July 29, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Amanda Charland and Shauna Baron
Location:
Two groups recently observed animals dining on interesting prey. A private tour group watched a grizzly bear capture and eat a marmot. The observation served as a springboard for a discussion about grizzly bear calorie needs and food sources. The Yellowstone for Families group watched some killdeer hunting ephydrid flies and their larvae at the Mammoth Hot Spring Terraces. Ephydrid flies are commonly seen in wetland and thermal areas in Yellowstone, and are a regular food source for some birds.

July 27, 2010
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Shauna Baron
Location:
Last night we watched a wonderful sighting of a fox trying to navigate tourists. It was being a very good fox, moving through the traffic without approaching people or begging for food. The fox traveled into an adjacent meadow and began hunting for mice. Animals like coyotes and fox can become habituated to people when fed by park visitors; we were happy to see this fox pursuing its natural food sources.

July 20, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons
Location:
Bears and Bones were the impromptu themes of our private tour today. In the Blacktail Plateau area we spotted one of the larger black bears we’ve seen in the park. It was a cinnamon colored black bear that we estimated at close to 400 pounds. Male black bears in Yellowstone typically weigh between 200 and 300 pounds. The children in the group were fascinated by the elk and bison bones that we came across during the day. We did a little bit of Yellowstone CSI as we investigated bone piles from previous winter kills.

July 18, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons
Location: Northern Range
Today on the northern range our group observed a badger and a coyote apparently tag teaming the ground squirrel population in the valley. As we all watched through the scopes, an interesting interaction unfolded. The coyote was chasing the badger over the hillside while yipping and yapping. The badger rolled over, and then faced out of his hole -- seemingly taunting the coyote. While Native American legends speak of the relationship between coyotes and badgers, the opportunity to watch their behavior together in the field does not regularly occur.

July 18, 2010
Course: Birding for Beginners
Observer: Bill Zager
Location: Yellowstone River
While having lunch along the Yellowstone River we discovered a great blue heron rookery. Herons were flying in and out of the treetops while we watched. The nests had young in them that appeared large and close to fledging; they’ll likely take their first flight in the next week or two.
We also enjoyed observing baby kestrels learning to fly on their own, conducting aerial gymnastics, and just beginning to feed themselves.

July 18, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Amanda Charland
Location: Lamar Valley
Our group observed a grizzly bear searching for pronghorn fawns in the Lamar Valley. The bear appeared to be doing a kind of grid search. Because the newborn fawns have no scent, the bear was unable to rely on its sense of smell. It was interesting to see how the bear used a strategic search pattern instead.

July 17, 2010
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Brian Robinson
Location: Hayden Valley
We were watching elk and bison grazing across the Yellowstone River in the Hayden Valley when we noticed the elk becoming alarmed. As the elk raised their heads high in the air and moved closer together on high alert, we spotted a black wolf traveling nearby along the Yellowstone River. The wolf seemed to be searching for smaller, easier prey in the sagebrush, and left the area without incident.

July 15, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Amanda Charland
Location: North Entrance
This morning as we were driving into the park we spotted two moose not far from the North Entrance. The moose were standing on top of a hill, and ultimately trotted by in the vicinity of our group. Perhaps the most intriguing thing about the sighting is that we had the chance to learn more about moose habitat. The dry, cactus-studded environment near the park’s North Entrance is a strange place to see moose because it’s quite different from their normal habitat. In the summer moose are most commonly found in wet, marshy areas near lakes, rivers, and meadows.

July 14, 2010
Course: Day Hiking Yellowstone’s Literary Trails course
Observer: Tom Hyde
Location: Lamar Valley
After a day hiking the Day Hiking Yellowstone Literary Trails group observed the Silver Pack alpha female regurgitate food for one of the pups. From the same observation point the group watched two grizzlies grazing about 400 yards from the wolves.

July 12, 2010
Course: Wildlife Safari
Observer: Ashea Mills
Location: Lamar Valley
Leaving early to find bears and wolves was worth our time when we found a grizzly gnawing on an old bison carcass 200 yards off the road in the Lamar Valley. We were also fortunate enough to see the Silver Pack alpha female and one pup. The pup headed for the shade, but we got great looks at the silvery alpha female while she sat in the sun near her den site. Bison, badgers, elk, and pronghorn completed the scene in the American Serengeti.

July 12, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Amanda Charland
Location:
This morning we were lucky enough to see a black bear foraging along the side of the road for grubs and roots. We noticed that the bear was almost blonde, or very light cinnamon colored. It was a good opportunity to talk about differences between grizzly bears and black bears, and coat color.

July 12, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Phil Knight
Location: Black Sand Basin
At Black Sand Basin visiting the Rainbow Pool, we watched a male cowbird fly over and appear as if it might land in the hot spring. The bird was carrying what looked like some kind of food, which it actually dropped it in the hot spring. We figured the bird didn’t know about the rules against dropping things in thermal features, and wondered if we should report the bird to the rangers.

July 11, 2010
Course: Exciting Horizons for Wolves
Observer: Leo Leckie
Location: Lamar Valley
Just shy of 6 a.m., we witnessed two separate grizzly bears move through the Silver Pack den area. The first large male grizzly moved through without too much incident; there was a momentary standoff between the alpha male and the grizzly, but the bear soon moved on his way. A short while later, what appeared to be a sub adult grizzly bear passed through the den area. This time, the alpha male of the Silver Pack came out and confronted the bear in a most aggressive fashion. The two had a momentary standoff after which the bear was escorted out of the area by the alpha male close on the bear’s heels. Next, we observed the same young grizzly in an encounter with a bison herd. The bear made a bluff run towards the bison herd before sauntering through the middle of the herd, after which the bison grouped together and ultimately chased him off.

July 10, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ashea Mills
Location: Dunraven Pass
While we had an extensive list of wildlife sightings today, high on the list of priorities was to find a grizzly bear. We were rewarded within a few minutes of leaving the Canyon area by running into a sow with two cubs on Dunraven Pass. The cubs were following mom closely and watching what she ate and trying some of their own. We thought it was a rare sighting but hours later when we came back over Dunraven Pass in the afternoon we were fortunate enough to run into her again. Whatever she was eating must have been really good.

July 09, 2010
Course:
Observer: Anne Reilly
Location: Northern Range
In the sagebrush hills between Mammoth Hot Springs and Gardiner, Montana, there were many pronghorn gathered, including males, females, and fawns.  According to the 2010 Yellowstone Resources and Issues Guide, the pronghorn population dropped by about 50 percent in the early 1990’s, possibly due to predation, or loss of winter range. While pronghorn are often seen in the vicinity of the park’s North Entrance in Gardiner, they are a species of concern in the park.

July 09, 2010
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Shauna Baron
Location: Mount Washburn
We witnessed a grizzly bear sow with two cubs on the slopes of Mount Washburn. Mom was digging for roots and tubers while the cubs were looking intently at what she was doing, learning how to do the same. Although the cubs couldn’t resist taking breaks to run around and spar with each other, they were “trying” to learn the appropriate foods to eat from mom.

July 07, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Phil Knight
Location: Lamar Valley
We saw three wolf pups from the Silver Pack in the Lamar Valley. We didn’t see any adults, just the pups who seemed to be having an adventure of their own. All of the wolf watchers had just left the area, but our group went up on the hill anyway and looked out across the valley. We were fortunate enough to watch the pups play for about half an hour before they went back into the trees. We were also lucky enough to spot two badgers in the Slough Creek area.

July 06, 2010
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: MacNeil Lyons
Location: Hayden Valley
On the final day of the Trails Through Yellowstone program the group was fortunate enough to see a sow grizzly bear with three cubs of the year maintaining an elk carcass on a creek in the Hayden Valley. Although there wasn’t much left on the carcass, the sow had to defend both her food source as well as her cubs from a coyote. The coyote and a few ravens kept encroaching on the carcass, but the sow could not afford to relinquish the meal. In defense, the sow repeatedly charged through the water at the coyote as the cubs came splashing full steam right after her.

July 04, 2010
Course: Wildlife Safari
Observer: Carrie Connor
Location: Lamar Valley
While watching a grizzly bear on a carcass in the Lamar Valley, our groups witnessed two wolves take down a baby bison. This would have been an easy kill for them except for the large bull bison that intervened on behalf of the calf and charged after the wolves. Unfortunately, it appears the calf sustained too many injuries to survive. Bison calves and other young ungulates are at a huge risk from predators when separated from their mothers.

July 02, 2010
Course: Wildlife Safari
Observer: Phil Knight
Location: Northern Range
On a hike to Trout Lake we spotted three otters catching fish the inlet of the lake where the cutthroat trout gather during spawning. We were able to watch them eat the fish, swim around, play, and generally act like otters. We also spotted two grizzly bears on a bison carcass while a grey wolf lurked in the area as well. It was interesting to watch them interact, as the bears were not willing to yield the carcass to the wolf.

July 01, 2010
Course: Best Of Yellowstone
Observer: Ashea Mills
Location:
While enjoying “the Best of Yellowstone” we saw an unbelievable 18 bears. One of the best sightings was on a backcountry hike:  seeing a black bear meandering and grazing while we had him all to ourselves. Watching a grizzly feed on a carcass in Lamar with an impatient coyote checking on him every few minutes was a lucky interaction to watch as well.

June 30, 2010
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: MacNeil Lyons
Location:
While hiking off-trail around the Hellroaring area we smelled first, and then saw, a red fox that skirted around us off-trail through the sage brush. It was a nice sighting; the fox back-tracked and allowed us to watch him for 10-15 minutes. Though fox widely inhabit the northern part of the park, their primarily nocturnal and solitary habits make sightings somewhat rare.  Reported by MacNeil Lyons, Trails Through Yellowstone program.

June 30, 2010
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: MacNeil Lyons
Location:
On the final day of the Trails Through Yellowstone program the highlight for the group was watching a grizzly bear for about 45 minutes. They observed as the bear searched through the sage brush for a variety of different food sources and eventually made its way swimming across the Yellowstone River towards the road where it came in close contact with some people and created a bear jam. The instructor aided an NPS ranger in directing traffic while the grizzly bear crossed the pavement and went up the other side of the road.  Reported by Macneil Lyons, Trails Through Yellowstone program.

