YELLOWSTONE'S WILD WORLD

Must be the warm weather and the amazing array of wildflowers that makes it feel like it is already August.  Well, that and the big crowds.  Last year I thought that the wildflowers were a once in twenty year sort of thing and couldn’t get any more spectacular but I was wrong.  The hillsides are a bright yellow right now and there must be some flowers blooming this year that didn’t come up last.  I do love nature’s garden!

Well, it has been some time since I have photographed a wolf.  I took some dots of 755 when he was feasting on his calf carcass today but am not even bothering to look at them. It was just so great to finally see him and his gal and they sure did draw a crowd.  When I stopped by later, after not seeing Raspberry, the ranger told me that 755 and Hayden Valley Girl had met up and hung out for awhile, as if they were old buddies.  Rick said that they probably are.

In other wolf news, we saw three Lamars out hunting and running in the valley this evening.  It was 926, a yearling and Twin and they were harassing the pronghorn.  The others were pretty quiet, most likely at the den.

The bear jams on the northern range are out of control right now.  I came up on one today that made me cry – cars parked in the road, people blocking the bears and no ranger in sight.  We did have Scarface first thing this morning, at the Confluence, but he took off right away.  And, they had a good show with Raspberry near Nine Mile this morning.  Blaze has been seen everyday in Mary Bay and we got word, or confirmation, that the Hayden sow also has two coy.  It is a doubles year!

The big bear news is that Rosie kicked her three  kids out and ran off with a man.  I have seen one of her yearlings around Rainy Lake and it seems to be doing fine but looks so darned small.   Not sure where all these bears are going to go.  Nature is beautiful and it is sad.  I was thinking about my old bison cow and her calf today.  They have moved off and I don’t know their fate but doubt that they are still around.  Very glad that I did not have to watch that play out.

Well, not much else in the way of news.  The auroras the other night were amazing and are supposed to be good tonight as well but I might skip them in favor of some sleep.  Between looking for wolves every morning and evening and going to see Raspberry in between, along with late nights watching the skies, they are some long days.  Good thing they are getting shorter now!

Well, here are a few photos.  Oh, the wonderful thing is that I am sitting in a comfortable chair, inside of my tent, with a lamp on the table next to me, doing this post.  How is that for luxury camping?  Now I just need some gourmet food.  Well, no, I don’t.  Been doing quite a bit of hiking and making the most out of not having to drive to and from Gardiner everyday.  Sure does make a difference.  (OOPS, lost connection last night.)

At the moment we are spending a lot of time waiting on traffic to move, waiting for animals to show up, answering questions.  The key of the summer season is patience.  Lots of sleep, smiles and patience.  Have a great day.