May 2019 trip, first four days, May 12-15
Posted: Wed May 15, 2019 11:42 pm
Been having hotel internet problems and trouble getting Flickr to work, so I have to combine several days of bad pictures.
So far it's been a trip of near misses and long distances for me. After I got to West Sunday evening, I took a quick trip into the park and found this bear just south of Beryl Spring. Some woman who loudly proclaimed she was an expert several times told everyone this was a grizzly because of the hump. It was in grizzly territory, but it looks like a cinnamon to me.
Bear near Beryl 5-12-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
On Monday, I drove up hoping to see Obsidian and her 3, but she'd just gone into the woods. Got to Hellroaring Overlook, and there was a black bear with 2 cubs just off the pavement, and they climbed up onto the pavement, and rangers made all the cars pull out of there. Poor lighting and branches in the faces most of the time, but this one was okay.
Cub at Hellroaring overlook 5-13-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
Went down the hill toward Hellroaring, and this coyote was at the double pullouts.
Coyote near Hellroaring 5-13-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
Had hoped to find Rosie and her 3 yearlings, but they weren't out when I was there. Did find the former "angry mom" with her yearling at Calcite. Met Dawn (former Prairie Dee), so that was fun to get acquainted.
Angry mom and yearling Calcite 5-13-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
I went to Lamar and on the way back as I was driving through a lot of traffic, I noticed a wolf running up the hill. I had to wait to shoot through the passenger window, and it was pretty far up by then. But it was a pretty wolf.
wolf at Fisherman's 5-13-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
On the way back west, I got a parking spot, but the Obsidian gang had gone into the woods.
Some ducks on the Madison.
Ducks on Madison 5-13-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
On Tuesday, I decided to look for Snow and Raspberry. This grizzly was across the Yellowstone River north of LeHardy.
Grizz near LeHardy 5-14-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
I did find Snow up on a hill about a mile east of the Lake Butte overlook road. At the same time, I finally got to meet James Yule. Have heard about him for years and seen some of his photos, so I was really glad to get to talk to him. He said Raspberry had gone east, and Snow was trailing her about a mile behind. I never saw Raspberry.
Snow east if LBO 5-14-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
Didn't see anything after that until nearly to the west entrance when there was suddenly a huge line of cars going nowhere. Turned out there was a little black bear grazing along the road. Somehow my camera had gotten set to "monochrome," but, hey, it's a black bear, so I guess it didn't make a whole lot of difference.
Black bear on road near w. entrance 5-14-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
On Wednesday, I spent about 90 minutes waiting for Obsidians, but they never showed in the morning, so I went toward Tower. There was a black bear -- I was told it was a male -- just going over the hill north of the lake.
black bear above Rainy Lake 5-15-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
When I got to Calcite, bears were right next to the road but hidden from me in my car as rangers moved me along. Turned out it was Rosie, but I didn't see her until she crossed the road and went up the hill to the west. I drove by and saw her body in the trees, but they disappeared quickly.
I went toward Lamar and stopped because people were glassing the osprey nest. Before I could get out, an osprey landed on a tree limb above me with a fish, which it ate and then went back to the nest for a feeding, I suppose.
osprey w: fish Lamar Canyon 5-15-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
Went back to Calcite and then to the Tower store. There was a cinnamon mom with at least one black cub down below the store parking lot, but there was so much brush in the way I never got a clear picture. That's a new bear for me. Don't recall a cinnamon mom around there.
Heading back, it was obvious the Obsidians were out at Roaring Mountain, but there were about 100 cars in front of me, and by the time I got close, everybody was leaving as she disappeared again. So I still haven't seen this great family.
So far it's been a trip of near misses and long distances for me. After I got to West Sunday evening, I took a quick trip into the park and found this bear just south of Beryl Spring. Some woman who loudly proclaimed she was an expert several times told everyone this was a grizzly because of the hump. It was in grizzly territory, but it looks like a cinnamon to me.
Bear near Beryl 5-12-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
On Monday, I drove up hoping to see Obsidian and her 3, but she'd just gone into the woods. Got to Hellroaring Overlook, and there was a black bear with 2 cubs just off the pavement, and they climbed up onto the pavement, and rangers made all the cars pull out of there. Poor lighting and branches in the faces most of the time, but this one was okay.
Cub at Hellroaring overlook 5-13-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
Went down the hill toward Hellroaring, and this coyote was at the double pullouts.
Coyote near Hellroaring 5-13-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
Had hoped to find Rosie and her 3 yearlings, but they weren't out when I was there. Did find the former "angry mom" with her yearling at Calcite. Met Dawn (former Prairie Dee), so that was fun to get acquainted.
Angry mom and yearling Calcite 5-13-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
I went to Lamar and on the way back as I was driving through a lot of traffic, I noticed a wolf running up the hill. I had to wait to shoot through the passenger window, and it was pretty far up by then. But it was a pretty wolf.
wolf at Fisherman's 5-13-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
On the way back west, I got a parking spot, but the Obsidian gang had gone into the woods.
Some ducks on the Madison.
Ducks on Madison 5-13-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
On Tuesday, I decided to look for Snow and Raspberry. This grizzly was across the Yellowstone River north of LeHardy.
Grizz near LeHardy 5-14-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
I did find Snow up on a hill about a mile east of the Lake Butte overlook road. At the same time, I finally got to meet James Yule. Have heard about him for years and seen some of his photos, so I was really glad to get to talk to him. He said Raspberry had gone east, and Snow was trailing her about a mile behind. I never saw Raspberry.
Snow east if LBO 5-14-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
Didn't see anything after that until nearly to the west entrance when there was suddenly a huge line of cars going nowhere. Turned out there was a little black bear grazing along the road. Somehow my camera had gotten set to "monochrome," but, hey, it's a black bear, so I guess it didn't make a whole lot of difference.
Black bear on road near w. entrance 5-14-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
On Wednesday, I spent about 90 minutes waiting for Obsidians, but they never showed in the morning, so I went toward Tower. There was a black bear -- I was told it was a male -- just going over the hill north of the lake.
black bear above Rainy Lake 5-15-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
When I got to Calcite, bears were right next to the road but hidden from me in my car as rangers moved me along. Turned out it was Rosie, but I didn't see her until she crossed the road and went up the hill to the west. I drove by and saw her body in the trees, but they disappeared quickly.
I went toward Lamar and stopped because people were glassing the osprey nest. Before I could get out, an osprey landed on a tree limb above me with a fish, which it ate and then went back to the nest for a feeding, I suppose.
osprey w: fish Lamar Canyon 5-15-2019 by Linda Hamilton, on Flickr
Went back to Calcite and then to the Tower store. There was a cinnamon mom with at least one black cub down below the store parking lot, but there was so much brush in the way I never got a clear picture. That's a new bear for me. Don't recall a cinnamon mom around there.
Heading back, it was obvious the Obsidians were out at Roaring Mountain, but there were about 100 cars in front of me, and by the time I got close, everybody was leaving as she disappeared again. So I still haven't seen this great family.