June 30, 2010
Course: Dragonflies, Damselflies, and Pond Invertebrates
Observer: Bill Zager
Location: Northern Range
Participants in the Dragonflies, Damselflies, and Pond Invertebrates course were searching for charismatic microfauna in a still water pond in the Specimen Ridge area. The group was able to examine four dragonflies, all of which turned out to be male. The dragonflies had not yet hardened, meaning they had emerged that day from their nymphal stage in the water. Three to four days from now the females will emerge and mating will begin, turning the pond into a “den of iniquity”, dragonfly style.

June 28, 2010
Course: Bears: Bones, Signs, Stories
Observer: Bonnie Quinn
Location: Lamar Buffalo Ranch
The Bears: Bones, Signs and Stories course was rewarded with bear sightings in the double digits each day of the three day course. Some of the highlights included a black bear sow with two cubs, a grizzly sow with two cubs, and the famous sow with four cubs. The group also witnessed what appeared to be a sow grizzly trying to chase off her two year old cub. Sow bears will chase off their grown cubs in preparation for the upcoming mating season.

June 25, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ashea Mills
Location: Lamar Valley
Today in the Lamar Valley we watched two coyote adults feed on a bison calf that was either just recently born or perhaps stillborn. The female bison still had afterbirth material, and since it’s so late in the season we wondered if there were complications with the pregnancy. The bison’s misfortune was a boon for the coyote pups however, who were waiting back at the den nearby.

June 25, 2010
Course: Art of Wildflower Identification
Observer: Bonnie Quinn
Location: Lamar Valley
Watching from the back porch, participants in both the Bears: Bones, Signs, and Stories and The Art of Wildflower Identification courses at the Lamar Buffalo Ranch witnessed a mule deer give birth to three fawns. Mule deer are commonly seen in the park, and give birth between late May and early August.

June 23, 2010
Course: Yellowstone's Geoecosystems
Observer: Jenny Golding
Location: Little America
While hiking in the Junction Butte area, the Yellowstone Geoecosystems class took a break from studying rocks to observe a pronghorn doe with two fawns passing by about 200 yards from the group. Pronghorn start birthing in late May and continue into June, and usually have twins. Because these fawns were up and running around we guess they are probably around three weeks old.

June 20, 2010
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Ann Balogh
Location: Northern Range
We were fortunate to arrive at Trout Lake just as an otter made its way to the stream. We observed from above as the otter herded fish into the shallows and attempted to grab them, unfortunately unsuccessfully. However, after we stopped for lunch, we observed another otter on the opposite bank feasting away on some trout.

June 20, 2010
Course: Lamar Buffalo Ranch Observation
Observer: Bonnie Quinn
Location: Lamar River
On Sunday staff at the Lamar Buffalo Ranch reported that two wolves from the Silver Pack were seen on the south side of the Lamar River. They chased a coyote off of an elk calf carcass and promptly began to eat. After about half an hour the alpha male took a leg and started traveling east to take it back with him to the pups in the den. Approximately one half mile to the west the Agate Pack was feeding on a bison carcass, and one of the wolves chased a grizzly bear off of that carcass. Interestingly, the two wolf packs never paid any attention to each other despite their close proximity.

June 18, 2010
Course: World of Owls
Observer: Bill Zager
Location: Northeast Corner
A boreal owl chick was spotted in the northeast corner of the park sitting peacefully on the branch of a snag. We kept our distance, and the chick seemed unconcerned with our presence, appearing to fall asleep periodically. We did not observe any other owl, adult or chick, but we did observe a possible perch based on the presence of whitewash. The presence of a chick suggests a nest nearby, but none was observed.

June 18, 2010
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Ann Balogh
Location: Northern Range
Today was the day to focus on geology, but we started off with numerous wildlife sightings. We watched a grizzly sow and her four cubs forage along a meadow. A huge male was also in the area, and as he moved closer, the grizzly sow constantly monitored the situation. When he moved too close, she and the cubs moved at great speed down into the tree line, as a big boar could be a threat to the cubs.

June 18, 2010
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Ann Balogh
Location: Nothern Range
Today was wildlife day and Yellowstone showed off. Grizzlies, black bears, otters, bighorns, mountain goats, and wolves, oh my! Perhaps the coolest moment of the day was catching sight of a short-tailed weasel while stopping to observe a bighorn ram. Its quick, darting movements through fallen trees made it exciting to watch.

June 17, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Phil Knight
Location: Old Faithful
We spotted a grizzly bear cub near the Old Faithful developed area, which had caused a huge bear jam. The cub appeared to be on his own, wandering around in the meadow right by the road. We didn’t see any sign of the mother. We watched the bear interacting with a raven: the cub chased the raven, and in turn the bird came back to hassle the bear. Sadly, we received word on Monday that this bear had been killed accidentally during capture efforts on Friday. The park's press release is available here: http://www.nps.gov/yell/parknews/newsreleases.htm

June 06, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
An adult cinnamon black bear killed and fed on an elk calf below the Yellowstone River bridge. Ten miles to our south, near Dunraven Pass we watched a sow grizzly bear and her two cubs of the year move back and forth through grass and sage on the scent trail of something, maybe a recently born elk. These were examples of two of the five predators that elk calf needs to worry about. The other three are wolves, coyotes, and mountain lions.

May 30, 2010
Course: Old Times on the Grand Tour
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
Love is in the air! We had a most unique sighting at West Thumb of a pair of loons performing their mating dance, swimming parallel and alternately bobbing heads and changing positions--lovely! It was an especially rare treat because of Yellowstone's loons' declining population. Later, we happened upon black bears mating near Tower Junction, he roughing up her back and she willingly letting him mate. Interestingly, her yearling cubs were nearby, in a tree! We also saw a full complement of spring young, from a grizzly cub to bighorn lambs, an elk calf just off the boardwalk, goslings, and even two sandhill crane colts!

May 26, 2010
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Shauna Baron, resident instructor
Location:
We watched a wolf chase a grizzly bear away from a wolf den. She physically fought the bear off and continued to chase it far away from the den, keeping her pups safe for another day.

May 26, 2010
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
While exploring the park in a classic touring car, our group was rewarded with spring time wildlife. A new bighorn lamb was perched with mom near Calcite Springs, several osprey were sitting on eggs in the canyon area and bison calves were everywhere. We even got to see a thin, post-hibernation bear digging for grubs and plants along the lake shore.

May 23, 2010
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, Resident Instructor
Location:
As the sun rose behind the cloud cover, two of the Blacktail wolves left a bison carcass. As they moved across an open meadow, we saw two grizzly bears mating in our same field of view. In this moment of wildness, a lone wolf howled from behind us creating a lasting memory.

May 19, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Amanda Charland, instructor
Location:
After talking about how difficult surviving the first year can be for a grizzly bear cub, we watched a boar (male bear) chase after a cub while the sow (female bear) tried to defend it.

May 19, 2010
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Shauna Baron, resident instructor
Location:
We watched a sow grizzly bear defend her cub-of-the-year against a male bear. She physically fought him off and then proceeded to chase him across the top of Specimen Ridge.

May 18, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
A collared gray wolf was holding a cow elk in the bond between North Twin Lake and South Twin Lake. There were possibly two other wolves in the trees howling. As we quietly observed this moment, the cow elk climbed out to one side–only to jump back in as a visitor (not associated with our group) walked toward the elk.

May 15, 2010
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
People often ask why wolves howl. Though difficult to say for sure, many howls occur when wolves are trying to locate their pack mates. We witnessed a classic example of this today near Lava Creek. One gray wolf apparently got separated from another by the road in some dense trees. The lead wolf looked back and howled. The trailing wolf soon appeared and joined the leader crossing the road within a very short time. We got a great view and the wolves continued on, together for a few miles up the road.

May 13, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Amanda Charland, instructor
Location:
We watched a grizzly bear chase a bison herd across the plains. It was really interesting to see how the bear strategized an attack and the bison strategized a defense.

May 10, 2010
Course: Essential Yellowstone
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
While exploring the essence of Yellowstone, we were able to observe a number of grizzlies and black bears eating the first spring foods, mostly grubs and grass. Bison calves felt the first spring grass below their hooves, while osprey mated in the Canyon. Grand, Fountain, Grotto and many other geysers gave us a view into the inner workings of Yellowstone’s volcanism.

April 21, 2010
Course: Personal Time
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
While looking for a female grizzly bear with four cubs-of-the-year, a very unusual sighting for Yellowstone, I saw two bull moose near Golden Gate. Both had shed their antlers long ago, one had short velvet-covered nubs, the other was still in the beginning stages of his new growth. It has been 22 years since the 1988 fires and the Yellowstone landscape is recovering—there are increasing moose sightings throughout the park each year.

April 19, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
Over this five-day program, the students were awe-struck at what Yellowstone had to offer. From a close-up look at a bison that was taken down by Silver Pack wolves, to the interaction between an adult grizzly bear and the pregnant alpha wolf in #755's group, we were blessed with incredible sightings. We saw six grizzlies and two wolf packs in one day; then we woke early to find a red fox and coyote on Swan Lake Flats and hiked to Tower Falls on the closed road and saw two peregrine falcons and four osprey that had returned to their nesting sites after a long migration from the south. The next day was full of off-trail hiking where we found Native American artifacts and shed elk antlers. On our way to Old Faithful the final day, a collared male wolf in the Mollie's Pack crossed our path twice near Midway Geyser Basin. For high school students from far-away Connecticut, they had an amazing week in our first national park!

March 25, 2010
Course: Coyote and Raven
Observer: David Sellers, volunteer program assistant
Location:
Two grizzly bears were seen today. One was across the Yellowstone River near Tower Junction and one was in the sage below Garnet Hill. This time of year it is typical to see grizzly bears coming out of hibernation. The older males come out first with the younger males following and later the sows and cubs.

March 17, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
We spotted a large male grizzly bear along the east side of the Yellowstone River in the afternoon sun. He smelled around, yawned, and lounged in the shade of some Douglas fir trees. Typically older male bears emerge from their winter den first, followed by sub-adult bears, and then females with cubs. Bear tracks have been reported since mid-February on Yellowstone’s northern range but this was one of the first close-up sightings of the season.

March 11, 2010
Course: Living History of Wolves
Observer: Nathan Varley, instructor
Location:
Five wolves attacked a bull elk and disabled it, but did not kill their prey before they started eating the elk.

