On our first morning at Fishing Bridge, we decided to head to the Lamar Valley...
Getting to Lamar meant that we would have to travel the full length of the Hayden Valley. As we approached Alum Creek, Cheryl spotted a wolf on the opposite bank of the Yellowstone River. As luck would have it there was even room to pull over...
It was evident that it wanted to cross the river. I scrambled to uncase my camera and longest lens, lower the window and try to calm my breathing...
As much as I harp to others about the importance of always being ready, it is a little embarrassing to admit that I don't always follow my own advice...
Because the terrain blocked our view of the wolf, we only caught a fleeting glimpse as it passed nearby...
After crossing the road, it headed for the distant den...
A little farther up the valley we spotted two young bison bulls loafing beside the river...
Boys will be boys...
In another small turnout there was a Raven, hoping to find food scraps or to be given a handout....
The quickest route to the Lamar Valley from Fishing Bridge requires one to cross Mount Washburn via the Dunraven Pass...
At 10,423 feet above sea level, the view on Dun Raven can resemble being in an aircraft. To make things more interesting, there are no guardrails on this route except in the most severe turns...
For a number of years there has been a Golden Eagle pair nesting on Slough Creek...
I was excited to learn about the nest because in Maryland we see lots of Bald Eagles, but Golden Eagles are infrequent. Unfortunately, the best vantage point is about 150 yards or more from the nest. The next photo approximates the naked eye view...
Because of the distance I was taking photos zoomed out to 600mm, handheld, and then cropped even more in post processing...
Regardless of the less-than-optimal circumstances, I wanted to photograph these magnificent birds while I had the opportunity...
Once at the nest he/she tended to the chicks for a while...
Before heading out again, in the never-ending search for food...
It was stunning to watch the adults, soaring against a background of the cliff face...
I wish the light had been better when we visited the nest, but I still was grateful for the experience. It was reassuring that this nest was still in use and might continue to be for some time to come...
Thanks for visiting, be well, and come back soon.
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