Month: February 2023

Snow and icy conditions dominate the existence of a Bison in Yellowstone for many months of the year. They have evolved to survive that environment. In order to eat during the snowy months, they have a powerful muscle between their shoulders that creates their characteristic hump and gives them the strength to swing their massive heads to push the snow aside as they search for what remains of the grasses on which they feed. Their thick hides and coat keep them from getting cold. And, they tolerate snow and ice that gathers on their heads and clings to their beards in the form of heavy ice balls that swing when they walk. The ice accumulates on their faces and even their eye lids and eyelashes and they continue their daily activities seemingly oblivious to the ice that clings to them. This bull paused briefly from clearing snow to look up at us, then returned to his seemingly endless search for food.

A group of River Otters out of the water is called romp. The Otter in the water in this image is considered a raft. Romp is the perfect name for these lively, charismatic, playful weasels. They don’t hold still for more than a few seconds. They romp across the snow covered ice over the river, then suddenly disappear into a hole in the ice, emerging a minute or so later in another spot. They stay close together, snuggling and cavorting. What fun it was to watch them in Yellowstone National Park last week.

The adorable Pine Marten posed for a brief moment as the snow fell around it in Yellowstone National Park last week. The top of the dumpster, with its picturesque snowdrifts, made the perfect setting, giving no hint at what it was.

Coyotes in their thick winter coats are gorgeous and one of my favorite animals to photograph in winter in Yellowstone National Park, especially against a snowy backdrop. Although we saw Coyotes several times on our trip last week, we had only one opportunity to photograph them. This beautiful animal was in deep snow with nothing in the background to distract. Its look of determination and the flying snow showing its forward movement was for me, the perfect scenario for a Coyote portrait.

Yellowstone National Park is unlike anywhere else. It is incredibly beautiful in winter when the snow is deep, the cold is brutal, and the hot springs gush steam in a dichotomy that is unique to this place. Snow crusted Bison graze in search of what is left of the grasses buried under the snow while vents spew steamy clouds that fill the skies behind them.

They are irresistibly cute, those Pine Martens. The Pine Martens were a huge attraction at Yellowstone National Park last week, especially for photographers. On our last morning there, we were determined to be the first at the area behind the service station so we drove directly there, about an hour and a half drive. This time, we used our longest lenses and our tripods and we were rewarded with a couple of hours of shooting with the Pine Martens. We saw at least four and there might have been more there. Other photographers came and went but we stayed put and watched them as they watched us as well. This adorable little one peeked out from behind the foot of snow on top of the dumpster as the snow fell around it.