Well, I’m happy to report that the Tetons are still there, after a long winter and it is still possible to have loads of fun with great people who love the park and the animals. Bears in particular.
Yes, in the Tetons the emphasis of many wildlife photographers are on the bears – 610 and 399 to be specific. And, yes, that is why I went down there – to capture bears. Afraid that the mission failed miserably on that end but the wolves more than made up for that. This might be my only off road, decent shot of the three bears and it isn’t very good.
This morning, I arrived at the Oxbow before sunrise and sat for awhile, working on the computer. And then Bernie came along and we decided to go look for wolves. Well, Ms. 610 and cubs were chased through the Oxbow by a boar while we were gone. And there were no wolves. Some days are just like that.
But, I did have occasion to spend a little bit of time with members of the Pacific Creek pack and that was amazing! Until about a year ago, the last time I had seen wolves in the Tetons was 5 years ago when they hunted elk on Willow Flats on a regular basis. And then the hunt started and the wolves disappeared. Wolves belong in GTNP where there are plenty of elk.
I saw three different wolves, 2 blacks and one gray. The black shown here is older, judging by his teeth and that he is graying.
Other than bears and wolves, there was this one mountain bluebird that cooperated in the aspen trees with Mt. Moran back behind.
And then there were the landscapes at the Oxbow. No, I didn’t leave that area much, given that there was a carcass close by and we just knew that 610 would come down any minute and start eating. She never did and the ice melted and the carcass went down stream.
And then on the way home today there was the owls nest in Driggs and I was delighted to see little fuzzy creatures trying to peek over the top of the nest.
And the trumpeter swans in Island Park. Mama swan was off of her nest and hassling a nesting Canada goose but daddy was showing off for me.
Back home in Gardiner tonight and will be in Yellowstone tomorrow.
