May 2015 Daily Updates & Photos for Grand Teton National Park & JH:

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A monthly journal of wildlife reports, scenic opportunities, and tidbits for both photographers and Teton visitors!

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Recent Daily Updates Archives:
2015:
May: | Apr: | Mar: | Feb: | Jan:
2014: Dec: | Nov:
| Oct: | Sept: | Aug: | July: | June: | May: | Apr: | Mar: | Feb: | Jan:
2013:
Dec: | Nov: | Oct: | Sept: | Aug:

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Check out the May Overview!

Monthly Overviews for JH / GTNP . Get a quick look at 12 months side by side.

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Yellowstone Road Construction and Closures: Click this link for a map and road closure info. Several key connectors are either closed or are under construction.

Jackson and GTNP: There’s currently quite a bit of construction in downtown Jackson. Traffic is still relatively light so it is not too much of a concern. The only road construction I’ve seen in GTNP is along a 2 mile stretch of the highway between Moose Junction and Antelope Flats Junction. The speed limit has been reduced to 45 mph, but the actual work is being done to the bike path next to the highway.

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May 14, 2015

Sunrise Reflections

Sunrise Reflections: The parking area at Blacktail Ponds Overlook is closed until the bike path project is over. I parked along the highway and hiked in early this morning.

Big Sky

Moody Big Sky: Nikon 24-70mm lens and a Nikon D800

Great Gray in Aspen Tree:

Great Gray in Aspen Tree: Taken along the Moose-Wilson Road today. This owl has two tags above his talons, plus a radio transmitter on it’s back. If you know to be looking for it, you can spot the small wire protruding from the feathers on its back. This one is C3. D4 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

GGO in Flight

GGO in Flight: D4 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

GGO Take-off

GGO Take-off: D4 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

GGO in Old Lodgepole Pine Tree

GGO in Old Lodgepole Pine Tree: D4 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Goose and Goslings

Goose and Goslings: Taken late in the day yesterday south of town. D4 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Stellar's Jay Bathing

Stellar’s Jay Bathing: Another shot from late yesterday. D4 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Purple LupineArea Comments: When I went south of town yesterday, I saw lots of Arrow Leaf Balsom Root plants in full bloom. That’s typical. They usually bloom about a week before the large group inside GTNP. I am starting to see a few Purple Lupines, but not in large numbers yet. I don’t know all the names, but I am starting to see the first of many species of wildflowers. It is still early, but things look promising.

Mountain Man Rendezvous / Trader’s Row: As I was driving by the Rodeo Grounds, I noticed a couple of signs for Trader’s Row and quite a few of the trader’s tents being set up. There’s no admission fee. The traders will be there until late in the day on Memorial Day.

Baby Red Squirrel

Baby Red Squirrel: While the mother was away, one of the babies emerged from its tree trunk den today. The mother returned and was not happy. She proceeded to plug the “back door” hole and I haven’t seen them since. They’ll be out again soon. D4 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Bullock's Oriole

Bullock’s Oriole: This one was captured at ISO 5000. I saw my first Western Tanager today. A Yellow Warbler has been staying on the other side of the creek.  D4 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

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May 13, 2015

Chapel of the Transfiguration

Chapel of the Transfiguration: I went out this morning thinking “landscapes” and tried initially going to the top of Shadow Mountain. The gate was locked, so I headed back towards the barns. A bus was parked along the road at the north Mormon Row barn with around 40 photographers lined up side-by-side in the sagebrush. I went to the south barn where only one person was taking photos. The irrigation ditch is open now, so it offers some interesting shots. I went to the Chapel for some additional shots using the CamRanger and PT hub with the camera close to the ground. This one was taken with a Nikon 14-24mm lens and a Nikon D800.

GGO Perched

Great Gray Owl: I had a good time this morning photographing a Great Gray Owl on the Moose-Wilson Road.  D4 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Perched GGO

Perched Great Gray OwlD4 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

GGO with Vole

GGO with Vole: I processed around ten shots this morning in Lightroom to post here, but these three probably give you a good idea of what I captured. D4 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Canada Geese

Canada Geese: You don’t see Geese perched on the top of trees like this too often. I captured several with better poses on the perched goose, but liked this one with the passing goose. D4 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

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May 12, 2015

Schwabacher Landing

Schwabacher Landing: Just about everyone has this classic shot. Clouds were nice this morning. D800 and Nikon 24-70mm lens

