Loren’s Wild Life

I’ll have to admit that the first time I went to Yellowstone, nearly forty years ago, I immediately headed for the West Entrance and the geysers that Yellowstone is best known for. This time, though, I carefully avoided that area, partly because of the crowds, but mainly because I was more interested in seeing wildlife and the sweeping scenery the park offers.

Considering that hours ago before I’d seen Mountain Goats up close, I was slightly amused by the number of visitors gathered around spotting scopes looking at the Mountain Goats high on the cliffs.

Mountain Goats on ridge

Sitting at my computer looking at the photographs, though, it’s hard to deny the appeal of seeing Mountain Goats casually walking cliffs that would terrorize most of us, especially me.

I’m used to seeing Pronghorn Antelope at a distance, usually dashing off as soon as I point a lens at them. I’m not used to looking at them across a creek while they intently ignore me:

Antelope resting

The biggest sighting of my trip had to be this Grizzly Bear casually walking down a field,

Grizzly bear

but unfortunately the experience was marred by the stupidity of fellow photographers who seemed to think it was wise to pursue the bear out into the field. I go to great lengths to get good pictures, but don’t count on me ever running out into a field to get better shots. I’d hate to think that a magnificent creature like this had been put down because it had decided I would make a great snack.

Right around the corner, though, cars were giving this bison much more respect,

Buffalo on Road

which it demanded by standing in the road a good three or four minutes before ambling to the other side of the road for another light snack.

A German tourist informed me that a Bald Eagle’s nest was just around the corner,

Osprey Nest

and I didn’t want to spoil his illusions by going back and telling him this was definitely an Osprey, not a Bald Eagle.

7 thoughts on “Loren’s Wild Life”

  1. Fantastic pictures but couldn’t believe the bear picture. Great “bald eagle.”

  2. Was there a smaller animal between the ‘photographer’ and the bear? Obviously they don’t check stupid at the entrance to the park. Thanks for photos, great sights. kjm

    1. Nope. Though there was three other people who seemed to think the small stream provided the same safety as the fence in the zoo.

      Guess they’ve never seen the documentaries from Alaska where Brown Bears spend their day in a stream.

    1. I usually prefer closeups of animals, but I didn’t even post the closeups I got earlier because I also preferred them in their natural setting.

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