Posts in Category: bison
Yellowstone! Roadside Bison
American Bison: Hayden Valley, Yellowstone National Park, October 2024 — On our first several visits to the Hayden Valley we saw none of the usual Bison. They were evidently still up high. On this swing through the valley though we saw numbers, and by the next day there were herds all along the river. This bison was right beside the road. These shots are at 178 and 444mm equivalents…so you can only imagine how close. Shot out the open window of the car, of course. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400Di3 as above. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Sisters
American Bison: Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park, October 2024 — Two bison moving along side by side makes a good portrait. They are massive animals and it is hard to appreciate the scale in a photo. I would have had to zoom out to 300mm to fit these in the frame. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di3 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Bison bugle
American Bison: Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park, October 2024 — You have to be aware all the time when photographing Bison from the Lamar Valley road that there are, very possibly, bison behind you, just over the ridge where you can’t see them…and that they will sneak up on you when they are ready to cross the road to the rest of the herd. This bull bison had his harem behind us, but fortunately was in a challenging mood, and sounded off as soon as the herd, and its rival bulls, came in sight. He was still pretty close already when we turned. He did lead his harem across the road, and it looked for a few moments like we were going to see two dominant bulls go head to head…but nothing came of it…there is lots of space on either side of the Lamar road, for as many bulls as you might like to see. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400Di3 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds in flight and action modifications (just because that is how the camera was set from a sequence of head butting young bulls across the road). Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Butting bison
American Bison: Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park, October 2024 — The rut was really over by the time we got to Yellowstone, but there was still some rutting behavior among the young bulls. Just play but fun to watch. Head butting is part of the dominance ritual, and helps the herd to know who is boss. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds in flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Yellowstone! A little Bison rolling action
American Bison: Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park, October 2024 — We found a particularly active and even feisty herd of Bison beside the road in the Lamar Valley. Dust bathing, or dust rolling, is a common behavior among Bison. It combats ticks and other insects that would otherwise make their home on the Bison’s hide. It can look pretty odd and the bison get into all kinds of contortions doing it. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400Di iii at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
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.
Yellowstone! Feeling his oats
American Bison: Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park, September 2024 — Bison are mostly placid animals, even the bulls, but during rutting season you can catch some action. Rut was mostly past in the Lamar Valley when we got there, but this bull had apparently not gotten the memo. He was actively defending what appeared to be a still receptive cow. A bull from an adjacent group was showing interest. He was having none of that! I would not want to see this fellow coming for me. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Big boy bison
American Bison: Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park, September 2024 — We were pulled off the road, photographing an active herd of Bison in a little dip in the hills below the road, when we turned to find this bull on the ridge behind us, and uncomfortably close. He had snuck up on as he came down off the plateau behind. The slope between us on the road and him on the ridge was steep enough so we were not worried he would come down on us…he would have to turn either left or right to find a path down to the road, and eventually did that. But not before giving us a great view. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Red Dogs
American Bison: Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park, September 2024 — Though it was very late in the season, I was surprised to find a few Red Dogs among the Bison herds. Bison calves are born with reddish brown, sometimes almost orange, coats, and are “red” for a few months after birth. Calves are generally born in April and May, so these must have been late calves. They are precocious, and are on their feet and can keep up with the herd within hours of being born. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Bison
American Bison: Slough Creek, Yellowstone National Park, September 2024 — We stopped at Slough Creek to see if we could see the wolves…but it was too late in the day. We did, however find this bull Bison standing guard on a ridge as the herd fed in the valley below him. As they say, a nice specimen. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 600mm and 75mm equivalent…both ends of the zoom. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.