Schwabacher Landing

Schwabacher Landing: Taken at the first pool. D800 and Nikon 24-70mm lens

Schwabacher Landing

Schwabacher Landing: The Grand and Mt. Moran. D800 and Nikon 24-70mm lens

CamRanger and PT Hub

CamRanger and PT Hub: Last week, I ordered the motorized hub to go with my CamRanger. I used it today at Schwabacher with a D4 and 24-70mm lens attached. After leaving there, I drove towards the barns thinking I might try some flowers along the east boundary road. No one was a the TA Moulton Barn, so I thought I’d try out the combination with a D800 and 70-200mm lens. I set up the rig shown above near some of the active Uinta Ground Squirrels. After I moved back from the tripod, a few of them came out of their burrows.

Uintal Ground Squirrel

Uinta Ground Squirrel: Using my Verizon Pad and the CamRanger setup, I was able to follow the squirrels around and focus on them as they went about their business. The slow rotation of the camera didn’t seem to bother them at all. This is cropped from a D800 image with the lens set to 200mm. I probably could have stayed there all morning, sitting in a lawn chair well off the active area. Nikon D800 and Nikon 70-200mm

Bullock's Oriole

Bullock’s Oriole: I heard this male long before I actually saw him. It might take a day or two for them to get comfortable coming to the feeders for the oranges and sugar water. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Morning Notes: On the way north, I saw four moose along the highway, just south of the Climbing Rocks (or north of Moose Junction). A small herd of elk were crossing the highway north of Antelope Flats Junction just before sunrise. I didn’t see any bison today. Some of them have made it to Elk Flats now. Grass is green and lush there, now. On my way home from the barns, I drove east to complete the Kelly Loop and found a Gray Wolf walking down the East Boundary Road near Ditch Creek. I didn’t get shots, but it was definitely a wolf.

Lazuli Bunting

Lazuli Bunting: This male has more brown still in his head area than the two I photographed yesterday. I don’t believe it takes long for the color change. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Stellar's Jay

Stellar’s Jay: I hope this bird finds a reason to stay around all summer. I heard him earlier in the day and hung around hoping it would come closer at some point. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

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May 11, 2015

Balsom Root

Arrowleaf Balsom Root: I took shots of this plant on May 4th. It was the first fully bloomed Balsom Root plant I found this year. We had a hard frost this morning…many people were driving around with small openings in their frosted windshields. Quite a few of the early bloomers may have to pay the price of getting a head start. I did a quick loop around to Kelly. There are lots of Balsom Root leaves appearing. Should be a bumper crop this year. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Goslings

Goslings: These baby geese were alongside the bike path just north of the Visitor’s Center. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Single Gosling

Single Gosling: I found another couple of sets of babies at the Visitors Center.  D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Canada Geese

Canada Geese: This pair floated by with nine chicks. Another pair had only one chick. Later in the morning, both groups were feeding on the grass beside the pond and it appears the chicks got all mixed up. I’d have loved to stay long enough to see how many swam off with each pair, but the chicks intermixed freely with both pairs. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Cinnamon Teal

Cinnamon Teal: A pair of Cinnamons were swimming around in the small pond behind the Visitors Center. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Red-naped Sapsucker

Red-naped Sapsucker: A pair of Sapsuckers continue to seem interested in building a nest in my back yard but the Red Squirrel is running them off. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Black-billed Magpie

Black-billed Magpie: Light was good for this shot today. They are difficult to photograph in bright light. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Cassin's Finch

Cassin’s Finch: Right now, quite a few Cassin’s Finches are visiting my back yard—and they are becoming more accustomed to me being in the yard. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Lazuli Buntings

Lazuli Buntings: When a new bird shows up, I usually start with “record shots” like the tight crop on the left. It was fairly deep in the trees. Later, a couple of males made their way to the close feeder. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Lazuli bunting Male

Lazuli Bunting Male: Males are brown for much of the year but turn cobalt blue for the breeding season. Females are golden brown without a lot of features or details. The two Buntings are a couple of the most colorful so far this year. I am expecting Bullock’s Orioles, Western Tanagers, and a few Cedar Waxwings in the next week or so. A Cedar Waxwing was hissing in one of my trees today, but never came down to feed. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

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May 10, 2015

Band of Mustangs

Band of Mustangs: Early morning out on the range at McCullough Peaks HMA.

