Birds of Easter Weekend

Spring comes earlier along the Colorado Front Range than in the Grand Teton Valley! Around here, the snow is gone and the brown winter grass is filling in with green grass. Some of the trees already have small leaves. Wow! I walked around in a short sleeve shirt in the afternoon today!…enough of that! Osprey, Bald Eagles, Pelicans, Cormorants, Turkey Vultures, and a variety of waterfowl have returned to the region. I created a new Featured Subject on my new site that shows a lot of current birds, all taken over the Saturday and Sunday of the Easter Weekend. Click the links to see all of the photos!
Continue reading "Birds of Easter Weekend"

December 2022 Daily Journal For GTNP & JH

Welcome to December 2022!

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Moose

Sorry, I can’t be there to add new photos to this page, but hopefully I can still help! Check out these December photos from previous years!

Moose are usually visible in the sage flats north of Kelly. The rut is long over, but the big bulls still spar. At least for the first 10 days or so, be aware that the elk hunt is still ongoing inside GTNP. The bulls will start losing their antlers around the middle of the month but it is possible to find a couple with antlers into January.

Winter Bison Pair

Bison often go back and forth from the sage flats to the Gros Ventre River bottom. As the winter season kicks in, the herds will move onto the northern end of the National Elk Refuge.

Trumpeter Swan

Trumpeter Swans can often be seen on Flat Creek along the Highway. Also watch for smaller waterfowl like Hooded Mergansers, Common Mergansers, and Barrow’s Golden Eyes.

Elk Herd in Snow

Elk may be spotted at times, but will be quite spooky. Many will be on the National Elk Refuge as the month progresses. Elk Refuge sleigh rides begin around the middle of the month and should be in full swing as Christmas approaches.

Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owls are usually easier to spot during the winter months. They are seen most often in the river bottoms. Great Gray Owls are often still in the valley, but are typically difficult to find.

Ermine

Small critters like this Ermine are elusive, but can be a worthy subject.

Bashing Bighorns

Bighorns move to Miller Butte this time of the year, and if you are lucky, you might find a few bashing heads as part of the rut.

Red Fox

Foxes can be more visible in December, and with their winter coat, look great.

Mountain Goat

Mountain Goats were historically good in December, but it appears they have either left the Snake River Canyon or have been mostly culled by the Game and Fish. Still, a few seem to have made it.

Badger

Watch for any kind of movement! Sometimes you just get LUCKY to be in the right place at the right time.

399 and Quad Cubs

This photo was taken on December 29, 2020. I believe a few of the Grizzlies are still out.

Snake River Bend

Winter Landscapes can be a challenge, especially knowing it can be bitter cold at first light.

River Otters

River Otters can be seen along the Flat Creek if you hit it just right.

Fog Rainbow

Antelope Flats Road will still be open for vehicle travel until at least the day after the elk hunt closing date.

Frosted Coyote

Coyotes stand out against the snow. Many will be spooky, but occasionally you might find one that will pose for you.

Antler Arch

The Jackson Town Square is always a festive place during the Holiday season. The lights are on now.

Teton Point Overlook Pano

If you are up to the challenge, night shots can be rewarding. Since the days are very short, you can get night shots and be back home at a reasonable hour.

Precarious Encounter

To get “the shots”, you simply “have to be out”, be ready and sometimes be very lucky!

Mule Deer

Mule Deer often work their way towards Kelly in December. Some will lose their antlers early in the month.

Thanks to Paul Gore!

Friend and photographer, Paul Gore, sent a check to help keep Best of the Tetons online at least until the end of December. This site has a wealth of information for anyone interested in the Tetons! After moving to Colorado, I started a new site and have been actively populating it with new photos and content, some of which overlaps with content I might have posted here (Moose, Elk, Bighorns, Deer, fall Foliage, Waterfowl, etc). In short, I am dedicating the bulk of my time on that site at the expense of this site.

