YELLOWSTONE'S WILD WORLD

Well, the wolf action sure did die down!  Yesterday we saw the Junction Buttes a million miles away, as they ran along a cornice at skyline.  They look beautiful up there but you will have to use your imagination because there was no way to get a photo.  The day before we had 965 crying for love in Little America.  I do believe that everyone is keeping a low profile as we go into breeding season, because they want to keep what they have.  Also, we haven’t had much snow and a lot of the elk have gone high again, except  for this herd pictured above on the Blacktail.

Today we had 925 and 926.  Apparently, they were about ready to get breakfast when the first car showed up this morning and sent them to the woods.  926 did not want to give up and kept coming back down but the crowds were too much.  There are a lot of people at the park right now and I am trying to figure out why it is so busy at this time of year.  Usually it stays slow until February.  But, even Gardiner motels are booked up.  The two wolves eventually went up and over Norris, presumably to go get the kids.  I am hoping that they have success in hunting tonight or early in the morning.  I have an idea that they are needing to eat.

In fact, we are seeing a lot of elk – moose too but I don’t have any new shots of those today.  This big bull was in the road and for some reason he wanted to visit with us.  Walked right up to say hi and I got a feeling we could have walked over and scratched his back or something.  He wouldn’t move out of the road either, not even when a huge truck with a big trailer came by.  I finally got into my car and kind of eased him off of the road, into the willows, before he got hit.  Tonight he was lying in the bottom of Phantom Lake, wondering where all his fans had gone.

So, I have been spending a good part of my days out looking for ermine and pine marten but not finding any.  Lots of tracks but no furry animals running through the forest, low to the ground.

Even been out on X Country skis looking for critters but nary a  one, unless you count the owl that flew low over the back of my head.  I ducked and it continued on without my seeing it – but its flight was nearly soundless and the bird was huge, according to the shadow.  My first trip on skis was at Warm Springs on a nice, flat, groomed trail through a beautiful forest.  It was nirvana.  Today’s trip was out Slough Creek, with no trees and a rough trail, plus a hill to go down.  Going up was no big deal but I haven’t gotten my downward balance yet.  Anyway, Slough was not near as fun but I did find a rock to sit on for awhile and it was great to listen to the sounds of silence.

So, when it is snowing and there aren’t any wolves then it is time to go find the stubborn bison bulls that won’t leave the NE section of the park in winter.  These guys are amazing animals but also a little grouchy.

I did drive out of the park and stopped in the road to watch a variety of birds that visit some feeders at a residence. The people feed all kinds of animals, foxes, pine martens and many birds, along with turkeys, and so there is an amazing collection of birds in one place. I was just sitting there, watching the birds and not even taking photos, when a woman began staring at me.  For as long as I have lived here people have talked about how, if you want to photograph the critters in this yard, there is nothing they can do if you want to sit in the road and do so.  I have only stopped a couple of times but know some folks who go by there regularly.  We are here for the wildlife and that yard has some birds I don’t see often.  Anyway, I was just watching and then she told me it was time for me to move along.  I ignored her, since I was in a public road.  Didn’t really want to have any problems with the person but she has never been particularly friendly so I didn’t see a reason to worry too much.  Well, then she starts taking pictures of me.  So, I hold the phone up over my face and take pictures of her. I think that if you are going to have a wildlife sanctuary on a busy, main road, then you get what you get.  My recommendation would be to put up a fence if it is that much of a problem because people do park and set up their cameras to photograph those birds quite often.  I hear that they charge quite a sum to use their window blinds.  Anyway, I moved on after watching for about 10 minutes.  With that bird activity I could have watched much longer – sure do miss the days when I had bird feeders and could just sit and watch.

I headed back into the park and that was when I saw 925 and 926 going over Norris.  But, not much else going on.  No otters, no moose, big horns were not in a good place, and the snow was coming down hard.  I did go over to Slough to check the bison carcass, which has been totally consumed by some unknown animal(s) other than coyotes and birds.  No wolves in the area though so curious.

The most habituated coyote in all of Yellowstone was staring at the carcass, afraid to go close, making me think that something was close by.

It was still snowing and I went skiing.  Boy did that wear me out but it was great.  On home and no animals to photograph in brilliant late afternoon light on the Blacktail.  I was bummed.