Wild Horse Chase

Wild Horse Chase: Full speed chase through prairie grass and sagebrush. D4 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Sylvan Pass Bighorns

Sylvan Pass Bighorns: I passed quite a few Bighorn Ewes coming up the canyon from Cody. The group of Rams were only a mile or so from the summit of Sylvan Pass.

Grizzly Sow and Cubs

Grizzly Sow and Cubs: Another record shot for me. On the way home, I turned north towards Hayden Valley. I didn’t see a bear, nor the normal bunches of bear and wolf photographers. If I had only turned south earlier, I might have had a chance for better shots of this sow. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Griz Watchers

Griz Watchers: This is just a small sampling of the tourists and photographers watching the sow and cubs. I told my wife I’d be home in time for Mother’s Day dinner, so I had to book it on home. D4 and Nikon 70-200mm lens.

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May 9, 2015

Mustang Band

Mustang Band: Wild mustangs can be found on any of Wyoming’s 16 Horse Management Area (HMA). The McCullough Peaks HMA is outside of Cody. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Mustangs

Mustangs: Mares graze while stallions take care of business. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Stallions

Stallions: This kind of action clearly differentiate these horses as wild mustangs. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Younger Challenger

Young Challenger: It will probably be a year or two before this gray stallion has a band of mares of his own, but he was testing the resolve of each band stallion this morning. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

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May 8, 2015

Harlequin Ducks

Harlequin Ducks: A long exposure taken at LeHardy Rapids in Yellowstone. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Grizzly:

Grizzly: Unfortunately, this is my very first Grizzly shot of the year. Others have been getting them regularly in the Tetons, but I’ve been shut out each time I was in the prime areas. This Grizzly was 225 yards off the road along Mary Bay in Yellowstone. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Mustangs

Mustangs: Taken at McCullough Peaks outside Cody. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Too Close:

Too Close: This kind of action can occur when two bands get too close to each other. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

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May 7, 2015

May 4, 2008

New Feature Post: May Day at the Old Patriarch Tree For this page, I went back through my Lightroom catalog to find images taken on (or around) May 1st going back to 2008.

I stayed home this morning to finish this new Feature Post. It rained off and on all night and was still dark and damp. These kinds of days offer “opportunities”, such as rain drops making patterns in pools of calm water, drops clinging to leaves, berries and cones, and lingering fog. The Teton Range is seldom visible, so I spend the day “looking down” for subjects I might normally pass up.

Pronghorn Buck in Flowers

Pronghorn Buck in Flowers: Balsom Root and a nice buck at the intersection to the old Teton Science School Road. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Web_Zodiac_May7

D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

Zodiac SignCircle of Animals —Zodiac Heads by Ai Weiwei at the National Museum of Wildlife Art.

I’ll be heading north into Yellowstone and Cody for the weekend, but if you are in town, there’s an official dedication ceremony on Saturday. Even if you miss the ceremony, you can see the set of 12 sculptures anytime the gates are open thru October 11. Currently, there’s an exhibit inside called “Fight or Flight: Art, Action, Animals”. Worth viewing, too!

Zodiac Sculptures

Zodiac Sculptures: Click this image to see them much larger. You will be amazed at the details sculpted into the pieces and also by the detail captured by the camera and lens! D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens

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May 6, 2015

Setting Moon

Setting Moon: I shot this one from the Albertson’s parking lot here in town. Clouds were thick and low in the Park during the morning period. I made a Kelly, Mormon Row, Moose-Wilson road loop, but didn’t take many photos. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

May 6 Road Updates, 2015

  • May 1: Inner Park Loop Road and Moose-Wilson Road is Open.
  • May 1: Curtis Canyon and Bridger Teton Forest Open.
  • May 1: Mormon Row Road from Antelope Flats Rd. to Gros Ventre Road.
  • May 1: RKO Road is Open.
  • May 3rd?: Road to Schwabacher Landing is Open
  • Road to Spaulding Bay: Barricaded.
  • Road to the top of Signal Mountain: Barricaded.
  • Cattleman’s Bridge area near Oxbow Bend: Open
  • Road to White Grass Ranch and Death Canyon Trail Head is  Open.
  • Upper Gros Ventre Road past Red Rock Ranch opens later.
  • Grassy Lake Road won’t open until at least June.
  • Colter Bay Convenience Store and Signal Mt. Station and Store are open. The restaurant at Signal Mt. Lodge opens this weekend for Mother’s Day.
  • Gros Ventre Campground is open.
  • Yellowstone’s South Entrance opens early Friday morning.