750line

Mike Jackson Photography

Click the thumbnail above to go to the new Home Page! Be sure to click the Subscribe Today button on the home page!

Check out some of the posts from the new site:

Hope to see you at my new site!

750line

The post December 2022 Daily Journal For GTNP & JH first appeared on Best of the Tetons, Area Info & Photography.

December 2022 Daily Journal For GTNP & JH

Welcome to December 2022!

750line

Moose

Sorry, I can’t be there to add new photos to this page, but hopefully I can still help! Check out these December photos from previous years!

Moose are usually visible in the sage flats north of Kelly. The rut is long over, but the big bulls still spar. At least for the first 10 days or so, be aware that the elk hunt is still ongoing inside GTNP. The bulls will start losing their antlers around the middle of the month but it is possible to find a couple with antlers into January.

Winter Bison Pair

Bison often go back and forth from the sage flats to the Gros Ventre River bottom. As the winter season kicks in, the herds will move onto the northern end of the National Elk Refuge.

Trumpeter Swan

Trumpeter Swans can often be seen on Flat Creek along the Highway. Also watch for smaller waterfowl like Hooded Mergansers, Common Mergansers, and Barrow’s Golden Eyes.

Elk Herd in Snow

Elk may be spotted at times, but will be quite spooky. Many will be on the National Elk Refuge as the month progresses. Elk Refuge sleigh rides begin around the middle of the month and should be in full swing as Christmas approaches.

Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owls are usually easier to spot during the winter months. They are seen most often in the river bottoms. Great Gray Owls are often still in the valley, but are typically difficult to find.

Ermine

Small critters like this Ermine are elusive, but can be a worthy subject.

Bashing Bighorns

Bighorns move to Miller Butte this time of the year, and if you are lucky, you might find a few bashing heads as part of the rut.

Red Fox

Foxes can be more visible in December, and with their winter coat, look great.

Mountain Goat

Mountain Goats were historically good in December, but it appears they have either left the Snake River Canyon or have been mostly culled by the Game and Fish. Still, a few seem to have made it.

Badger

Watch for any kind of movement! Sometimes you just get LUCKY to be in the right place at the right time.

399 and Quad Cubs

This photo was taken on December 29, 2020. I believe a few of the Grizzlies are still out.

Snake River Bend

Winter Landscapes can be a challenge, especially knowing it can be bitter cold at first light.

River Otters

River Otters can be seen along the Flat Creek if you hit it just right.

Fog Rainbow

Antelope Flats Road will still be open for vehicle travel until at least the day after the elk hunt closing date.

Frosted Coyote

Coyotes stand out against the snow. Many will be spooky, but occasionally you might find one that will pose for you.

Antler Arch

The Jackson Town Square is always a festive place during the Holiday season. The lights are on now.

Teton Point Overlook Pano

If you are up to the challenge, night shots can be rewarding. Since the days are very short, you can get night shots and be back home at a reasonable hour.

Precarious Encounter

To get “the shots”, you simply “have to be out”, be ready and sometimes be very lucky!

Mule Deer

Mule Deer often work their way towards Kelly in December. Some will lose their antlers early in the month.

Thanks to Paul Gore!

Friend and photographer, Paul Gore, sent a check to help keep Best of the Tetons online at least until the end of December. This site has a wealth of information for anyone interested in the Tetons! After moving to Colorado, I started a new site and have been actively populating it with new photos and content, some of which overlaps with content I might have posted here (Moose, Elk, Bighorns, Deer, fall Foliage, Waterfowl, etc). In short, I am dedicating the bulk of my time on that site at the expense of this site.

750line

Mike Jackson Photography

Click the thumbnail above to go to the new Home Page! Be sure to click the Subscribe Today button on the home page!

Check out some of the posts from the new site:

Hope to see you at my new site!

750line

The post December 2022 Daily Journal For GTNP & JH first appeared on Best of the Tetons, Area Info & Photography.