A monthly journal of wildlife reports, scenic opportunities, and tidbits for both photographers and Teton visitors!
Recent Daily Updates Archives:
2015: Feb: | Jan:
2014: Dec: | Nov: | Oct: | Sept: | Aug: | July: | June: | May: | Apr: | Mar: | Feb: | Jan:
2013: Dec: | Nov: | Oct: | Sept: | Aug:
February Overview:
Most of the winter months offer similar opportunities for both wildlife and landscapes: In many years, Mountain Goats start becoming more dependable subjects in February and into March. Red Foxes and Owls seem to appear in random places during this month. Jan: 2015 | Jan: 2014 | Feb: 2014 | Dec: 2013. Also check out: The Dead of Winter: The Cold Realities and Exciting Possibilities of Winter Photography in GTNP..
Suggested “Opportunities”: Right now, here are my top spots to check out, especially for wildlife. Some will be a bit of a gamble, but they might also pay off in a big way if you hit it right:
- Flat Creek Observation Deck: Look for Swans Along Flat Creek, Geese, Ducks and occasional River Otters.
- Boyle’s Hill Pond: Trumpeter Swans of Boyle’s Hill: (The link includes a map)
- Miller Butte: Look for Bighorns , Elk, Pronghorns, Coyotes, Wolves, Eagles, Ravens, Bison.
- Gros Ventre River: Look for Moose , Bald Eagles, Elk, and Bison there.
- Kelly Area: Look for Mule Deer at the edges of town and around the Shane Cabins.
- Alpine Junction: Watch for Mountain Goats near the mouth of the canyon.
- Camp Creek along the Hoback River: Check out Bighorns along the road.
- Sleigh Ride on the National Elk Refuge: Best winter deal in the valley!
- Around Town: Watch for Pine Grosbeaks & Evening Grosbeaks feeding berry bushes.
Important Winter Links
- Best of the Tetons : Start Here!: This page will give you a good overview of the earlier Feature Posts
- Helpful Links and Resources: Weather Reports, Web Cams and Ski Reports have links in the right navigation bar, but this page has many additional links.
- Winter Closures: Many areas are closed during the Winter months. Click the link, scroll to the Winter section and look for the Winter closure maps.
- Winter In the Tetons: Travel and Photography Tips: A “must read” for winter visitors.
- The National Elk Refuge & Miller Butte: This is one of the best areas for wildlife during much of the Winter.
Oldie But Goodie Post of the Day
January 2015 Daily Updates & Photos for Grand Teton National Park & JH: This new February Daily Updates Page won’t have many photos on it for a few days, so click this link to see last month’s entry. Check back regularly to see how the month develops!
Most Recent Feature Post: Snake River Overlook
Snake River Overlook is open to viewing and photography year-round. It gives you an opportunity to include some foreground elements into a vista view of the Teton Range. The page has a lot of images taken at SRO over years going back to 2008 and includes Ansel Adams’ iconic shot there. I believe you will enjoy the page!
February 2, 2015
Yesterday, friends from Odgen passed back through the canyon on their way home. This morning, Richard Pointius let me know they saw quite a few Mountain Goats in several different locations. I went down today, after being a “home body” yesterday. I found this Nanny near the mouth of the canyon when I first got there. Several of the goats now have either ear tags, collars or both. I could probably remove them in Photoshop but I captured enough good ones today that don’t need it.
It was a good day!
Mountain Goat Amongst Trees:
Mtn. Goat in Rocks:
Bald Eagle atop Spruce Tree:
Traversing Snow Fields:
Mountain Goat on Rocky Ledge:
Canyon Comments: It looks like February will be good in the Snake River Canyon this year. I’ll throw these comments out to you if you are planning on going down. I don’t believe the Wyoming Highway Patrol is going to be as lenient this year as in some earlier years. The road is a state highway patrolled by both State Troopers and Lincoln County Sheriffs—its not a park or refuge road! This year, I have been parking in one of the pullouts and walking/hiking to any area I want to photograph. Today, I was parked in a pullout but standing next to the highway. The trooper, with his lights flashing, pulled over and told me to get off the road. No problem! If you are going down to Alpine Junction based on my recommendations at this site, please do so in a safe manner! Without a doubt, this is a potentially dangerous setting. There are many variables including speeding vehicles, loaded semi-trucks not willing to slow down, icy roads, snow plows, limited visibility, people parking illegally ON THE ROAD, wild animals on or near the roads, and photographers that can lose all sense of their safety to get a shot. Even today, instead of moving towards the center line as they passed by, I had a vehicle move closer to the fog line as they sped by and splashed me with water from the road. It looked intentional to me!
February 1st, 2015 (Superbowl Sunday)
The Mountain Goats photo above was taken on February 1st, 2014 along the Snake River Canyon near Alpine, WY. They have been seen fairly often in January this year. Click the link to get more information and maps of the area.
Downey Woodpecker: The weather report called for clear skies for this morning. I looked out at 6:00 am and saw clear skies. I stayed home, but that was probably a mistake. By sunrise, there were light clouds turning orange all over the place. No chance to hit a home run if still sitting in the dugout! Oh well! I put out some food, then set up a couple of strobes in the back yard. Time for some experimental photography! The shot on the left was captured with an orange gel over the SB-910 strobe. The White Balance was set to a Custom setting of roughly 4750K and the scene was slightly underexposed. The settings gave me a cool background with a warm subject. The image on the right was captured a split second later, but the strobe had not had time to recharge, so it didn’t flash. The actual image was equally blue in Lightroom to the one on the left, but I used the Temperature slider to warm it back up.
Clark’s Nutcracker: Shot with a bit of fill flash.
Mountain Chickadee:
Downey Woodpecker: I photographed the male Downey earlier in the day. This one is a female with natural light.
White-breasted Nuthatch: I can usually hear this bird coming in. It sounds somewhat like a cheap “squeak toy”. Like the Chickadees, they don’t stay still long.
Hairy Woodpecker: Also a female. They are considerably larger than the Downey Woodpeckers.
Skies are getting cloudier with possible snow flurries by late evening.
February One-On-One Photo Excursions: I have several openings available for February. Click Here to see last year’s February 2014 Daily Updates to get an idea of what you might see here. You can also book for March and other months. I have a new Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD Lens on order. Anyone with a current Nikon DSLR taking one of my Excursions will be able to use the lens on the trip. (should be here soon) The lens has been getting a lot of positive press. I am purchasing mine from Perfect Light Camera and Supply in Idaho Falls after hearing his positive reviews following an Africa trip.
Upcoming Events:
- Bald Eagle Day: Saturday, February 14, 2015; 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. –Farmington, UT
- International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race: Races held in numerous locations in Wyoming. Click the link to view the schedule.
- Jackson Hole Shrine Club: Cutter Races (Feb. 14-15) and Ski Joring (Feb 21-22)
- WinterFest – Jackson Hole: February 13-22. Click the link for more information and schedules.
