YELLOWSTONE ONE MORE DAY

Thursday, June 12th: This was our last morning together, and the group splits off to return home.

Only three of us went out this morning, Mark, Joe, and myself. We have been traveling together the whole time. We were rewarded with our diligence  with some good animal sighting in the early morning light. First we saw a black bear in a bit of a clearing, then a marmot in good light as well. This was followed by cow elk moving on a ridge, pronghorn, and a bison herd that was on the move. It was great to see them moving through the landscape, and watching the babies frolicking about.

Pronghorn

Elk on the Move

Pronghorn

Pronghorn Loping

Keeping a Watchful Eye

Marmot

Bull in the Garden

Herding the Young

Get up the Hill

Where the Bison Roam

 I bid adieu to all about 1015 after a gathering at breakfast. Klara, and George were to meet me at the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel about that time. They got distracted with views, a bull elk, and road construction which caused them to be about an hour late.

On the way back to Ashton, ID, where Klara lives we stopped at a group of photographers. Saw and photographed a couple of sandhill cranes. While there we learned of an elk carcass at the river edge which had been killed by a grizzly the night before. He had come back to the kill in the morning but had already had his fill and gone off for a nap. Ran into a photographer, Cindy, who I know from San Diego, while standing around. An almost meeting with friends from the Grand Canyon days also occurred. This red truck passed us by, pulled into a turn out, and then the gent got out and waved as we drove by. I did not recognize him, and neither did Klara. While in West Yellowstone, I got a call from them. It was John and Shirley who we had worked with, and been good neighbors with several years at the North Rim. (We will be visiting in early July as we head South and home from Vancouver)

Sandhill Crane

Goosefoot Yellow Violet

Our final stop in Yellowstone was to photograph a bull elk that George and Klara had seen when coming to pick me up. While there we met and talked with a couple from Australia. The lady is going to request a photo of the elk. The gent got into quite a discussion with Klara about the vegetation.

This was a great adventure with lots of sightings of wildlife.. It was wonderful seeing and photographing these wild animals in their natural habitat. The chemistry of the group was good as well. Thank you to all of my fellow photographers for a great time.