Month: February 2022

Driving along Grand Loop Road as it parallels the Gibbon River in Yellowstone National Park on our last afternoon there, we saw a lone Bald Eagle perched atop a pine tree as it focused its eyes intently below. As we watched the bird, it suddenly took to wing and plunged its talons into the water and pulled out a fish (maybe a trout?). The majestic bird glided to the snow covered shoreline, sinking slightly into the soft powder with its prize. We watched as the Eagle shredded the fish with its beak and gulped it down, a few pieces at a time. The grand finale was the tail.

Our time with the Pine Martens consisted of lots of peek-a-boo. Since Pine Martens are a member of the weasel family, the old nursery rhyme “Pop, goes the weasel” came to my mind although I didn’t see either a cobbler’s bench or a monkey. They would disappear into the pine trees then peek out at us. Or they would scurry up the conveniently placed pine branch propped against the dumpster behind the gas station to the roof, hiding behind the mountain of snow on top, then peeking over it to survey the situation. After spending a short time with this Pine Marten, it didn’t seem to me to exhibit any of the derogatory meanings of the word “weasel.” I think that Pine Martens are pretty darn cute even though they are a member of the weasel family.

What fun it was to watch a lone Coyote travel along the edge of the Yellowstone River in Hayden Valley, all the while reflecting onto the river’s surface. It would stop and nibble the snow then continue on its journey. At one point it found something buried in the snow and it rolled around on top of it, savoring the moment. It might have been the frozen carcass of a vole because a couple of my shots after that reveal a tiny tail or foot protruding from the Coyote’s mouth.

When I got home from Yellowstone Sunday, I noticed that the Hardenbergia vine in my front yard was in full bloom. It was late afternoon in full sun and I attached my Nikkor Z50mm Macro lens to my Nikon Z9 to photograph one of my favorite garden accents. Until I walked up to it, it didn’t occur to me that there would be bees. To my delight, there were several and they buzzed around me and the flowers, giving me time to photograph them.