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Preparing for Winter

There was one overlook in Yellowstone that was often full of cars. The first time I stopped to see what was attracting people, someone told me there was a black bear in a hole across the way. It was easy to see the hole and sometimes, if the light was just right, I could see bear fur but it took several visits before I got a good look at the bear. And then, on our last day, she was outside the den! People referred to the bear as a her/she so I went along with that. She slowly moved across the ground, scraping dry vegetation that she would collect and drag and then she backed up into the hole, as if she was making a nest for cubs that might arrive in the winter. I’d love to be there next spring when she emerges and maybe get a glimpse of those cubs!

Yellowstone Wildlife

Yellowstone is famous for its wildlife. We drove around and glassed hillsides and watched for animal traffic jams. Some people hire guides (and there seems to be no shortage of guide services) so we watched for their signs too. We saw wolves several times but mostly had distant views through scopes or binoculars. Same with the mountain goats. Bison, on the other hand, were common and often close, too close for comfort. Somehow I missed getting any photos of elk although we did see a lot of them. We only saw two moose and then in the deep dark forest on a gray day. Coyotes were relatively common but generally not in camera range.

Scenes from a National Park

Yellowstone is an amazing place to visit. So much to see. And I didn’t even get to half of it.

Ravens

Am I the only person who goes to Yellowstone National Park and returns with hundreds of photos of ravens? Why so many? Ravens in the park are very habituated to people. They see parking lots as sources of food – either crumbs left behind or as hand outs from unknowing tourists. I was kneeling down photographing one bird when they kept going over to a car and I realized that the man inside was dropping potato chips for them. Here is a post from my last trip to Yellowstone.

Sometimes they are in trees calling frequently. At one place, a raven made a sound like a wild turkey! It was hilarious and I only wish that I had thought to record it. When I got out of my car, I honestly thought there was a turkey in the area even though I’m pretty sure there are no turkeys in Yellowstone.

Some of the ravens had colored bands on their legs. Someone must be studying them. I’d like to know more about that.

Next Stop on a Roadtrip

We continued north, driving all the way through Yellowstone National Park and ended up at a Forest Service campground just a few miles away from the park boundary. It was a nice place to stay with a string of beaver ponds along a creek and lovely fall colors. There were trails through the sagebrush outside the campground that were perfect for dog walks. Our friends from western Montana, including their dogs, joined us for a few days. The girls and I stayed there for ten days. After so many days of trying to find a good place to camp, it was such a relief to be in a nice place with clean air. The night sky was clear and I could see and photograph the comet again.