Red Squirrel

Red Squirrel on Trunk: I came home early this morning, then set up my tripod in the back yard after seeing and hearing a pair of Red-naped Sapsuckers. It looked like they might be interested in building a nest in this old hollow tree trunk, but my resident Red Squirrel might have dissuaded them. Maybe the Sapsuckers will find another suitable tree in the yard. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Red Squirrel Resting on a Branch:

Red Squirrel Resting on a Branch: This Red Squirrel raised a litter of six babies last year. I believe she is using the big tree trunk again this year. Yesterday, I am fairly certain I saw fledgling Clark’s Nutcrackers in the yard. It seems early, but then everything does. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Northern Flicker

Northern Flicker: These are such distinctive birds. Even though it only came to a homemade feeder, I couldn’t resist taking a few shots. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Schwabacher Landing: I mentioned seeing the gates open this morning. I drove down and had the entire area to myself. There were a few footprints, so I’d have to assume the area was open yesterday. I heard lots of birds chirping around everywhere. Beavers have been active building their dams higher than last year, though I didn’t see one. There a couple of pairs of Barrows Golden-eyes along with other Mallards and common ducks. Around the valley, I have been seeing birds well ahead of schedule including White-crowned Sparrows and Chipping Sparrows. I am wondering how many migrating birds will hang around in town before heading on North this year? Some may pass through without stopping at all. We’ll see!

Pronghorn Doe

Pronghorn Doe: I went out this afternoon hoping for 1:Lightning, 2:Rainbow, 3:Baby Bison. I never saw a lightning bolt nor heard thunder. I found some bison, but didn’t see any babies. Instead, I found a very cooperative Pronghorn within yards of “Antelope Flats Road”. I shot from the window using a bean bag support. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Singing Meadowlark

Singing Meadowlark: This is a fairly tight crop, but it was still quite sharp. I look for them in the tops of the sagebrush, but will still photograph them on the fence posts. D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

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Cinco de Mayo, 2015

Afternoon storms are in the forecast for the next few days. They offer chances for Lightning, dramatic clouds, and rainbows.

Old Patriarch

Old Patriarch — May 5, 2015: I hiked out to the Old Patriarch this morning. Nikon D800 and Nikon 24-70mm lens

Old Patriarch May1, 2009

Old Patriarch — May 1, 2009: They say, “a picture is worth a thousand words”. I can talk all day about how much this year is different than many of the previous years but these two photos should illustrate it much better. Normally, moose, deer, elk, and pronghorns won’t venture into this area until the snow melts. Here’s a link to an earlier Feature Post:  Revisiting an Old Friend: The Old Patriarch Tree

Lake Creek

Lake Creek: Lake Creek is flowing nicely out of Phelps Lake. The Park Service closed the Moose-Wilson Road to parking a mile in either direction. The best way to enjoy Lake Creek is park at the Laurance Rockefeller Preserve, and hike up either side. Nikon D800 and Nikon 24-70mm lens

Yellow Bell

Yellow Bell: One of the first flowers to bloom in the valley each year. They are currently found in the lush, moist areas. Nikon D800 and Nikon 24-70mm lens

Wildflowers: I’ve been getting a few emails asking about Wildflowers. It appears the Arrowleaf Balsom Root plants are getting ready to kick off their season. They usually appear south of Jackson first, but I saw a lot of them along the Gros Ventre Road Monday afternoon. I saw some Low Larkspur and other small, ground hugging flowers. It’s still very early, but I am at least seeing some now.

Wildlife May 5

Wildlife May 5: Taken along the Moose-Wilson Road. These were all taken hand held and are cropped significantly. Nikon D4 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Road Updates: The road into the old Cattleman’s Bridge near Oxbow Bend is now open. The road up to Whitegrass Ranch and Death Canyon Trailhead is now open.

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May 4, 2015

First Band of Fog

First Band of Fog: Taken from Antelope Flats Road. Nikon D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Peach Sky and Low Fog

Peach Sky and Low Fog: Hand held out the window along Antelope Flats Road. Nikon D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Low Clouds

Morning Fog and Low Clouds: Lots of photographers were at the John Moulton Barn this morning. The cloud just to the left of the peak of the Grand quickly covered the tip after this shot. Nikon D4 and Nikon 70-200mm lens.

