YELLOWSTONE'S WILD WORLD

Hi everyone!

First, let me say how good it feels to be back on line.  The site being down was quite the ordeal but we persevered and are on the other side.  Nothing but memories and new knowledge!

I haven’t had a lot of productive or full days in the park lately, due to working on the site, being in the Tetons and a string of days not good for photography, so yesterday was a treat.

Began the day standing on the hill, looking at this guy’s butt as he was tearing at a bison carcass.  Have no idea if the bison just died or drowned and was pulled from the water but this is very near  where one fell in last fall.  The carcass was nearly gone and the viewing situation less than ideal because people were standing in a bear management area.  But, it was the only game in town until a grouchy ranger came along and shut it down.  Grizzly game – a bear on a carcass is always a great chance for visitors to see one for more than a few seconds as it passes through.

Speaking of opportunities being closed down.  After allowing people to photograph the fox kits near Gibbon Falls for 2 weeks, a ranger shut that down also.  I think it was a precarious situation but what a loss to visitors!

I then spent some time looking for the coyote den, with great frustration.  Looked and looked and looked, in the opposite direction, nearly stepping on the den itself.  Had the wrong hill!  But, while looking I spent some time with a black sow and her two black COY near Phantom Lake.  I am easily distracted!  No photos because the light was awful but I enjoyed them immensely.

Also found the Raven’s nest at Golden Gate.  These 5 are getting ready to fledge – they were flapping and testing those wings.  Can you imagine raising 5 raven babies?  Not me – the noise and the poop.

Oh and speaking of nests – a couple of days ago I spent some time watching the blue heron rookery!   What fun that was as it was very active with a lot of youngsters flapping wings and moms grooming away.  Herons raise their young in a commune, which seems strange because they seem very solidarity once out on their own.

Not a great shot but you can see see several nests in there.

But, finally – the dream.  I have wanted to see coyote pups at a den ever since coming to Yellowstone and have spent many hours wandering and looking.  And, despite a friend writing to tell me about this one, after I had posted about my desire, it took Judy to show me where it was.  Speaking of Judy – she also had some days off from the park while Verne was raising Mayflies!  Love those two and their fascinating lives.  Be sure and see her new post on the cross foxes!

I waited nearly all day to see coyote pups, once I knew where the den was.  Waited and waited.  There was some question in my mind about whether they had been moved because earlier I had seen a canid with youngster moving west.  I was sure it was a fox but couldn’t get the binoculars on them fast enough to confirm.

So, when Judy found the first coyote pup out of the den, I was beyond thrilled.

The first pup stayed out about 10 minute and seemed pretty sleepy.  It went back inside and a storm came.  Judy and I, not wanting to carry the equipment all of the way back to the car, tried to tough it out but the bottom really fell out and we were rushing back in wind, hail, thunder and lightening.  A little soaked but okay.

I waited out the storm and went back up for a second try.  One pup came wandering out of the grass, looking like a drowned rat.  This one must have been sleeping outside during the storm. It took was only out a short time before going down into the den.

Another storm began to come in and we lost the light.  Coyote mom was returning to the den as we left and I turned to see her silhouette sitting on a hill.

I did check on the wolves and they had seen 3 Junctions in Little America, right before I arrived.  Some folks at the Blacktail had seen one wolf come down to the carcass.  And, signals were good in Lamar but nothing seen in the morning.  I went out to look for myself and all was quiet.  Been a while since I have seen a wolf – hope today is the day but I am getting a late start.

Deby