March 11, 2010
Course: Living History of Wolves
Observer: Nathan Varley, instructor
Location:
Four wolves chased three other wolves away from an old bison carcass. The three that were being chased covered about four miles in 15 minutes.

March 09, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
While checking out the cone at Soda Butte on the east side of the Lamar Valley, we saw a Uinta ground squirrel on the snow! This is an unusual sighting for this time of year but with the lack of snow-pack, this poor creature could have woken up from its winter slumber to find its den site flooding.

March 02, 2010
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, resident instructor
Location:
While out on a hike on the northern range, we noticed a quiet little flute-like hoot of the pygmy owl. These tiny owls would be advertising for mates now but are very difficult to see, especially at other times of the year. On this day however, we got lucky and found the owl at the top of a spruce tree and got a great look just before he flew off.

February 27, 2010
Course: Winter Wildlife Expedition
Observer: Shauna Baron, resident instructor
Location:
We watched the Agate/Mollies Pack frolicking in the snow. The big male dominated the smaller male in order to keep him away from the female. He stood on top of the smaller male pinning him to the ground while the smaller male licked at his face. Then the younger female got up, ran down the hill, and chased a bunch of ravens. She came very close to catching up with one, but she fell into deep snow face-first and it slowed her pace, pretty much to a dead stop.

February 17, 2010
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, resident instructor
Location:
We were watching two wolves walk through the Lamar Valley and they suddenly broke into a run. Just ahead of them, a coyote running for its life. Unfortunately for the coyote, wolves do not like these smaller canines and the two female wolves caught the coyote and killed it. Sometimes wolves will kill a coyote and leave it for the scavengers simply to kill the competition. On this day, one of the wolves actually ate the coyote.

February 16, 2010
Course: Winter in Wonderland
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
A rare sighting in Yellowstone, we saw two belted kingfishers on our drive to Old Faithful, one along the Gibbon River and the other on the Madison River. This bird is usually skittish around people, but both birds allowed us to watch them for a few minutes.

February 14, 2010
Course: Winter in Wonderland
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
On Valentine’s Day we watched the courtship and mating between two wolves in the Silver Pack.

February 13, 2010
Course: Winter Wildlife Expedition
Observer: Shauna Baron, resident instructor
Location:
We watched a large male moose eating willow plants along the side of the road. We knew he had recently lost his antlers because we could see the pedestals on the top of his head.

February 03, 2010
Course: Winter Wildlife Expedition
Observer: Amanda Charland, instructor
Location:
We watched two moose grazing on willows. This gave us a perfect opportunity to discuss the impacts of trophic cascade and fire on the ecosystem.

February 03, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Brad Bulin, resident instructor
Location:
Today we witnessed something not often seen, the process of radio collaring wolves. In the Lamar Valley, members of the Wolf Project darted and collared a Silver Pack pup and re-collared a black male (#147) nearby. The wolves continue to be a controversial species. A great deal of scientific information has been, and continues to be, gathered by collaring some of the wolves in the park.

February 02, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Nathan Varley, instructor
Location:
We watched four otters playing in the Lamar River. The cold water does not bother these animals due because their amazingly thick, oily coats keep their skin dry and warm.

February 02, 2010
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, resident instructor
Location:
A new group of wolves is moving into Lamar valley. The Silver Pack, named so because the alpha male’s coat is almost white, is chasing off any male suitors that are coming near the females.

January 29, 2010
Course: Winter Wildlife Expedition
Observer: Brad Bulin, resident instructor
Location:
Wolf mating season is on. A well known wolf from the Agate Pack, alpha female #472 and another Agate Pack female were seen with an unknown black male who has been with them for some time. As we watched, a large gray male from the Mollie’s Pack appeared and was chased off by the black male. The next day, that same Mollie’s male and another Mollie’s male were seen with the two Agate females, but the black was no where to be seen. As is typical, wolf mating season can involve a great deal of changes in pack structure on the competitive northern range of Yellowstone.

January 27, 2010
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Shauna Baron, resident instructor
Location:
We watched an unrelated female wolf being tracked by the Druid Pack females. The unrelated female was quick to move off when she realized the Druid females were right behind her. Since the most common mortality for wolves in the park is to be killed by other wolves, we all hoped she would live to see another day.

December 25, 2009
Course: Winter Wildlife Expedition
Observer: Shauna Baron, resident instructor
Location:
We watched a pair of golden eagles kill a goldeneye duck. As we were watching the birds two beavers popped up in the river below us. We watched the beavers as they pulled and ate vegetation out of the riverbank using very dexterous hands.

December 24, 2009
Course: Holiday Wildlife Watching
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
We saw 16 wolves over the course of a few days spent in the Lamar Valley. A golden eagle preyed upon some goldeneye ducks near the confluence of the Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek. We also encountered bighorn sheep on our trail above the Yellowstone River.

December 12, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, resident instructor
Location:
Wolf #471’s group of three wolves chased and took down an elk. Then five Druid Peak wolves ran in and chased off #471’s group. The Druids were still on the carcass by late afternoon.

December 02, 2009
Course: Food for the Masses
Observer: Brad Bulin, resident instructor
Location:
The Druids Peak Pack alpha male #480 had his ‘paws’ full! A new black male appeared today and was seen checking out many of the females of the Druid Peak Pack. Wolf #480 lost his long-time mate #569 earlier this fall and is in an interesting situation–all the Druid females are apparently related. There are very few Druid males. Yellowstone wolves do not normally breed with close relatives. Will #480 tolerate this newcomer and slowly accept him?

November 23, 2009
Course: Food for the Masses
Observer: Brad Bulin, resident instructor
Location:
The Druid Peak Pack was seen traveling and resting in the area. Unfortunately, these wolves have mange. Mange is a mite that causes itching proceeding hair loss. Exposure and other complications can result but healthy wolves seem to usually survive. Druid members are itching and definitely have hair missing, especially notable in their skinny looking tails. Perhaps their hair will grow back some before the coldest of Yellowstone’s winter weather approaches in a few months.

November 15, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Shauna Baron, resident instructors
Location:
We watched a male coyote giving off a very loud alarm call—the kind they give when a pack of wolves are moving through. We watched this animal for 20 minutes searching the hillside in the direction that the coyote was looking but we never did find any wolves, even though we felt he was trying to tell us something important.

October 27, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Shauna Baron, resident instructors
Location:
We had a wonderful viewing of a coyote searching the mud flats along the Yellowstone River looking for food. It then began to approach a Great Blue Heron. The heron simply looked at the coyote as if to say “don’t even think about it” and moved away from the coyote slowly watching her as it went.

October 20, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
It was still dark as we drove through Blacktail Plateau but as we drove past Phantom Lake a large herd of elk appeared on both sides of the road. As the snow begins to blanket the high country, the elk start to drop to lower elevations.

October 15, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
After fruitlessly searching far and wide on our first morning, we stopped for a break at Slough Creek. One student heard wolves howling, and we excitedly scanned the hills. The Slough Creek alphas were back! It was the first sighting since February when they seemed to have left the park. We were able to get great looks while learning the life history of these particular wolves and understanding general movements and interactions between wolves in the wild.

October 15, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Shauna Baron, resident instructor
Location:
We had a great viewing of the Slough Creek wolves–a black female named “Hook” and her mate 383M. It was nice to see them again after such a long absence. They had been up by the park boundary for a while and it was nice to see that they were healthy.

October 12, 2009
Course: Essential Yellowstone
Observer: Shauna Baron, resident instructor
Location:
We observed river otters in the Madison River today. We were lucky enough to find a mother and three pups swimming along the river, probably hunting for invertebrates and fish. Smaller ponds and other backwater sites are starting to freeze up in the park, forcing these highly aquatic mammals to use the still-open rivers to find food.

October 07, 2009
Course: Autumn Day Hiking in Yellowstone
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
Seeing evidence of animals who walked our trail before us was part of the fun this week. We saw black bear, coyotes, squirrel, mice, and wolf tracks laid out before us. We were fortunate enough to also catch a glimpse of the Canyon Wolf Pack returning to Hayden Valley, joyfully reuniting with the pup. Our most unusual sighting, however, was a tiny shrew. It was the first one for all of us, including the instructors who have 35 years collective experience in Yellowstone!

October 05, 2009
Course: Essential Yellowstone
Observer: Brad Bulin, resident instructor
Location:
Near the entrance to West Yellowstone, we noticed tracks along a side road in the recent snow. Upon closer inspection, they turned out to be raccoon tracks. Although common in many places, raccoons are rarely known to be in Yellowstone. Raccoons love river corridors and towns. This one had both nearby–West Yellowstone and the Madison River, the latter of which is where the tracks were headed.

September 18, 2009
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Phil Knight, instructor
Location:
We watched a bull moose on the north side of Dunraven Pass, below the road and heading up hill. He had an atypical antler on one side. This can happen when an animal injures the growth plate responsible for the formation of the antler.

September 18, 2009
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Brad Bulin, resident instructor
Location:
In the Lamar Valley, we were able to see a wolf, pronghorn, bison, and a badger all at once. The rarest to see was actually the badger. It was busily digging–probably after the already hibernation Uinta ground squirrels. Badger sightings are infrequent but we have seen a badger in this area before.

September 17, 2009
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Brad Bulin, resident instructor
Location:
On our way back from Storm Point we watched, almost horrified, as a big bull bison went from looking at people ahead of us on the trail to charging them (though not a full run, it was fast enough). Bison can be dangerous, but normally need to be provoked to charge. Everyone cleared out quickly and the bison turned and went back to the herd. We speculated as to what triggered this action.  We were not sure, but two coyotes had just walked from that area. Wolves have learned how to kill bison in this area so perhaps the canine presence was the cause.

September 15, 2009
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Bill Mahoney, instructor
Location:
On an 11 mile hike to Observation Peak, we decided to add another mile on the way down with a walk around Cascade Lake. We were rewarded when we discovered two sleeping trumpeter swans, necks twisted back, sleeping on the far edge of the lake.

September 14, 2009
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Brad Bulin, resident instructor
Location:
Slough Creek can be a great bear spot. Today, we discovered small black bear tracks in the mud along the creek. The tracks appeared to all be from one bear. Based on the size, it may have been  a subadult bear in its first year alone from its mother. Last year at the same time I found a mother black bear and cub of the year tracks in the same spot. Could this be the same cub, now a year older? Who knows, but bear cubs can have a strong connection to the area where they grew up, at least for the first few years.

