – Had a great time photographing some on and near Soda Butte Cone.

And, look for the stories.  This bison mama is old – you can tell from her light colored, rough coat, not to mention her boney frame.  Yet, she had a healthy calf.  Unfortunately, the calf has already been attacked and has a huge hole in its rear end.  Aside from licking its wound the calf seemed to be in great spirits.  The mom, however, is moving slow.  She takes ten steps and stops to rest.  But, she loves her baby – it is the last one she will ever have.  Let’s hope that she gets to see the calf get old enough to survive on its own.  After all, it is clear that she has already had one battle to protect her baby.

And, the little bug eyed pronghorn fawns are the cutes.  This happens to be the mom I wrote about quite a lot last year, that was wounded on the right side of her neck while trying to save her fawn.  I never knew if the fawn made it.  Unfortunately, the pronghorn send their yearlings away before they give birth.  But, it was great to see this gal again, and with a brand new baby!

The best place to look for pronghorn fawns is Little America.

Unfortunately, this mama has already lost her youngster – to a black bear family that happened upon it while bedded down.  The pronghorn, for some mysterious reason, bed their fawns down and then venture far away to feed.  The black bears, wolves, coyotes and grizzlies know right where to find the new fawns and calves, making them easy prey.

Black bears continue to dominate the Tower, Yellowstone picnic area.  Not to mention all along the northern range, near the road.  We have boars, families, and sub-adults, all roaming around.

And kestrels!  What a year for these falcons.  I have located a couple of nesting areas, one in Little America and the other in Lamar Valley.  Be on the look out for these small, incredible birds.

And, watch for after the storm drama and rainbows in the landscape.

Look for 755 in Hayden Valley, between Canyon and Grizzly Overlook.

Look for the Canyon alphas from Fountain Paint Pots to Old Faithful.

The 8 Mile should be around the Swan Lake Flats area but have not been seen much.

The Prospect Peak pack are on Blacktail.

The Junction Buttes are in the Little America/Specimen Ridge area.

No current word on Scarface.

Grizzly sows and cubs up high from Slough Creek to Soda Butte Valley.  Also a lot of sub-adults running around.

Black bears everywhere – just look.

Check out the peregrine nest at Calcite.  You will see people looking across the river canyon with a scope.

Grizzly sow and cub near Roaring Mountain.

Grizzly hanging near Grizzly Overlook in Hayden Valley.

Grizzly sow and two new cubs down around Lake area.

Elk calves around Mammoth.

This should keep you busy.  Remember, do not stop in the road to film the bison – use a pullout so others can go about their day.  When bison are blocking the road, ease forward slowly and they will move out of the way.  No honking or bumping!

Use pullouts when driving slow, to let others pass by.  Drive as slow as you want, just be courteous.  Don’t hog the pullout by taking up more space than you need.  Space is limited and we need to be polite to our neighbors.

Don’t scream or run around the wildlife.  Don’t follow the wildlife on foot or in your car.  Blocking the wildlife from crossing the road, by pulling up next to the animal for a photo, is illegal and it could cause the animal to panic and get killed or injured.

When a bison raises its tail, BACK UP!  You are in danger so move back slowly.

Do not feed the animals.

Maintain a distance of 25 yards from all animals, except for bears and wolves, which requires a distance of 100 yards.

Be nice and patient.  Don’t be rude and interrupt conversations or activities to ask questions.  Get out of the car, after parking legally and walk up to find out for yourself.  Remember, other visitors are not your tour guides and have no obligation to quit their own activities to help you.  So, when they take time out to answer question, be polite and grateful.

Thank your rangers!  The rangers are doing an awesome job making sure you have your dream vacation – be polite, listen and tell them thank you.

Have the best time ever!

Deby

 

 

 

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