YELLOWSTONE'S WILD WORLD

Kind of hard to believe that the past two days in the park could be beat for fun and wildlife sightings but today put creamy icing on chocolate cake.

First of all, even though it was my last sighting for the night, I finally saw Rosie and all three of her big, very healthy cubs.  They had grown so little when the family disappeared but wherever they were, they had some good eats because I did not even recognize them.

We were standing and watching a small opening into a meadow through some trees when the family grazed on by and we thought that they were gone.  But, no, mom came back and through the opening with the cubs following her.  They came to the side of the road where people mobbed around them, and stayed there until the rangers cleared the area and the family was allowed to cross the road.  Sure made my night!

But, back to the beginning.  I awoke a little late and decided to have a slow day and different day and so headed south from Mammoth, through Swan Lake Flats and that terrible construction zone.  Sure is looking like a lot more constructing to do in that area.

I did not really mean to continue south but did and along the way I found her.  Exactly what I had been looking for for months – the Beryl Springs sow and her remaining cub.  You might remember that she came out with three cubs at the beginning of the season but two probably got swept down the river when she attempted to get the across after several days of being thwarted by traffic and people.  Anyway, they look great – super great and the cub is a cutie!  No photos of the cub and just a so so of mom as she was a ways off.

After Beryl went into the forest I waited and waited but she never came out.  I made my way along the Madison River and the Firehole but did not see any elk, any eagles, anything except some bison.  A lot of folks fishing on the Madison on this wonderful Fall day.  The weather is just gorgeous right now.

Finally headed back toward Canyon but had to take a little nap along the way.  When I arrived in Hayden Valley all looked dead and so I went a little further and around a curve I found cars parked everywhere.  The Hayden twin, 4 year-old sow, was grazing in the meadow.

What a beauty she is!  The sow wanted to cross the road and so made her way towards the crowd and then turned in my direction, looking for a hole to dash through, and that is when I got this shot.  Two shots of her coming right towards me and I will cherish them always.  She disappeared and I went across the street to anticipate her crossing but she never made it across.  Judy told me that the bear crossed near Grizzly Overlook a little later and then swam across the river.

By that time I had gone on and looked for the Minis but they were hiding – there but hiding.  So, I went on and did not see anything at Calcite so decided to take a drive out to Lamar.  Bill told me that there is a carcass way out from the Confluence and I was kind of hoping that the Lamar Canyons had come home but they were no where.  Been two weeks since the family has been seen.

And so I made my way back to Calcite and was once again greeted by the fox, which I had to myself for a little bit of time before word got out and I was joined by every other photographer in the park.  I find it amazing that the group always seems to know where to be because I sure don’t.  But, we all had fun watching the fox and I finally got to see one jump and even got a great shot.

The male fox eventually made its way in our direction and so I was able to get some nice shots of it in the tall grasses.

After the fox was Rosie.  Ran into Brandy while watching the bears and she said that she saw the Canyon alphas on Dunraven this evening and that they looked great.  So good to hear that they were seen.

A pretty full day in Yellowstone and I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.