September 14, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Amanda Charland, instructor
Location:
We saw and heard a lot of coyotes today. We talked about the differences between the high pitched yipping of the coyote to the low howl of the wolf.

September 13, 2009
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Brad Bulin, resident instructor
Location:
While walking Slough Creek Trail, we stopped at the first meadow and found several young frogs. There is a great deal of concern about amphibian decline worldwide, possibly impacted by climate change. Younger spotted frogs are a promising sign for the future.

September 13, 2009
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Bill Mahoney, instructor
Location:
As we were climbing Dunravan Pass, a large very dark grizzly bear was preparing to cross the road. He paused, showing us a clear, up-close view of his distinct hump. Then he crossed the road just feet in front of our bus.

September 13, 2009
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Bill Mahoney, instructor
Location:
Two coyotes chased off a black Druid wolf near Soda Butte. The coyotes were yipping and the wolf ran off in a hurry.

September 12, 2009
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Nick Derene, instructor
Location:
While looking for wolves, bears, and hooved mammals at the Hellroaring Overlook, a student said “look up!” Just then, a Swainson’s hawk flew past 50 feet away. Less than a minute later it winged over and dove toward the ground, running into a red tailed hawk on its way. The two battled it out for 10 minutes before disappearing over a ridge.

September 12, 2009
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Nick Derene, instructor
Location:
While watching three sandhill cranes walk the grasses in Lamar Valley, some strange birds caught our eye. After further inspection, we discovered that the cranes stirred up a nest of harrier hawks. Three chicks and two adults ran for cover.

September 12, 2009
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Nick Derene, instructor
Location:
In the Lamar Valley, near the Buffalo Ranch, six Druid wolves were sitting on a carcass with full bellies. Too full to move, they watched as a group of over 100 bison walked past and two coyotes tried to hide from view.

September 08, 2009
Course: Raptors on the Wing
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
We had a fabulous day of raptor watching. In Hayden Valley we saw many different birds-of-prey including a rarely observed ferruginous hawk and many Swainson’s hawks. Fall migration of raptors has begun and although Yellowstone may not be a number one spot for raptor migration, the western Rockies can be this time of year.

September 07, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Amanda Charland, instructor
Location:
We happened upon a black wolf resting on a sand bar in the confluence of the Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek after observing two pups and a pup-sitter up the valley. It was a great way to explain why you don’t see many wolves in the heat of the summer: they’re usually sleeping where we can’t view them.

September 07, 2009
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
On our first hike together, we followed large wolf tracks for about two miles across Swan Lake Flats and down Snow Pass. We were rewarded the next day with a stellar view of two of the Druid wolves in the Lamar Valley making a coyote, a group of pronghorn, and even a lone bull bison nervous as they wandered through the other species' view. On our way to Lamar, we were surprised by an amazingly close look at a bull moose across the road from Floating Island Lake. Once daybreak occurred, he wandered off into the trees.

September 06, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Bill Mahoney, instructor
Location:
We watched the alpha female of the Agate Wolf Pack for the better part of an hour at Specimen Ridge. She was so close we didn't need to look through a spotting scope most of the time. We watched her walk along a ridge and stop to howl several times. Sometimes she vanished behind the ridge and we could track her by the sound of her howls.

September 05, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Bill Mahoney, instructor
Location:
About 150 yards down the Cascade Creek Trail, we were stunned when a grizzly bear appeared 30 yards away from us. He had come up from a drainage off the right side of the trail. We stopped, and he stopped, but he was moving his head back and forth as he surveyed us. Then he walked parallel to the trail towards the trailhead where we had started. We watched him for about a mile as he crossed the road and tracked along the tree line, before disappearing into the woods.

September 03, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Bill Mahoney, instructor
Location:
A big, untagged bull elk was present in Mammoth this afternoon, bugling and herding a group of 50 cows, calves, and young bulls. He was a fine example of a bull elk. His presence and behavior signaled that the elk rut has begun. Today, he was unchallenged by another bull of his age and size.

August 31, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Bill Mahoney, instructor
Location:
Our morning started magically when we stopped by Floating Island Lake because we noticed two sandhill cranes there. They began bugling in their deep, rattling, signature sound. The bugling echoed beautifully off the volcanic formations around the lake. As we watched and listened, they flew off into the early morning mist, which was pastel-colored by the sunrise. Another wonderful day in Yellowstone had begun.

August 25, 2009
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
While hiking with my group off-trail near the Yellowstone River and Hellroaring creek a participant found a beautiful obsidian scraping toll. As it would be hard to date its origin while in the field, it could be estimated to be a few thousand years old. A beautiful piece of Yellowstone’s human history fits right in the palm of their hand.

August 24, 2009
Course: The Wolves of Yellowstone
Observer: George Bumann, instructor
Location:
On our last morning of class we spotted the Druid Peak Pack at the rendezvous site in the Lamar Valley. There were eight individuals including the alpha pair. For almost an hour we had them in view before they went up through the forest of Specimen Ridge and walked the skyline.

August 23, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Amanda Charland, instructor
Location:
We saw a lot of pronghorn today and discussed the threats to their habitat and migration route in Yellowstone National Park and in other parts of the country as well.

August 21, 2009
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Anne Balogh, instructor
Location:
We watched an adult osprey tend her two nestlings at a nest in the canyon. She would fly above the nest and call, trying to lure them into their first flight. They would flap their wings, practicing, but didn’t take the leap.

August 19, 2009
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Julianne Baker, resident instructor
Location:
In Hayden Valley, a herd of approximately 60 elk began running down a hill toward the Yellowstone River. Alerted to the possibility of predators, we watched closely. Three wolves appeared traveling across the valley. There was a light grey wolf in the lead followed by a black wolf and a couple of grey wolves.

August 19, 2009
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Brad Bulin, resident instructor
Location:
While at Storm Point, we discovered a cow and yearling calf moose standing in the lake. They were wet, acted nervous, and seemed very tired. The shoreline they were located by looked extremely difficult to get too. We wondered if they swam from some other part of the lake or perhaps a nearby island. We’ll never know, but moose are excellent swimmers and can cover large tracks of land and water in search of food.

August 16, 2009
Course: Shaping Yellowstone’s Northern Landscape
Observer: Dave Syfert, volunteer program assistant
Location:
As this was a geology course, wildlife sightings were accidental rather than sought out. While studying the edge of the Rose Creek alluvial fan, we observed nine wolves including one gray running from west to east along the Amethyst Terrace on the far side of the Lamar River.

August 15, 2009
Course: The Wolves of Yellowstone
Observer: Brad Bulin, resident instructor
Location:
We watched four pups of the Cottonwood Pack playing with the alpha female nearby. She eventually led the pups over the ridge. We watched from about two miles away for around 30 minutes, great play behavior with the pups.

August 14, 2009
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Anne Balogh, instructor
Location:
We were fortunate enough to watch four members of the Cottonwood Wolf Pack, three blacks and a gray, play in the Little America area. Some were the pups from this year; they were wrestling with each other, learning useful skills for the future.

August 12, 2009
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Julianne Baker, resident instructor
Location:
This morning we observed a mountain lion west of Phantom Lake. We slowed the vehicle to observe the lion as it ran down the hill and watched in awe as it stopped, turned to look at us, then slipped over the hill.

August 11, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Amanda Charland, instructor
Location:
We had a good opportunity to discuss human reactions to and management of the coyote population, including the differences in the park vs. outside the park, as we watched several coyotes hunting in the fields throughout Lamar valley.

August 11, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
Grizzly in the mist–at the early hour of 6:30 a.m., a single grizzly was walking the roadside, northbound near Nymph Lake. The cold morning temperatures created a thick fog and the bear appeared out of the mist. Seeing the bus approaching slowly, it lumbered off the road and into some thick lodgepole pines.

August 10, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Bill Mahoney, instructor
Location:
Early in the morning near the Lamar River, we watched in laughter as two pronghorns played an apparent game of "chase" with an adult in pursuit of a pronghorn fawn. It was a fantastic demonstration of their speed, as they zig-zagged over hills and crossed the road quite near our vehicle, just steps away from a bison crossing the opposite way. In the next hour, we would see two bears and five wolves, but those sightings didn't eclipse the charm of witnessing the pronghorns' early-morning game.

August 10, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Phil Knight, instructor
Location:
Six wolves from the druid peak wolf pack were near the Lamar Buffalo Ranch trotting along the river, laying out on sand beaches and enjoying the day. The six wolves included the alpha pair.

August 09, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
One of the highlights of the day was walking away from the roadside in Lamar Valley for a lunch break. Away from the sounds of the road we were able to enjoy the ‘love call’ of the bison (bellowing)… the bull bison are starting to get into full rut mode in Lamar at this time of year.

August 08, 2009
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
On our wildlife day, we hiked down to a secluded beach on the Lamar River. We didn’t see animals but did see lots of tracks. We tracked a river otter, birds, a moose, bison, deer, and even what we think was a mountain lion! That night we were rewarded with a spectacular sighting of a family of river otters splashing and diving along the banks of the Lamar River.

August 07, 2009
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Anne Balogh, instructor
Location:
We watched a large dark grizzly bear travel parallel to the road in Little America, stopping occasionally to forage. It was a great opportunity to see the grizzly’s tell-tale dished face and shoulder hump. We then watched it cross midway through the ensuing bear jam, straight through a large crowd of people. This was a great time to talk about bear/human safety and interaction.

August 07, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Amanda Charland, instructor
Location:
One of the highlights of the day wasn’t seeing a grizzly bear foraging in Hayden Valley but finding marmot scat on rocks near Storm Point. It was a fun lesson in animal identification.

August 07, 2009
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Julianne Baker, resident instructor
Location:
Two mule deer stood by the side of the trail as we hiked down from the Hellroaring Trailhead. One had a swollen left front leg, and she favored it. But that didn’t stop her from chasing the second deer away.

August 07, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
As we watched the 30 to 40 foot high eruptions from Cliff Geyser at Black Sand Geyser Basin an osprey was successful in catching a fish out of Iron Spring Creek.

