7/1/18

The fifth of June found a herd of bison making their way through our campground and on down into the meadow by the river

June 11th we took a drive around the Lamar and Hayden Valleys. Dropping into the Tower Junction area after driving over Dunraven pass we stopped below Tower campground and took the short hike out to Tower Falls.

And then on down to the river itself, at the bottom of the falls

On our way through the Lamar River Canyon we took a short hike down to the river. The water level was still high due to the snow melt.

We saw a bunch of baby bison in the Lamar Valley.

On the way back through the Lamar Canyon, after driving through the valley, we saw a pair of black bears by the river.

Then as we were heading back through Tower Junction toward Dunraven Pass, we saw another young black bear munching on flowers.

Crossing Dunraven Pass on our way home we ran into a snow storm.

On June 17th we went out to the Lamar Valley again and saw what we think is one of the youngest bison in the park. It still had its umbilical cord.

Near Elk Creek, west of Tower Junction, we saw this cinnamon black bear eating grubs in a log on the hill side.

There hasn't been as many elk as we usually see in the Mammoth area but we did see this herd near Soda Butte, east of the Lamar Valley.

We drove around the lower loop to get home but it took a little longer than we expected because of people taking a look at a couple of bison near Fountain Flat Drive.

June 18th we drove around the upper loop after going to Lamar Valley. As we got to Tower Junction, Penny saw a redtail hawk swooping down into the meadow. She was able to get a photo of it catching a rodent and carrying it off.

At the east end of the Lamar River Canyon, just before we dropped into the Lamar Valley, this little Yellow Belly Marmot was sunning himself on top of a large boulder overlooking the river.

We came down through the road construction between Indian Creek and Roaring Mountain. In front of the Indian Creek campground was a herd of bison with a number of babies. Two of the little ones were playing with each other and one of them just wanted to cuddle with mom.

Another trip to the Lamar Valley on June 24th provided a lot of wildlife viewing. Between Phantom Lake and Floating Island Lake (halfway between Mammoth an Tower) we had a young black bear cross the road in front of us.

On a cliff face along the road to Slough Creek campground is a Golden Eagle nest with an eaglet in it.

After our drive around the upper loop we went out to West Yellowstone. Along the river we found a family of Canada Geese with four gosslings.

We had family come visit the park and we were able to show them around one of the days they were here. We took them on our favorite drive through the Lamar Valley. The first wildlife we saw was a black bear sow and first year cub above the Tower Junction. The cub was cute and scampered up a tree while its mom enjoyed some flowers.

We spotted a pair of sandhill cranes with a young one as we headed east toward the Lamar Valley.

Although we saw more bears as we were driving, the only one we were able to get a clear picture of was this cinnamon black bear above Tower Junction.

While I was out here at Seven Mile Bridge, next to the Madison River, making this blog post, I saw a pair of nesting Blue Herons with a chick and got a few photos of them. Those pictures will have to wait until my next post though, since I can't download the camera to my computer right now.

6/6/18

While I was out posting our

blog last month, I saw a family of ducks swimming in the Madison River next to the turnout I was parked in at 7 Mile Bridge. This was the first time I had seen Common Mergansers in this area. There were six of them but my best picture was of the parent ducks.

On May 19th, we went out to West Yellowstone and on the way back to camp we ran into a bison jam. It was the start of the migration into the park for the bison in this area.

Up until then we had very few bison in our area and those that were here were all males. Now we have a very large herd of bison with many babies. Within two days this is what the meadow by our campground looked like.

Last week we had a group of bison staying in the campground sleeping in various campsites.

May 20th found us driving around the Lamar Valley looking for animals. There were plenty of bison and pronghorn in the valley and a black bear at Tower Junction. The mother bison were dutifully watching over their babies.

There was still lots of snow on the higher hills, particularly Dunraven Pass and the rivers are swollen with snow melt runoff.

There were Ice Falls still hanging on the walls in Ice Box Canyon too.

We didn't spend a lot of time in the Lamar Valley, so we had time to drive to the south end of the park. Because it's at a high elevation, there was still a great deal of snow between Grant Village and the south gate.

The Lewis River canyon is always a fascinating view. We just wish there were more places to stop where we could see down into the canyon.

 We also stopped to view Lewis Falls, which was running heavy with snow melt.

 

The next day we decided to drive down to the Tetons. Before we got to the north entrance of Teton National Park we saw this sign.

Not far beyond that sign we came across this.

A little beyond that we saw these.

As always, the Tetons were spectacular.

 

We had lunch in Moose then drove down to Teton Village. It is an upscale ski resort just south of Teton National Park and north of Jackson, Wyoming. There was an Osprey nest on one of the telephone poles just outside the resort.

On our next weekend we drove around the upper loop, with a run out to Cooke City. On our way through the Canyon area we saw a small herd of elk running through the meadow.

May 28th we drove around the lower loop, with a stop in the upper geyser basin hoping to see Grand Geyser Erupt. Apparently we were a little late, as it appeared to have already erupted when we got there.

 

Near the West Thumb geyser basin we saw a bull elk in velvet.

 

With all the snow melt running off the mountains the Firehole river and Firehole Falls were running high.

We stopped at Le Hardy rapids but only saw two Harlequin ducks. They should be coming in to nest in the next few weeks.

The wildflowers are starting to bloom too.

Early on the morning of May 29th we found this site in the meadow near the campground.

June 3rd we took another drive to the Lamar Valley. Just outside the campground, at Terrace Spring there was a herd of bison. A few of them were close to the road with their babies.

We took the side road to Virginia Cascades between Norris and Canyon. Usually you can see the underlying rocks beneath the water, but not with all the water flowing right now.

On our way through the Bearmuda Triangle (Tower Junction) we saw three of these guys within one mile.