YELLOWSTONE'S WILD WORLD

This morning brought heavy rains and high winds to Yellowstone and so I stayed home, looking out the window and thinking that I should be out there in that park.  The faintest red glow appeared on Electric Peak and it was nearly haunting.  For the remainder of the day there were periods of magnificent light followed by rain and wind.  Storm days make for the best photography.

I kept telling myself to stay put and get some work done but then the internet went down and I received a text about a dead bison.

All bets were off, after all, could not work any longer.

The news about the day thus far came from Josh and Melba who told me that Big Brown had been seen, which was big happy news!  And that 911, the black female and a JB yearling were in Lamar.  On top of all of that a bison cow that he had seen staggering around the night before had passed away, not all that far from the road by Lamar standards.  Maybe photographers will finally score.  And that a grizzly was seen near Trout Lake.

The other news that I heard later was that 5 wolves were seen near Grizzly Lake trailhead.  Two whites, one black, one dark grey and one mottled.  Sounds like it could be the 8 Mile.  The photographer told me that it was raining hard and so viewing was difficult.

Headed up Swan Lake Flat, intending to go towards Grizzly Lake trail but ran into Bill who was out there looking for wolves.  The snow began to fall in blizzard form but Bill told me that the storm was just passing through and it should be nice tomorrow and getting nicer every day.  I never did make it further south but did see a lot of elk out on the flats and many of them were running.  Also heard several coyotes singing their little hearts out.

But, back to heading out to check the carcass.  I got out there and a stakeout was already in process.  A coyote had been trying to get something to eat and left as I pulled up.  Some birds were pecking away and, strangely, a herd of bison stepped over as if to say goodbye but the carcass spooked them.  Maybe the sight of her large belly.  Looks like she died in childbirth, maybe a breech baby.  Not far out but parking will be a nightmare for sure.

I hung out for awhile, ate some lunch, nearly went to sleep and then had a genius idea – hike up to the Lamar den area.  So, I grabbed camera, bear spray and binoculars and took off across the sagebrush.  It was harder that I though but possibly because I have not been feeling well.  So, when I got up above the lake I decided not to go higher but to walk around the lake instead.  What a treat that was.  I had been dying to get up to the den area with some nice light because last year it snowed or rained every time.

For a little while I wandered, looking for prints and fresh bones but not really seeing much sign at all, which felt odd given that the area near the lake is a place they used to spend a lot of time.  From what we could tell anyway.  It is where they were a few days ago.  Hopefully I will get up there again to do some more exploring before the snow flies.

This terrible image is a view of the area where the pups hid when we first began spotting them.  There are hills and trees that block our view of this area but if people went way out they could see it better.

I did not stay long after returning from my hike but must say that it felt like something yucky jumped off of me while I was out there.  So quiet, peaceful and beautiful.   I would love to take a book and a picnic back there some day.

Headed back to the west with enough light to possibly see something, like Big Brown, but no luck.  Saw two German people photographing a stuffed bear on the rocks at Hell Roaring because they had never seen a bear before.  I laughed but also felt bad.

But, before I got there I stopped to take some photo of the beautiful light in Little America. The top image and this one were taken in two different spots.  In the top image if you look at the hills beyond, that is where the Junction Butte like to hang out.