August 06, 2009
Course: Private tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
Watching the full moon set behind large thunderhead clouds gave us an ominous start to our wildlife day! We spotted two wolf packs in the first 30 minutes of the day. We then reported a “bear jam” to the park service as visitors were 40 feet from a male black bear. We rounded off our day with a grizzly grazing, bighorn sheep lounging, and two red tailed hawks marauding a bald eagle in mid-air!

August 06, 2009
Course: Fly Fishing Backpack
Observer: Patty Walton, instructor
Location:
There were two sub-adult grizzly bears running around and playing with each other on the hillside opposite our campsite at Cache Creek.

August 05, 2009
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Brian Robinson, instructor
Location:
In Hayden Valley we watched as two wolves began chasing two elk. The gray wolf broke away from his chase, and then assisted the black wolf in chasing down one of the elk. The elk made it to the river and swam across to make its escape.

August 04, 2009
Course: Private tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
After watching three otters play in Trout Lake we saw three black bears cross the road. Not long after that, we watched lighting strike the ground twice on Garnett Hill near Tower Falls.

July 31, 2009
Course: Tracking the Heat: Yellowstone’s Hot Spot and Calderas
Observer: Bill Mahoney, volunteer program assistant
Location:
On the way up Mount Washburn, we saw 28 bighorn sheep and a pika. On the way down the other side at Dunraven Pass, our hike ended with a view of a blonde grizzly climbing a steep slope looking for an afternoon meal.

July 30, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Angela Trnka, instructor
Location:
We discussed how the terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs were formed and how they are different from other thermal features in the park. We observed the beautiful colors at the thermal areas at Norris Geyser Basin, Midway Geyser Basin, and Fountain Paint Pots, and talked about how thermopiles help create these brilliant colors.

July 30, 2009
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Anne Balogh, instructor
Location:
While near Mount Washburn doing some wildlife watching, we saw a grizzly bear chase a black bear sow and cub off a carcass and up a tree. The next morning, the sow and cub were up the same tree. They had possibly stayed there all night.

July 29, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
A surprise grizzly bear, appropriately near the Grizzly Lake Trailhead, made our day. We were mostly concerned with learning about Yellowstone’s volcano and thermal features but seeing a grizzly bear in late July in the heat of the afternoon was a great surprise.

July 28, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Amanda Charland, instructor
Location:
We saw the playful side of Yellowstone’s creatures today. Three river otters were tumbling around in the water during the morning. While leaving Trout Lake we watched a coyote chase pronghorn through a field. This was a great lesson on the importance of play.

July 28, 2009
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Shauna Baron, resident instructor
Location:
We watched a grizzly bear 100 yards away eating berries and grasses. The bear would pick the berries very meticulously with his tongue. It was amazing to watch it pick off one berry at a time.

July 26, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Bill Mahoney, instructor
Location:
We watched two coyotes running a lone black wolf in circles in the Lamar Valley. The coyotes successfully defended their territory by running the wolf off and then proceeded to rest on the bank of the Lamar River. Within the next hour, we also saw a juvenile grizzly foraging, as well as big horn sheep and mountain goats.

July 26, 2009
Course: Meet the Mesocarnivores
Observer: Shirley Andrews, volunteer program assistant
Location:
While departing the Lamar Valley Buffalo Ranch early in the morning, we spotted four wolves-two blacks and two grays-from the Druid wolf pack. They were only ten yards away. We waited to let one of the grays cross the road in front of us, while one of the blacks ate what looked to be a marmot.

July 24, 2009
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Anne Balogh, instructor
Location:
Yellowstone put on a show for us this week. We spent our wildlife day watching a male antelope defending his harem, otters fishing for trout, a black bear flipping rocks for insects, bison beginning their mating rituals and finally, a solitary black wolf traversing the Lamar Valley.

July 22, 2009
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Brian Robinson, instructor
Location:
In Hayden Valley we watched a great bison/grizzly bear interaction. One large bull was lying down near the tree line, when a grizzly bear came out of the trees and approached the bison. The bison began to roll around kicking up dust, and then stood up. The grizzly bear then stood up on his hind legs, and they both moved away from each other with no further interaction.

July 22, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Amanda Charland, instructor
Location:
We watched a black bear forage for grasses and bugs and talked about how much bears have to eat in order to sustain their busy life style; this process is also known as caloric intake.

July 21, 2009
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Shauna Baron, resident instructor
Location:
We enjoyed watching the drama unfold as the male bison tried to impress the females by rolling and wallowing in the dirt and bellowing at the top of their lungs. While watching the bison, we also had a tiger salamander come walking up to us through the grass. We had a wonderful close-up viewing of this rare creature.

July 20, 2009
Course: Trails through Yellowstone
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
Our trails were full of wildlife this week, including a black bear right at our trailhead for Snow Pass. Later we encountered a grizzly bear at a distance. One hike (Clear Lake) took us around a rutting herd of bison, their bellows rolling across the meadow. Hiking along the canyon rim, we were among the first to watch osprey fledglings learning to fly. Seeing wildlife while hiking through their habitat gave our encounters extra meaning.

July 20, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Angela Trnka, instructor
Location:
Being a rainy, cool day out on the Northern Range we spotted the full Blacktail Wolf Pack after we saw elk acting quite nervous. This was a very good sign that a predator was in the area.

July 20, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Amanda Charland, instructor
Location:
After watching a small black bear dine on vegetation on the side of the road we saw a much larger grizzly bear prying logs open. The group was excited to be able to see the differences between black bears and grizzly bears both physically and behaviorally.

July 20, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Amanda Charland, instructor
Location:
The male bison in Hayden Valley have been kicking up dust from their wallows and showing off in preparation for the mating season. We watched a huge herd near a small thermal area grazing.

July 19, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Amanda Charland, instructor
Location:
The alpha female wolf of the Canyon Pack was out in the Hayden Valley with a black pup. The pup seemed to be begging for food and the female spent her time ignoring him as he jumped all over her.

July 17, 2009
Course: Pelican Valley Grizzly Bear Basecamp
Observer: Patty Walton, instructor
Location:
We had many wildlife sightings in Pelican Valley, but the two that stood out for us were the black wolf that was probably from the Molly’s Pack and a cow moose in the meadow close to our campsite.

July 17, 2009
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
As we walked in to see Fairy Falls, a 200 foot waterfall, we were greeted by a long-tailed weasel. We walked through the trail that was lined by lupine flowers, smelling the sweet pungent smell on our way to eat lunch by Imperial Geyser.

July 17, 2009
Course: Yellowstone For Families
Observer: Anne Balogh, instructor
Location:
We were watching a black bear foraging out in Lamar Valley. Just as we were about to pack everything up and move on, a grizzly bear appeared on the ridge behind us. So, we were able to observe both bear species and note their similarities and differences.

July 14, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Angela Trnka, instructor
Location:
We had a great show of a big male bison starting his mating game. While walking into a small herd the male bison was snorting, digging, grunting, and intimidation the other male bison in the vicinity.

July 12, 2009
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Shauna Baron, resident instructor
Location:
We stopped at Floating Island to search for baby sandhill cranes and baby ducks. We were pleasantly surprised to find a beaver swimming around the water eating grasses.

July 10, 2009
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Anne Balogh, instructor
Location:
While hiking around Trout Lake, we had an amazing experience. While watching the cutthroat trout battle their way upstream an otter with her pup swam up and proceeded to catch a large trout. She was obviously trying to teach the youngster, who was just as obviously trying to let mom do the work.

July 09, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
While hiking through a thermal area we had to quickly change our direction due to five large bull bison walking towards us. The best option was to move up hill, into the safety of some trees and solid ground. Everybody’s heart rate went up but all were safe and enjoyed the moment of wildness in Yellowstone.

July 09, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Brad Bulin, resident instructor
Location:
A black bear sow and cub near the Petrified Tree area were grazing when the cub suddenly stood up. To our amazement, not far away there was a subadult grizzly bear. The grizzly, who may be a threat to the cub, stood up and looked at the cub while the cub’s mother grazed below. The grizzly bear bedded down for a while, then got up and walked towards the cub. Soon after, mother black bear walked up the hill. With that the grizzly took off at a slow trot. Grizzly and black bears usually avoid each other, with black bears having the most to lose.

July 09, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Amanda Charland, instructor
Location:
A really great teaching moment occurred while approaching the burned section near the Petrified Tree pullout. As I was telling the group to keep their eyes out for bears because they love the tasty grubs in the dead trees, a black bear walked out of the woods and we could hear it tearing open logs looking for bugs.

July 06, 2009
Course: Emerging Knowledge of Wolves
Observer: Dave Syfert, volunteer program assistant
Location:
While driving east from the Lamar Buffalo Ranch we observed five dark wolves of the Druid Peak wolf pack. They were feeding on a bison carcass for over two hours. Above, a dozen ravens waited their turn. Later that morning we watched two of the same wolves further east in the direction of their den. We also observed and heard the pack howling.

July 05, 2009
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Shauna Baron, resident instructor
Location:
We had an up-close and personal viewing of two different otter mothers and pups. We were hiking along the shore of Yellowstone Lake and the otters swam up to the shore to clean themselves and play in the grass. They came so close that we had to move back away from them.

July 03, 2009
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Brad Bulin, resident instructor
Location:
While in Hayden Valley, we found a grizzly bear foraging in the meadow. Ravens nearby indicated there was probably a carcass somewhere. Sure enough, a wolf soon appeared and walked over to the bear. The wolf snuck up behind it and bit the bear in the butt. The bear jumped and moved a short distance away, followed by the wolf returning to the raven filled area. Some wolves are bold and brave enough to defend carcasses form bears but at other times the bears win out. This wolf also may have had a puppy nearby, giving the canine extra incentive.

July 03, 2009
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
We found a cow elk in the river with a black Druid Pack wolf on the bank. We just missed the wolf wounding the elk but got to see lots of interaction. The nervous elk pranced in the water while the patient wolf harassed her. Eventually they both made a run for it, and the chase continued. The elk was rearing up and prancing while the wolf hoped for another crippling bite. Suddenly, two coyotes, probably with a den nearby, went into full pursuit chasing the wolf out of their territory. The elk took the opportunity to head for the hills where she disappeared into the trees.

June 29, 2009
Course: Yellowstone’s Wolves: Ecology, Behavior, and Conservation
Observer: John Scarlett, volunteer program assistant
Location:
A dozen years ago, willows and aspen along Crystal Creek were only knee high, due to years of elk browsing. These same willow and aspen stands are much higher. With this new growth the songs of half a dozen varieties of birds are back and we discovered dams and ponds! The return of the beavers will drastically alter this riparian habitat in the next few years.

