Snake in Mammoth

Bull Snake in Mammoth from Dale Bohlke on Vimeo.

This snake caused quite a stir one afternoon last month as it went through historic Mammoth. The visitor who helped it through traffic was one example of the "good" seen everyday in Yellowstone.

Technical: recorded using a Sony RX10ii

Looking through me

I've been in Yellowstone for the last several days recording aggressive elk behavior. The first night I got more than I bargained for when this guy ran onto the patio where about 20 of us were watching. The "sport" is watching him ram cars that stop to take his picture. One night he charged about a dozen. Needless to say recording aggressive elk behavior in the wild is a little harder to record, still working on that.

Spring Grooming

With the windchill at -30F and a snow storm predicted I thought it was a good time to share a spring evening with a great horned owl. 

Death in Yellowstone

Poor Joseph. This tiny boot caught my attention when I was wandering through the Fort Yellowstone Army Cemetery. Joseph died in Yellowstone when he was 5 years old.  I had to find out more about him. Many other children are buried there, most have no dates, a few are only named "Infant".  I had to find out the mystery of Joseph and the rest of the children. The book "Death in Yellowstone", by Lee H. Whittlesey, provided the answer to this question and the other deaths in Yellowstone since it first became a park. How did Joseph die? A true tragedy, he was murdered by his mother! 

A Late Start

We slept in and almost missed sunrise. The original plan was capturing sunrise over Mammoth Terrace but the sun waits for no one so we stopped on the way up the hill to get this scene. One of the challenges photographing in Yellowstone is getting a unique shot of something that millions of people see each year. I'm sure others have photographed this but we were the only lucky ones at the gate this morning.

Owlet Siblings

The size difference of these owlets made me curious. Apparently owls lay their eggs sequentially over several days and growth starts at that time. Eggs also hatch in the order they were laid, resulting in the size difference. Behavior solely designed to ensure survival of at least one of the owlets.  Another example of the complexity of nature.

Great Horned Owl Family

For the last several years a great horned owl has nested in Mammoth. It's location is well known and visited evenings by tourists armed with all types of cameras. The adults are frequently seen resting in trees overlooking the street. We were there when the owlets were about 10 weeks old and at least one was almost at the fledging stage. 

Orion over Mammoth Terrace

It was the end of a long day but the sky was clear. Instead of heading in for supper we had to take advantage of the clear sky! 

Hot Springs Tracks

We are in Yellowstone for a few days to refresh after a long winter. One might ask why go to the mountains for more snow when spring is so close. the answer is simple, I like winter. However, this winter's temperatures have been a little rough on the morning get up and go. Each of us sees Yellowstone in a different light. I hope to show you my view of it over the next several postings.