Yellowstone! Coyote on carcass
Coyote: Hayden Valley, Yellowstone National Park, October 2024 — Early in the morning, before the sun had worked its way down to Yellowstone just as you come into the Hayden Valley, we stopped to see what was on the elk carcass that was at the edge of the water on the far side of the river for several days while we were visiting the park. Only a Coyote. (One of the days we did not visit the valley, a bear came and dragged it away, but we only ever saw the coyote.) Challenging light, and a good distance away. These shots are at ISO 20,000, cropped and processed for noise in Photomator, but not bad at all. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed as above.
Yellowstone! Carcass
Grizzly Bear and Wolves (and Ravens): Hayden Valley, Yellowstone National Park — There was a bison carcass way out on the ridge in the Hayden Valley, at least a half mile from the road. that was attracting two Grizzly Bears and a small pack of wolves for several days while we were in Yellowstone. There was a Bear Jam on the road pretty much all the daylight hours of each day. They were far enough away so you could barely find them with naked eye, and on this day, the first day, the wind was blowing up over the ridge the road follows at gale force, and there was a lot of dust in the air. It was all I could do to keep my feet, let alone keep the camera steady. Still. This is a very heavy crop…4mp from 26…and it is a testament to the quality of the Sony sensor and the Tamron lens that you can see any detail at all, especially considering the atmospheric conditions. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Eagles are big
Bald Eagle: York County, Maine, USA, November 2024 — It always amazes me how small an eagle looks, way up in a tall pine on the other side of the river, even at 600mm equivalent…and how huge that same eagle looks once it spreads its wings to fly. It was not great light…late afternoon and overcast…but I am always happy to find the eagle when I visit the pond. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Hunter
Great Blue Heron: York County, Maine, USA, November 2024 — I posted a hunting Coyote from Yellowstone already this morning, but here is a local hunter…hunter of the November marsh along the river just back from the ocean. About as different as you can get, but hunting is hunting, and if you take the time to compare the two you will see a similar attitude in both Coyote and Heron. A similar intensity. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Hunter
Coyote: Hayden Valley, Yellowstone National Park, September 2024 — While waiting for the wolves and bears to be visible on the distant carcass in the Hayden Valley we were treated to this hunting Coyote, realitively close (at least compared to the bear and wolves), a hundred yards below us in the stream-bed. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Start them young!
Way to go! Start them young. Give them the experience. Nature will do the rest. This was taken as we photographed the Pronghorn the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone National Park in September, in the little bowl below the road by the cottonwoods. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 207mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications (just because that is what I was using). Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! More Pronghorn
Pronghorn: Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park, September 2024 — Here you see the buck Pronghorn doing what I talked about yesterday…rounding up a couple of stragglers to keep his herd together, acting very much like a sheep dog. He is happiest when his charges are as close as in the second photo. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Slough Creek
Slough Creek has been, for many years, the place to see wolves in Yellowstone. They have denned several different spots on the far slopes in this wide angle landscape. From the Slough Creek access road you get “scope” views. They are so far away what you do not get much at all with any conventional camera set-up…so not my favorite place to see wolves…but one of the only relatively reliable spots in the park. Which means there is always a crowd, and parking is always a challenge. Another reason it not my favorite place. 🙂 Still, it is one of them of the most beautiful little valleys in Yellowstone, and always worth a landscape shot. Sony a5100 with E 10-18 f4 wide zoom at 15mm equivalent. Superior Auto with Landscape Scene Select. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Pronghorn
Pronghorn: Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park, September 2024 — We used to call these Pronghorn Antelope, but they never were part of the Antelope family. Pronghorn have a family all their own, and while distantly related to the antelopes of Africa and Asia, and goats and deer world-wide, their closest relatives are the giraffes and okapi of central, east, and south Africa. What I found most interesting in watching this small herd is the way the bucks “herd” the does and fawns exactly as a sheep dog herds sheep, from behind mostly, working the edges to keep them bunched and moving, and aggressively running down any that would stray. Fun to watch. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 600mm and 423mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Bison Jam
American Bison: Yellowstone National Park, September 2024 — Bison Jams are common in the Lamar Valley. When the Bison are ready to cross the road, they cross the road, and, if you have any sense, you stop and let them do it. Photographers pull off and attempt photos. Generally it all goes well and no bison or photographers are harmed before the jam breaks up. The first against the trees was taken from the back seat, through the windshield. 🙂 Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.