YELLOWSTONE'S WILD WORLD

For the first day in a long while I did not step foot into Yellowstone National Park.

My plan was to spend a few hours in the early morning and then return to my place in Gardiner for some computer work but a nasty asthma attack, the first one in many years, grabbed me during the night and threatened to suffocate me.  Quite literally – it was a bad and scary ordeal.  So, this morning, when I was finally sleeping somewhat comfortably, I declared a sick so time to get well day!

Once to work I was going through some late winter images, which are in dated and labeled files, when I found a day that must have just kept on giving in the wildlife department.  I think that if most people saw all of those animals in one day, they would be content.  But, of course, I want more.

And then I realized that a number of different species were taken from the same location.  It happens that way some times, where if  you just stand in one spot something will come along.  That is a method that requires patience and faith, or a willingness to go home empty-handed, but that often gives a lot of happy surprises.

Of course the first animals that I spotted were the two bull moose, sans antlers, at the Confluence.  As good a place as any to spend some time!

Well, they were kind of boring, nibbling and napping in bland light, and so I looked around for something else to shoot.

The bluebirds had just arrived in Lamar Valley, at the Confluence, and their bright blue bodies covered the fresh white snow.  I was able to entertain myself for a long time until the moose did something interesting or another creature came along.

And, eventually a coyote came along and he caught my eye.

The coyote was on a mission, trying to follow his mangy mate that had gone past a few minutes before.  Remembering this actually makes me sad because she is no longer with us.

And then someone else came along and was pointing up on the hill behind me and so I looked to find a ram looking down.

And, another ram on the ledge below him.

Big horns are cool but they are so very difficult to photograph in an interesting way and so instead of going for closeups I went for the snowy landscape views.

When I had tired of the rams I turned back around to see what the moose were doing and they were finally moving around a bit.  But, first, I had to capture the magpie as it flew along the river bank.

A few quick shots – more animal in landscape, rather than closeups – and I was back on the moose, looking for an interesting shot on a dull later winter day.

I almost forgot the bison bull on top.  He had found a patch of dirt to wallow in and right before he began he turned to look at me.  Ever wonder what a bison is thinking?  This guy seems distinctive to me because I have never noticed that curly red fur on their faces before.

And just to think, these were all taken in the same location, on the same day and the file folder was filled with even more sightings…