June 27, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Amanda Charland, instructor
Location:
While at the Hitching Post pullout in Lamar Valley we first noticed a grizzly bear at a bison carcass. After a few minutes three black wolves from the Druid Pack arrived, then two coyotes chased a wolf and stole the meat it was carrying. An elk wandered into the mix with a calf and the wolves chased them away.

June 25, 2009
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Anne Balogh, instructor
Location:
A favorite this week was pronghorn/coyote interaction. We happened upon two pronghorn chasing a coyote in Lamar Valley. Soon roles were reversed and the coyote began to chase a pronghorn, though not seriously. It was a great opportunity to see some interspecies interaction.

June 25, 2009
Course: Best of Yellowstone
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
Our group got the best of Yellowstone from a variety of perspectives: historical, ecological, geological, etc., but our best wildlife sighting was a small black bear. He was very close to the road and was of the age and size that we believe he was newly on his own.  Black bears usually only get one full summer with mom. During their second summer the sow, or a courting boar, will typically chase off the yearling.

June 23, 2009
Course: Hiking the History of Yellowstone
Observer: John Scarlett, volunteer program assistant
Location:
Our hike to Trout Lake to learn about the ‘fishing industry’ of years ago was rewarded with the sight of cutthroat trout spawning. We continued hiking to Buck Lake where we saw a barrow’s goldeneye ‘mom’ with nine ducklings–one hitchhiking on her back. The other eight strung out behind her single-file, like ‘history hikers’ following their instructor on a narrow trail.

June 21, 2009
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Julianne Baker, resident instructor
Location:
While hiking in the canyon area we crested a rise and looked over the valley to see a lone black wolf. It was surrounded by ravens and it munched a tasty morsel.

June 21, 2009
Course: Private tour
Observer: Amanda Charland, instructor
Location:
While observing a male bighorn sheep at the Yellowstone River Picnic Area, we noticed it becoming very agitated, and for good reason. A large grizzly bear was running toward the sheep and toward us. We backed away to a safe distance while other visitors tried to get closer. This was a good educational moment in that we could talk about respecting the animals in Yellowstone by keeping our distance from them.

June 19, 2009
Course: Yellowstone For Families
Observer: Anne Balogh, instructor
Location:
We watched a large male grizzly bear sleeping off his meal which consisted of an elk calf at Swan Lake Flat. He would lie down for 15 minutes at a time out of sight, and then periodically lift a leg or his head which was a crowd pleaser. The elk were still close and watchful. This provided a good opportunity to discuss predator/prey dynamics.

June 19, 2009
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Julianne Baker, resident instructor
Location:
While hiking in the Northern Range, our group was ‘escorted’ by a pair of sandhill cranes. They led us along for about a quarter mile before flying in a large circle back to where they may have had a nest.

June 18, 2009
Course: Private tour
Observer: Angela Trnka, instructor
Location:
It was cold, rainy, and windy day today in Yellowstone, which means that it was great for wildlife watching. During these cold June days the animals are more active. They are not as hot in their large fur coats and they have more energy to move around.

June 17, 2009
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Brian Robinson, instructor
Location:
We were at Grizzly Overlook when we got word that a law enforcement ranger had to discharge his handgun into the ground in front of a bison that was increasing his speed toward a group of visitors at one of the pullouts north of Mud Volcano. The bison reportedly changed direction without injury to man or animal. This is a great example that the most docile looking animals can sometimes be the most dangerous.

June 17, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Phil Knight, instructor
Location:
Today in Lamar valley we watched three coyotes harassing and yipping at a lone wolf. During this time of year it is common to see this type of behavior between coyotes and wolves because the coyotes are protecting their young.

June 15, 2009
Course: Yellowstone For Families
Observer: MacNiel Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
Our wildlife day proved positive when a sow grizzly bear and her cub-of-the-year were spotted in a high meadow in the Lamar Valley. As we watched, another sow and yearling grizzly appeared in the same meadow at a lower elevation. Not two minutes later, two other grizzlies, a courting pair, were seen even higher in the meadow. There were six grizzlies seen at one pull out.

June 12, 2009
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Julianne Baker, resident instructor
Location:
In Hayden Valley, we watched a newborn elk calf as it struggled to its feet and began to nurse. The calf was still wet when we saw it. The cow licked the calf and urged it to its feet. In the distance, a black wolf roamed across the valley.

June 11, 2009
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
We had the opportunity to observe the Druid Peak Pack interacting with a former Slough Creek Pack member at a bull elk carcass. Often bulls are weaker in spring having spent the fall months mating rather than eating, storing up winter fat. This makes them easier prey in the winter and spring.

June 10, 2009
Course: Essential Yellowstone
Observer: Brad Bulin, resident instructor
Location:
We were watching a grizzly bear walk along the other side of the river near Otter Creek. Suddenly, the bear decided to jump in the river and swim right at us! We quickly loaded the bus, but got a great view of the bear. Bears are excellent swimmers and quite often need to swim across the higher spring waters of the Yellowstone River.

June 08, 2009
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
We were grateful for just a glimpse of swimming otter, a family of three sinuously making their way across a mountain lake. Imagine then, how lucky we felt to watch the family haul out trout after trout, to watch them feeding on a log above the spawning trout. The mother and older sibling did not simply give some to the youngest otter, instead encouraged him to catch some of his own.

June 07, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
Our family group of 27, celebrating their matriarch’s birthday, were surprised at the snow storm we traveled through today! It made for difficult long-distance viewing but we still managed to find 3 bull elk, a bull moose, 3 black bears, and a courting pair of grizzlies. We also discussed how helpful this precipitation is to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, even if it’s in the form of June snow!

June 04, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, resident instructor
Location:
We watched a coyote eat a large rodent, then continue to stalk and hunt through the sagebrush at Blacktail Ponds.

June 03, 2009
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
We had great sightings throughout our three days but one unique black bear stood out. He ambled across the bridge below Tower Falls. We thought he was smart to avoid the turbid, raging river and instead take advantage of the human made span across! He gave us a fantastic look before disappearing into the riparian willows.

June 03, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
From a great distance we watched a grizzly bear with two cubs-of-the-year in tow search the sagebrush for elk calves, a staple food source for grizzly bears this time of year. Out of the five predators in the park that prey upon elk calves, grizzlies are the top!

June 03, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
We enjoyed a nice lunch break as an immature red tailed hawk ate lunch too! Only its lunch didn’t come between two slices of bread. The hawk ate a ground squirrel and perched in an aspen tree to let its lunch digest, all with in view of our lunch spot.

June 02, 2009
Course: Essential Yellowstone
Observer: Shauna Baron, resident instructor
Location:
We watched an elk calf nursing along Mount Washburn. The mother and baby were slowly making their way back to the main herd, but they had to take the long way around to avoid many downed logs which world have been difficult for the small calf to navigate. They stopped many times for the calf to have a bit of milk.

May 29, 2009
Course: Old Times on the Grand Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, resident instructor
Location:
We watched a group of four badgers in Little America as they bared teeth and wrestled with each other.

May 29, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
When I asked the participants what the highlight of the day was, nobody could come to an agreement. First was lunch at the west summit of the Beartooth Highway at 10,000+ feet. Second was the playful short-tailed weasel near the Northeast Entrance, and third was the black bear with two cubs of the year near the Yellowstone River picnic area. They caused quite a stir.

May 29, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
An amazing moment was witnessed today–an osprey had caught a trout and was flying above Lamar Valley. A raven began chasing the osprey, and then a peregrine falcon joined the chase. The osprey dropped the fish to the grass below and a nearby bald eagle swooped in and laid claim on the tasty morsel.

May 28, 2009
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
We were fortunate enough to come across a sow and nearly full grown cub in Hayden Valley. The grizzly cub’s coloring differed form its mother’s very dark coat and shimmered gold in the sunlight. He gave us an opportunity to discuss how their grizzled fur gave them their name.

May 26, 2009
Course: Mammal Signs: Interpreting Tracks, Scat, and Hair
Observer: John Scarlett, volunteer program assistant
Location:
After locating a set of tracks, we used knowledge and techniques learned in the classroom to not only identify the species (grizzly bear) but to follow the tracks for quite a distance and interpret the story of its progress. A variety of measurements taken in the field helped determine that the animal had a limping gait and an injured left hind foot. Measurements also indicate the probable age and gender of the animal. All students were able to make excellent plaster casts of the foot prints of this magnificent animal!

May 26, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Angela Trnka, instructor
Location:
Today we watched a black wolf from the Druid peak pack try to take down a bison calf. The mother came to the calf’s rescue and chased the wolf away.

May 26, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Angela Trnka, instructor
Location:
In the Gardiner Canyon we watched two female big horn sheep and their lambs scaling the steep cliffs in the canyon. Even at such a young age the lambs were able to keep up with the adults with no problem.

May 24, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
We watched as a black wolf skirted through the rocks on the north side of Lamar Canyon. We were the only ones watching. It caught our attention because it was being harassed by a coyote. The lone wolf might have tried to dig up the coyote den, hence the aggressive behavior to the wolf.

May 24, 2009
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
Osprey are vigorously protecting eggs in several nests along the Tower Canyon at this time of year. As we hiked the rim opposite the road, we were also able to see a male pronghorn herding a group of nine or so females and saw a herd of big horned sheep that were obviously very pregnant.

May 22, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
We observed a bull moose grazing at the petrified tree, his antlers were growing back in velvet. What started as three cars turned into a massive ‘moose jam’ in a matter of only a few minutes.

May 22, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
As we crested into Lamar Valley a huge grizzly bear off the side of the road caught our attention. Just as quickly, other wildlife viewers pointed across the road. There we saw and heard two coyotes escorting a black wolf away from their den. Knowing the wolf could turn on them, their motivation to get the wolf away from the pups out weighed their potential danger.

May 21, 2009
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear
Observer: Brad Bulin, resident instructor
Location:
Elk caves are here! We saw our first elk calf in Lamar Valley today. Soon, many more calves should be born around the park. Spring is turning to summer soon. The bison calves have been coming since last month, now elk and big horn sheep are following suit. Soon, the pronghorn babies will also be appearing in the park.

