June 5-9th (trip report to come)

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GreatGrayOwl
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2017 6:10 pm

Re: June 5-9th (trip report to come)

Post by GreatGrayOwl »

Went back in this evening.

Encountered a few other GGO seekers just south of Fishing Bridge—I’m guessing close to where Karen and Bill saw one the other day—they were east to spot with their glass, gamely tromping in the soggy mud back among the trees 30 yards or so off the road. Alas, no luck, but one of them confirmed that this was the spot where they’d been seen in the past few days, so that was good validation for me. I’ll likely get back there again tomorrow eve and again on Wed.

Have to say, I’ve been to YNP many times but have never seen even close to so many black bears. Today alone, I’d say at least 20, and all over the place, from the Swan Flats all the way down to Lake and pretty much every few miles in between. The only grizz I’ve seen so far is one I saw along the road between Fishing Bridge and Pelican. But the black bears are out in force right now! Got some nice pics that I’ll try to post when I’m back home.

Big bull elk stopping traffic south of Canyon. Some big glass on display in Hayden, presumably on wolves, but it was pouring so I didn’t stop.

Noticed the Chittenden Road is shut down and there seem to be some construction vehicles there. Anyone know the status?



GreatGrayOwl
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2017 6:10 pm

Re: June 5-9th (trip report to come)

Post by GreatGrayOwl »

karenandbill wrote:
Sat Jun 04, 2022 5:16 pm
GreatGrayOwl wrote:
Sat Jun 04, 2022 4:55 pm
Saw several Great Horned Owls on poles along 89 heading in from Bozeman, but now I’m second-guessing myself and wondering if they were plastic. But I’m fairly certain they weren’t!
My first trip out west with my kids in 2007, we were driving between Lander and Dubois, WY, doing 70 MPH and I see this Great-horned owl on a post. I yelled out but no one saw it. Karen and the boys insisted I was seeing mirages in the desert. So several miles down I turned around and headed back. Sure enough, the GHO was still there. I was smuggly declaring how they should have never doubted me when Karen pointed out that it wasn't moving. She looked through the binoculars and announced that I had turned around and driven back several miles to observe a plastic owl. I have never lived this down and have become the butt of family jokes ever since :oops:

--Bill
So I had to head into Bozeman again this morning and this time I paid special mind to scanning for owls along 89. Can now say: fake. Bad fakes too—I can’t believe I thought they were real on my drive in. I should know better, having seen and photographed (and published about and sold photographs of) real owls for many years! But I’ll give myself a pass—it’s a 70mph road after all, and in the rainy gloom… I did see one real GHO, perched low on a fencepost, looking very soggy and demoralized, and no shortage of red-tailed hawks.



GreatGrayOwl
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2017 6:10 pm

Re: June 5-9th (trip report to come)

Post by GreatGrayOwl »

So, in the end, no luck (yet again) with GGO, but still a glorious trip, as always.

Just a small handful of pics (a couple of which are long-distance crops; easy to tell which those are): https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzTw2G



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