YELLOWSTONE'S WILD WORLD

It was a high drama morning with the Wapiti alphas.  Most certainly one of those days well worth just watching, even though some photos, or better photos would have been nice.

Rick did not have signals in Lamar this morning and so I decided to head south to see Raspberry but never made it that far, which was good because she never showed up.

I arrived at Grizzly Overlook just ahead of a long line of wolf folks who followed Rick south to see the Wapiti Lake pack, aka Lady Love and 755.  Some fog still blocked the views and so I made coffee and just did my thing while everyone began looking.  I just got a new stainless French press and so was anxious to try it out.  Plus, me without coffee is not good.

Once coffee was done I began looking and it wasn’t long before Rick found the alpha female, way, way off.  She wandered just a bit before finding something to eat.  Which meant that she bedded and ate in the same spot, some times visible and some times not.  Some folks came over and asked if their daughter could look through the scope because she wanted to see a wolf.  It took some doing but she was a sharp young lady and she figured it out and saw Lady Love.  Her family was so grateful and they ended up asking many questions – good question.  Another couple also joined in and so it was a morning of sharing the stories and answering questions.  Good time for that when the wolf is stationary and far out.

Then folk caught 755 heading out but he was hard to spot.  At which time a grizzly came running in from the north, towards the rendezvous site.  Needless to say, the bear was not welcome and the alpha female and bear went at it for quite some time while 755 wandered off.  The bear and wolf interacted at close range several times and we saw the bear take a swipe but narrowly miss.  The wolf was trying to get the bear to go in a direction it did not want to take.  Not sure if the wolf was trying to get at the pups but it sure wanted to go that way.  We did not see the pups today.  At one point Lady was following the bear at a good distance and every time the bear stopped to look back, the wolf stopped and crouched, as if to pretend she wasn’t really following.  It was crazy good interaction between species and so much fun to watch.  The two animals eventually disappeared in the trees and we lost track of them.

About that time 755 reappeared on the water’s edge and he followed the river around right in front of us.

Two days in a row and no word on the Lamar Canyons.  Just went out to the valley and looked and waited but it felt terribly empty.  No howls and no wolves coming and going.  Hopefully they will be home tomorrow.

Also, spent some time at the kestrel nest.  The adults are active, taking bugs into the kids. They take turns and it is neat when the male comes in because the female lets everyone know.  He doesn’t show up often for feeding but at least he shows up.  Fascinating to watch nature work the way it is supposed to.  When I really step back and think, I am in awe.

The black sow with the two cinnamons has been especially high profile this past week.  I think that she is getting pushed by boars but also by visitors and rangers with paint ball guns.

Rosie disappeared with her guy but her cub is still being seen.  One of them anyway.

Saw the Hayden sow with two very healthy looking COY out in Hayden