Homestead PanoHomestead Pano: I changed my angle to eliminate the photographers. This is a three shot stitched image in the new Lightroom. Nikon D4 and Nikon 70-200mm lens.

TA Moulton Barn

TA Moulton Barn: Low angle on this one. There were no other photographers at this barn today. Nikon D4 and Nikon 70-200mm lens.

Curious Cow

Curious Cow: This bison watched me for quite a while before rejoining the passing herd. Taken from Antelope Flats Road. Nikon D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Dancing Pronghorn

Dancing Pronghorn: Also on Antelope Flats Road. Nikon D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Cow and Calf

Cow and Calf: I found three baby bison today. I had to wait (read the newspaper) for the group to slice across the sagebrush to cross the road. Nikon D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Red Dogs

Red Dogs: I took all of the Bison images from inside my vehicle, using VR/VC “on” and a bean bag on the window. Nikon D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Bison Mother and Baby

Bison Mother and Baby: Nikon D800 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Barrows Golden Eyes

Barrows Golden Eyes: Taken in the afternoon at Sawmill Pond on the Moose-Wilson Road. There was a pair of Wood Ducks swimming around near this group, but flew off just before I had a chance to snap a shot. A pair of Ruffed Grouse were strutting around alongside the road, too. Sandhill Cranes were grazing alongside the road. Nikon D800 and Tamron 150-600mm

Bison and Baby

Bison and Baby: I found roughly 9 baby bison today. This one had much more white in the legs than the others. Nikon D800 and Tamron 150-600mm

Arrowleaf Balsom Root

Arrowleaf Balsom Root: I found clumps of Balsom Root in several locations today, including along the Gros Ventre Road a couple miles East of the highway. I saw plenty of sprouts along the East Boundary Road, but they are probably a few days or week behind. Nikon D800 and Tamron 150-600mm

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May 3, 2015

Gold Sunrise

Gold Clouds: Looking back towards Shadow Mountain…taken from Mormon Row. Nikon D800 and Tamron 150-600mm

Morning Range

Morning Range: Tetons range only a few minutes later. Nikon D4 and Nikon 70-200mm lens.

Murphy Barn

Murphy Barn: Encouraged by the moody clouds out my windows, I loaded up and drove north. I made it to Antelope Flats Junction just as clouds lifted from the Grand. Figuring that was my signal, I turned towards the barns. Yesterday, a group of people were heading north on the road in front of the barns. They were going out to view the Sage Grouse “strutting” at sunrise. I’ve never gone out, so I figured today was my day. I put the Tamron 150-600mm on a D800 and headed out just behind this morning’s new group of spectators.  The grouse were there, but were only tiny specs several hundred yards out. Hmmmm. Not what I had hoped to see! I abandoned that grouse project and starting taking photos of the barns from some of the lesser photographed angles. Nikon D4 and Nikon 70-200mm lens.

Moulton Homestead

Moulton Homestead: Taken from the north, looking south. Nikon D4 and Nikon 70-200mm lens.

Bunkhouse

Bunkhouse at the John Moulton homestead. Nikon D4 and Nikon 70-200mm lens.

Peach House with Mt. Jackson

Peach House with Mt. Jackson: The white wash house was restored last summer. Nikon D4 and Nikon 70-200mm lens.

Coyote and Buck Rail Fences

Coyote and Buck Rail Fences: Taken along Mormon Row. Nikon D4 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Watchful Coyote

Watchful Coyote: Coyotes are typically skittish around here. Outside the park, they can still be shot as pests. Nikon D4 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Chambers Barns

Chambers Barns: Also along Mormon Row. Nikon D4 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Bison Herd in Early Morning Light

Bison Herd in Early Morning Light: Nikon D4 and Nikon 70-200mm lens.

Spring Bison

Spring Bison: We’re seeing more green each day—both in the grass and the aspens. Nikon D4 and Tamrom 150-600mm lens.

Bears? So far this year, I have been striking out when looking for any of the bears. A few people have seen them, but the reports I am getting indicate the bear traffic is slow. 399 and her two older cubs passed through, but hasn’t been seen since. Same for 610 and her two new cubs. Several large boars were visible for short periods. I didn’t hear anything today, nor did I go that far north.