May 20, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Angela Trnka, instructor
Location:
We came across a great wolf sighting right away! There were two wolves from the Blacktail group on a week-old bison carcass with a calf that was still alive. Later in the day the wolves were gone but ravens and a bald eagle were on the carcass.

May 20, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Angela Trnka, instructor
Location:
While walking round Trout Lake we saw back bear tracks and an osprey catching fish in the lake.

May 19, 2009
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, resident instructor
Location:
Wolves may kill coyotes at a carcass for competition, but not today! Instead a lone Druid Peak wolf feeding on a carcass in the Lamar Valley was approached by three coyotes. After a short confrontation, the wolf continued eating. Soon, a fourth coyote appeared and with a short greeting of the four, they charged the wolf. Since this is denning season, the demand for food is greater for the coyotes to ensure the survival of the next generation.

May 19, 2009
Course: Wildlife Watching in Grizzly Country
Observer: Shirley Cope, volunteer program assistant
Location:
We observed a total of 10 different grizzly bears in 1 day. During this time of the year the bears are out looking to restore their fat reserves after their long winter hibernation.

May 18, 2009
Course: Essential Yellowstone
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
From grizzlies to geysers, fox to fumaroles, coyotes to the caldera, our group saw and experienced Yellowstone from many angles. The one sighting that stands out above the rest was watching the birth of a bison calf. Other herd members investigated the new one as his mother licked dry his fur. His first unsuccessful steps, legs wobbly and bending inward, were rewarded with more cleaning from mom.

May 18, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, resident instructor
Location:
We watched a black bear and black wolf interact. The wolf seemed to want food that the bear had. The wolf followed the bear; the bear turned and chased the wolf.

May 17, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
As grizzly bears have recently been taken off the endangered species list, they are a hot topic of discussion on YAI programs… good thing they are visible for us to see and discuss. Today we saw 13 bears!

May 12, 2009
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
We watched a large grizzly meandering along the Lamar River. When he’d gotten too close for comfort, a group of cow bison headed his way and ran him off with authority. Following his path with scopes, we had the treat of watching him scratch and scent-mark several trees with gusto.

May 12, 2009
Course: Spring Wildlife Watching
Observer: George Bumann, contract instructor
Location:
We watched a grizzly bear walk down the eastern half of Lamar Valley in, and through, a blizzard only to cross the Lamar River and get chased away by a herd of bison. It went into Soda Butte Creek and rubbed its back on a few trees to leave its mark.

May 11, 2009
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
Over the course of three full days we had incredibly diverse wildlife sightings, including bison, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and nesting bald eagles and osprey. However, the most captivating sightings for our group were the ones in which we observed and discussed the interactions between species. One morning, we watched a coyote harassing a lone wolf, barking, nipping, and howling, while the wolf dug at what we assumed was the coyote’s den.

May 10, 2009
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, resident instructor
Location:
A lone wolf in Lamar got a true ‘wake up’ call when it strayed too close to a bison herd. A cow bison, with tail up as a warning, charged the wolf and chased it away from the herd. Bison calves are now found in many of the small herds in the northern part of the park. Bison cows (aka mothers) will aggressively defend calves from any potential predators.

May 07, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, resident instructor
Location:
As we drove north to Mammoth Hot Springs, we saw a grizzly bear near the road. It seemed to be a young adult, with a blonde “saddle belt”. It limped badly and we saw porcupine quills in its right paw. The grizzly grazed on the grass then stopped to lick its paw. It alternated these activities as we watched, its paw gradually seeming to feel better.

May 06, 2009
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
Both the Druid and Agate Creek wolf pack fed on a cow bison carcass over the course of a few days. There were also grizzly bears grateful for an early season meal, bald and golden eagles, and several coyotes in the vicinity. By our last day, most of the carcass was gone although the bones, hide, and minor scrapes will continue to feed scavengers for days or weeks.

May 05, 2009
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
Our first day out we found a fresh carcass by following a huge flock of ravens fluttering and making a racket. They were most likely trying to get the attention of predators (wolves particularly) to open up the carcass so they could get their share.

April 21, 2009
Course: Institute Staff
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
Bears have been out for over a month now, this was my first sighting for the spring. This large grizzly looked quite well after its long winter sleep.  It was outfitted with red ear tags and a radio tracking collar.  The bear was lumbering up the one-way North Rim Drive paralleling the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Not happy to move off the pavement and sink into the deep snow, I stopped and backed up my truck. The bear took this as an opportunity to take the easy path and walk the road again. The bear walked past the truck without hesitation and meandered on its way. Take this as a friendly reminder, it is again time to hike with bear spray and be very bear aware!

March 31, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
While out on the Northern Range we observed a large number of coyotes competing with ravens and magpies for the last bits of meat and marrow on a carcass. Ravens are now displaying courtship behavior. We saw one mate feed the other, beak to beak. It is a sure sign of spring mating.

March 30, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
We found the entire Druid Peak Pack (13 wolves) high on Amethyst Mountain. They were loping along single file with an elk herd above them. Suddenly, they burst into pursuit and took down an elk, chasing it off a cliff.

March 30, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
While watching the Druid Peak Pack eat an elk carcass the wolf crew researchers arrived on their last day of winter study with a metatarsal (leg bone) from an old cow bison carcass. One of our group had the opportunity to help saw out a portion to study the bone marrow, an indicator of overall health. We compared this piece, gelatinous and red speckled, to an example of healthy light pink marrow. It gave us an opportunity to discuss the age and health of elk that wolves prey on (usually older and weaker animals).

March 27, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
We spent a portion of the early morning watching the Druid Peak pack napping near a carcass at the Lamar River trailhead. Upon an approach of a gray wolf the entire pack treated us to a bawling, tonal howl.

March 27, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
While in Lamar Valley we spotted 12 wolves on a fresh carcass and to our surprise it was the Mollie’s Pack. Normally this pack is seen south of Lamar Valley in Pelican and Hayden Valley. This pack was seen in close proximity to the Druids, a rival wolf pack of equal size, which could make for some interesting wolf watching in the coming days.

March 12, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
While walking on the Upper Terrace at Mammoth Hot Springs near Canary Spring there were fox tracks crisscrossing the trial. It appeared to be following snowshoe hare tracks.

February 25, 2009
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Don MacDougall, instructor
Location:
We observed a lone wolf, an Agate Pack female now part of the Blacktail Pack, on a carcass just east of Phantom Lake. It appeared that she took the elk down on her own. She fed on the carcass for 20 minutes and then moved away to rub her muzzle in the snow and clean off some blood.

February 22, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: John Langan, volunteer program assistant
Location:
While wolf-watching this morning, we observed an alpha female displaying dominant behavior over another female in her pack. This time of year is mating season for the wolves and it is a good time to witness this kind of behavior.

February 19, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Scott Magelssen, volunteer program assistant
Location:
We watched a golden eagle eating a duck on the shore of the Yellowstone River. The signs of the eagle’s strike and subsequent struggle were marked in the snow.

February 19, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Fran Magelssen, volunteer program assistant
Location:
While walking up the path from the Yellowstone Picnic Area, we saw wolf tracks and blood-spotting in the snow. We suspected that it was evidence of mating left by 302 and his mate.

February 19, 2009
Course: Fang and Flesh: Hunter and Hunted in Yellowstone
Observer: John Langan, volunteer program assistant
Location:
We watched wolf # 472 parading around with an elk fetus from the nights kill of a female elk. When a subordinate wolf approached her she would snap at them with bared fangs.

February 19, 2009
Course: Winter in Wonderland
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
Even in winter, the American badger will rise from its slumber to look about for food. At Madison Junction I observed a large pile of dirt and snow from a badger that emerged through the soil and dug up through 3 feet of snow for a short winter walk-about.

February 19, 2009
Course: Winter in Wonderland
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
A “perpetually spouting” geyser called Minute Geyser, located in Norris Geyser Basin, was observed void of water for 3-5 minutes. Once it spouted, water rose only a few inches in the air. Constant change is inevitable with Yellowstone’s natural features.

February 17, 2009
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, resident instructor
Location:
We were lucky enough to watch wolves performing mating behaviors. February is prime- time for mating behavior for the canines in the park. We observed a male/female “tie” for 17 minutes; this mating may produce a litter of wolf pups.

February 15, 2009
Course: Wolves Of The 21st Century
Observer: Tim Kaminski, instructor
Location:
While in an area on the Northern Range called Little America we saw three black male yearling wolves, originally from the Druid Peak pack, and now members of the Blacktail pack. They were going back and forth across the road, howling frequently. They appeared to be following a scent trail.

February 10, 2009
Course: Old Faithful Winter Expedition
Observer: Julianne Baker, resident instructor
Location:
While crossing the Chittenden Bridge, we looked at the river and the view. Almost directly under the bridge an otter rolled on the ice. He rubbed his face in the snow, rolled over, and then gracefully slid into the water.

February 09, 2009
Course: Old Faithful Winter Expedition
Observer: Julianne Baker, resident instructor
Location:
While snowshoeing the Upper Geyser Basin, we noticed that Beehive Geyser was bubbling. We stopped and saw the indicator spout, so we waited a few minutes. Suddenly Beehive erupted in a jet column of water 200 feet high. As the eruption continued, the wind blew the spray toward us, and we got “ kissed by Beehive”.

February 07, 2009
Course: Winter In Wonderland
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, resident instructor
Location:
While in Hayden Valley we watched an otter catch a fish and drag its meal up onto the snow covered bank to eat. It seemed to delight in the afternoon snack, while keeping a close eye out for eagles or coyotes that might try and take its fish away.

February 04, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: George Bumann, instructor
Location:
While in the Lamar Valley we observed an American badger digging a hole across the river. Even in winter, this member of the weasel family is still active.

February 03, 2009
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
We decided to take a break from the wolves and go in search of some winter birds and maybe a rare sighting of otters. We drove along the Lamar River in search of the smaller characters of Yellowstone. Finding a golden eagle, we decided to walk off into the snow to watch from a distance. The eagle swooped down towards the river catching an American dipper in mid air. It then flew off to the side of the road to sit down for a meal. A second eagle suddenly appeared, flying in to try to steal the prey away. The two eagles became locked together by their talons and went tumbling down the hill, somersaulting together for about twenty feet. When the wrestling match was over, the second bird had stolen the prize and flew back up hill to eat it. When the excitement ended, the birds had left in their wake the most wonderful set of tracks, wing-tip marks and feather marks in the snow.

