Day 4: Yellowstone / Grand Teton National Park GroupShoot

Big Horn Sheep Ram, a photo by Mark/MPEG (Midwest Photography Enthusiasts Group) on Flickr.

Wow, what a day!  I am not sure where to start but here goes...

We got in the Park by 5:00 am. We proceeded to Hayden Valley (HV) first.  The drive to HV was quiet, peaceful and beautiful. Hayden Valley had a strip of fog across the snow capped mountains with dramatic clouds and color. I got some really nice landscape images there. We saw no wildlife action, yet.

We then proceed to Lamar Valley and witnessed grizzlys, mountain goats, sandhill cranes, 3 playful young coyotes, and a couple of very busy badgers with ground squirrel catches. We spent a great deal of time with two young grizzlys (male and female, mating and playing). Famed YNP photographer, Tom Murphy was there with a ranger giving a mini lecture on bear behavior to a few park visitors.

The weather was BEAUTIFUL up to 2:00pm then the overcast skies and rain came.....

After lunch, we went over to Mary Bay area and spent time with another grizzly very close to the road. I got some terrific, "fill the frame" images.

Then we decided to go over to the east entrance (with Jim and his wife) and came across two nice Big Horn Sheep rams, a really cute Pika and a cow moose with a newborn (born this morning!).

On the way back from the East entrance, we photographed a proud bald eagle perched in a tree by the road. It was continuing to rain so we decided to go back to the hotel via Hayden Valley and whoa, here was a massive "bear jam" and the Hayden Valley sow and her two cubs were about 80 yards from the road foraging for food. By this time, I am in a cold, pouring rain trying to photograph this grizzly family in the dark practically as the skies were really overcast with the storm front.

'I hope to capture this griz family in better light/weather before we leave.

Oh, Just another "boring day" in Yellowstone.............

The MPEG Group was on their own today. I heard from two members and they had great days in the Park as well.

We had a quick McDonald's dinner and "retired" as we are back at it at 5:30 am again.

I hope the weather improves tomorrow as we still have much to accomplish this trip.

Stayed tuned for Day 5.

Mark