June 5-9th (trip report to come)

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

June 5-9th (trip report to come)

Post by GreatGrayOwl »

Long time no post, but been lurking all the while. Missing the more active days of this forum, but very appreciative of what folks have posted.

I'll be headed to the park in early June---earlier than I've ever gone before. Will be curious to see what the weather does, and hopeful to see some younglings of various species. Will the road via Dunraven be passable?

And, of course, I'll be continuing my still-unfulfilled (now 14-year-long, 2-country) quest for a Great Gray Owl! If anyone has a bead on one anywhere in the GYE (I'll drive hours for this!), please feel free to loop me in. :)

Report to come! I'm excited.



RikWriter
Posts: 488
Joined: Tue Jul 25, 2017 8:36 pm

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

Post by RikWriter »

I saw one near Bridge Bay a week ago.


Image



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

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

Post by GreatGrayOwl »

Oh, that's glorious.

OK, please tell that owl to stay put. If s/he promises not to move for a couple weeks, I'll offer a reward... A tasty Maryland mouse---pretty sure they taste like Old Bay out here---that'll be a treat!

I know other folks have seen them near Bridge Bay (the campground area, right?) before, but I guess I've never quite zeroed in on the spot, or just haven't had lucky timing. But birding requires stubborn optimism!



Dorothy
Posts: 201
Joined: Sat Jul 29, 2017 7:45 pm

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

Post by Dorothy »

We MAY have a day in the Park next week -- will definitely keep at eye out for the GGO if we're there. Would love to see it (and hope YOU see one when you get out here). Hope you have a great trip.



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

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

Post by GreatGrayOwl »

Good luck! And please let me know if you do see it! This is becoming an obsession for me. :) I’ve probably invested hundreds of hours in searching for this species—but I can’t complain. I’ve seen many others along the way and lots of gorgeous places.



karenandbill
Posts: 209
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2020 10:55 am

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

Post by karenandbill »

GreatGrayOwl wrote:
Fri May 27, 2022 4:19 am
Good luck! And please let me know if you do see it! This is becoming an obsession for me.
Hey, GGO seekers. We had a great view of one just south of the fishing bridge road junction on Tuesday, May 31. We told him you were coming in a few days and to stay put. :D Let us know if he listened to us.

--Bill and Karen



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

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

Post by GreatGrayOwl »

Oh awesome!—I’ll definitely check out that area several times in the next few days.

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!



karenandbill
Posts: 209
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2020 10:55 am

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

Post by karenandbill »

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



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

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

Post by GreatGrayOwl »

Decided to dash into the park today (wasn’t expecting to have time) around 5:30pm. Based in Gardiner.

Ultimately made it down to Bridge Bay, scouted the campground area for GGO until the light failed. No luck, but had to try. Trying to sort out where exactly people see them around there. I’m guessing it’s in the open meadowy areas around the campground loops.

Altogether a rainy evening but saw several black bears (and their typical human and automotive entourages) along the GLR—Calcite, Petrified and the vicinity. One sighting was a pair—a black one and a really light cinnamon that were frolicking together.

Elk and bison everywhere, of course. Slow day for raptors, though the rain wasn’t helping.

More to come!



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

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

Post by GreatGrayOwl »

Got to the Bridge Bay/Fishing Bridge area at first light and spent a few hours cruising back and forth checking out all the likely spots I could find—no dice. May try again this evening.

Still a lovely day—better weather until just now. Black bears are very abundant right now, from Tower to Roosevelt (including a sow with two cubs at Calcite) and from Roosevelt to Slough Creek. At the latter position, the wolf watchers had scopes on the den site, but I didn’t stick around long enough to see the pack. Heard talk of a pack bringing down a bison recently, somewhere near the road.

Phenomenal looks at bald eagles along the east entrance road, and everywhere the glorious spectacle of newborn ungulates.

More to come!



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