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May 2, 2015

Cow Moose in the Snake River

Cow Moose in the Snake River: This moose was standing and occasionally sleeping along the edge of the Snake River at Moose Junction. Nikon D800 and Tamron 150-600mm

Moose Cow and Calf

Moose Cow and Calf: The youngster in the back was a year old. These two were a few yards upstream from the moose in the river. Nikon D800 and Tamron 150-600mm

Door Knob and Lock

Door Knob and Lock: This was mostly a test shot to see how close I could focus at 600mm with the Tamron 150-600. I’ve seen numerous specs saying Minimum Focus Distance: 106.3 in. I shot this at 600 mm and I know I was much closer than that. I didn’t have a tape measure with me, but I’d estimate it closer to 78-80″. More tests later.

Chapel of the Transfiguration

Chapel of the Transfiguration: I shot this image from a long distance using the Tamron 150-600mm lens. I zoomed in tight, took three shots, and then stitched them together inside Lightroom CC (Lightroom 6). That created a single DNG file which I processed and took into Photoshop. There, I converted it to black and while using NIK Silver Efex Pro.  Nikon D800 and Tamron 150-600mm

Chapel Entry

Chapel Entry: Shot from ground level with a Nikon D800 and 24-70mm lens at 24mm.

Chapel with Family

Chapel with Family: Also shot with the Tamron 150-600mm lens from a distance.  Nikon D800 and Tamron 150-600mm

String Lake Road

String Lake Road: The camera was on the ground for this one. Nikon D800 and 24-70mm lens.

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May 1, 2015

This is “May Day”. Somewhere around the world, kids are dancing around a Maypole….Around here, many areas of the park are reopened for the summer and fall seasons and photographers are dancing for all their own reason!

  • May 1: Inner Park Loop Road and Moose-Wilson Road is Open.
  • May 1: Curtis Canyon and Bridger Teton Forest Open.
  • May 1: Mormon Row Road from Antelope Flats Rd. to Gros Ventre Road.
  • May 1: RKO Road is Open.
  • Road to Spaulding Bay: Barricaded.
  • Road to the top of Signal Mountain: Barricaded.
  • Schwabacher Landing: Gate Locked.
  • Cattleman’s Bridge area: Barricaded.
  • Upper Gros Ventre Road past Red Rock Ranch opens later.
  • Grassy Lake Road won’t open until at least June.

Remember, this is the 1st of the month. You can view April of this year and April or May of last year by clicking on any of the Recent Daily Updates Archives: above.

Cathedral Group

Cathedral Group: Taken along the road into String Lake. Notice the lack of snow on the ground! I would have loved to see a few clouds!  Nikon D800 and Nikon 24-70mm

String Lake

String Lake: In many prior years, I’ve walked out onto the frozen ice on May 1st. Nikon D800 and Nikon 24-70mm

Layered Mountains

Layered Mountains: I took this shot as I was driving East on the RKO Road. It is open early this year. Nikon D4 and Tamron 150-600mm

Elk

Elk: This was also taken from the RKO road. Elk and Bison have scattered into their summer ranges much earlier this year. In many areas of the valley floor, you might think someone sprinkled salt and pepper all over it. In reality, they are distant elk, bison, deer, and pronghorns. To see that, you have to be up very early! Nikon D4 and Tamron 150-600mm

Young Moose

Young Moose: This youngster and her mother were grazing around the Signal Mountain complex today. Nikon D4 and Tamron 150-600mm

Amongst Civilization

Amongst Civilization: Not exactly “Wild Kingdom” is it? Even in the wilds of GTNP, some animals choose to co-exist with humans—at least part of the time. Most of the adult moose look absolutely terrible right now. This youngster is getting a new coat without looking mangy. Interestingly, his mother was also slick, dark and clean. Nikon D4 and Tamron 150-600mm

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk: Someday, I’ll get a closer shot. They are beautiful birds! Nikon D4 and Tamron 150-600mm

Gros Ventre Campground

Gros Ventre Campground: Employees were reinstalling the campground sign. The campground opened today. Nikon D4 and Tamron 150-600mm.

Spaces Available for One-On-One Photography Excursions in May. I have open dates between May 4 and 15 and a space available for May 20-30.

Birding: Today, I saw my first Hummingbird visiting my back yard. I put out a few more feeders for them. In the past few days, I have been seeing Brewer’s Blackbirds in the back yard. Tree Swallows have been showing up in large numbers around the valley.

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Please help me by spreading the word about this site with your friends. Feel free to link back to the blog on other forums and bulletin boards. MJ

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