January 27, 2009
Course: Old Faithful Winter Expedition
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
In Hayden Valley we observed two coyotes. One was on a carcass and one was trotting on a packed trail toward the carcass.

January 24, 2009
Course: Winter in Wonderland
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
A cow moose was walking the road between Old Faithful and West Thumb Geyser Basin. In the winter humans are not the only animals using the snow packed roadways to get around the park.

January 19, 2009
Course: Winter With a Photographer’s Eye
Observer: Jenny Golding, program manger
Location:
On our way back to Mammoth Hot Springs from Old Faithful Snow Lodge we spotted a bobcat preening itself along the Gibbon River near Tuff Cliff.

January 15, 2009
Course: The Wolves of Yellowstone
Observer: John Langan, volunteer program assistant
Location:
Dorothy’s turnout in Lamar Valley there were two carcasses with a variety of scavengers on them. There were eleven Druid Pack wolves on one carcass and the other carcass had to be shared by eagles, coyotes, ravens, and magpies.

January 14, 2009
Course: Winter In Wonderland
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
While at the Hellroaring Overlook we observed wolves howling before making their way through the deep snow and across the Hellroaring suspension bridge over the Yellowstone River. Wolves are very resourceful and have found that using the bridge is a much easier way to get across the Yellowstone River.

January 09, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
At Blacktail Creek we watched a group of ravens harassing a bald eagle on an elk carcass. The ravens would sneak up behind the eagle and pull on its tail feathers.

January 06, 2009
Course: Winter In Wonderland
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
While watching 3 wolves on a carcass, something in the distance scared them and they ran away. A couple of minutes later, 11wolves from the Druid pack came down the hill and surprised a coyote feeding on the carcass and killed it.

January 04, 2009
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
We were watching a lone coyote near a recently killed elk. The coyote suddenly got up and ran for the woods. Four wolves appeared minutes later and claimed the carcass. It pays to watch the smaller animals as their behavior often lets you know when something is going to happen.

January 03, 2009
Course: Winter Wildlife Expedition
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
As the light of day began to break, we watched wolves howling and greeting each other with wagging tails and playful bites. After their greetings were over they settled down to rest in the warm sunshine.

January 03, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
We watched two ravens harassing a golden eagle in flight. At one point the eagle flipped on its back to fend off the attacking ravens. This is a common behavior for smaller birds to harass large raptors, especially during nesting or breeding season.

January 03, 2009
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
While out searching for wolves we cam across a large boar grizzly bear digging up dirt. This bear remains out much later than normal, despite heavy snowfall recently. As long as food is available he will not hibernate.

January 02, 2009
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
We observed the Canyon wolf pack at the base of Mount Everts. They made a kill early this morning and returned to feast upon it near the shore of the Gardner River. As they ate a bald eagle awaited his turn.

January 01, 2009
Course: Winter In Wonderland
Observer: Don MacDougall, instructor
Location:
We watched multiple trumpeter swans in the Gibbon River and the Fire Hole River. Trumpeter swans winter in Yellowstone and go were there is open water that is shallow enough for them to feed.

December 30, 2008
Course: Old Faithful Winter Expedition
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
We watched three otters romping at the base of the lower falls. Otters are able to stay warm in cold waters because of their thick oily coat.

December 26, 2008
Course: Winter in Wonderland
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
With about two feet of snow to break through from the Christmas storm, we skied slowly in the deep powder to Lone Star Geyser. After crossing the Fire Hole River we were greeted by a pine martin. This rarely-seen small carnivore seemed to watch us and then bound back into the woods looking for its next meal.

December 24, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Don MacDougall, instructor
Location:
We saw a group of over 100 pronghorn on the Old yellowstone Road between Gardiner and the Cinnabar Basin. Most animals come down from the mountains during the winter months to get out of the deep snow.

December 21, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
While watching a grizzly bear eating a carcass, some wolves appeared and challenged the bear for the meal. After the bear bluff charged, the wolves left. Bears commonly take wolf kills and can usually keep the wolves at bay until they have had their fill.

December 01, 2008
Course: Food For The Masses
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
At dusk we traveled to Little America to check out a carcass in a pond. We were treated to two grizzly bears. One bear had pulled the carcass out of the ice and the other, larger bear, took the carcass and started to feed on it.

November 30, 2008
Course: Food For The Masses
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
While at the Hellroaring Overlook we witnessed the Druid wolf pack rejoining with male wolf #302 and some younger Druids who had recently joined with some Agate pack females. The females ran off, as they would have likely been killed by the Druid females if they were caught.

November 25, 2008
Course: Food for the Masses
Observer: Keith Chamberlain, volunteer program assistant
Location:
For an hour or more Druid Wolf Pack male #302 led his mixed group of Druid wanderers and newly acquired Agate females from the Yellowstone/Lamar confluence up into Little America. Half a dozen times the newly formed group paused to howl.

November 24, 2008
Course: Food For The Masses
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
The Druid wolf pack’s main group (including the alphas, or leaders) have left four pups behind for three days now. Pups may be left behind at this time of year. They are big enough to not fall victim to many predators, but may still slow down the pack.

November 21, 2008
Course: Food For The Masses
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
We observed a well known male druid wolf #302 with four male Druids and five female Agate wolves. Potentially trying to form a new pack, this group was howling in Little America. Their call was answered, perhaps bythe remaining Agate wolves recently missing five of their own).

November 20, 2008
Course: Food For The Masses
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
While watching the Druid pack in the Lamar Valley, they picked out and chased a bull elk. Five wolves caught up quickly and ran along side this elk, but none made an attempt to bite the bull. This was likely because all the wolves were young and inexperienced.

November 20, 2008
Course: Food For The Masses
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
While watching the Druid pack in the Lamar Valley, five wolves cornered a bull elk in the middle of the Lamar River. The elk went for deeper water and was able to avoid wolf predation because the shorter--legged wolves did not pursue it into deep water.

October 10, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
We saw three trumpeter swans today. Rarely observed recently, these large birds migrate through Yellowstone and there are small local populations that stay for the summer. Resident swans have been decreasing in number for unexplained reasons, making this observation rare.

October 05, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
A grizzly bear ran across the road, just around the bend from our vehicle in Lamar Valley. We missed seeing him cross the pavement, but we did watch him running up hill and disappear into the trees.

October 05, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
We watched a coyote swim across the Lamar River to join another coyote feeding on a carcass on the shore. They traded off eating and keeping watch. Finally, they both felt safe enough to eat at the carcass simultaneously.

October 05, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
In Lamar Valley we were greeted by 21 wolves of the Druid Peak pack; they appeared to be doing border patrol around their territory. The group tested a cow elk that was standing belly-deep in the river, but then the wolves lost interest and bedded down in the tall grass.

October 03, 2008
Course: Old Times On The Grand Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
At Lake Hotel, a grizzly bear was laying in the trees and feeding on a bison carcass. It spent about 30 hours laying on its food, moving only to grab mouthfuls of meat.

October 01, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
Today we observed a Mormon cricket laying eggs on the trail. These large insects use a long tail–like appendage called an ovipositor to bury their eggs into the gravel or lose dirt. The warm summer-like weather seems to have triggered a reemergence of these crickets and the egg-laying season.

September 26, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
A grizzly bear chased a small bison herd in the middle of Lamar Valley. This is rarely seen behavior as bison have few predators; even grizzlies pose little threat to a healthy bison.

September 25, 2008
Course: Old Times On The Grand Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
During an early morning drive along the north shore of Yellowstone Lake, we observed a large bull elk defending his group of female elk (called a harem) from two other bulls. The large bull stood his ground and ran the other bulls off, thus giving himself breeding rights to this group of female elk.

September 22, 2008
Course: Essential Yellowstone
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
A relatively new wolf pack known as ‘The Canyon Pack’ were observed very close to the roadside. This event created a large wolf-jam and in the excitement a number of park visitors ran out in the meadow towards the wolves. Even though it may be a once in a lifetime experience, visitors need to understand that staying 100 yards away from wildlife keeps visitors safe as well as the wildlife.

September 22, 2008
Course: Essential Yellowstone
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
An adult grizzly bear, weighing approximately 450 pounds, was feeding on a bison in the woods just a few yards away from the Lake Hotel. Bear management rangers had to relocate the bison carcass away from development to keep the visitors and bear safe from each other.

September 18, 2008
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
We observed a grizzly sow and cub of the year at Craig Pass near the Continental Divide. We watched them dig for roots and tear apart a rotten log looking for insects. During this time of year these animals are moving into “hyperphagia”, a bears last chance to eat as much possible before denning later this fall.

September 15, 2008
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
We observed a mink in Lamar Valley. Mink like waterways and eat a variety of animals. This one was working its way down the riverbank and then went after some mallard ducks. This was a very special sighting as mink are very rarely seen in Yellowstone.

September 14, 2008
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
While visiting the Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek area we observed a large amount of beaver sign. Interestingly, these beavers are storing cottonwood branches in the mud underwater to use as winter food so as not to expose themselves to the elements or predators during the long winter months.

September 14, 2008
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
While visiting the Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek area we observed a large amount of beaver sign. Interestingly, these beavers are storing cottonwood branches in the mud underwater to use as winter food so as not to expose themselves to the elements or predators during the long winter months.

September 14, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Lisa Whitwell, instructor
Location:
There was an amazing show of hoarfrost, frozen dew that forms a white coating surfaces, festooning the summer’s spider webs on the conifer trees at Dragon’s Mouth Hot Spring.

September 13, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
We observed several dominant bull bison very aggressively vying for two cow bison. There were two different battles among four large bull bison which lasted several minutes and really demonstrated their aggressive power.

September 12, 2008
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
We watched 12 wolves from the Druid Peak pack patrolling their territory for 4 hours, possibly making sure no neighboring wolf packs were “trespassing.”

September 12, 2008
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
A large bison herd in Lamar Valley grazed and participated in breeding behavior while we watched; suddenly a hail storm moved over the landscape. The bison began stampeding in all directions before they grouped back together to ride out the storm.

September 11, 2008
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
While hiking up the Blacktail Drive and telling the story of Truman Everts, who was lost for 37 days during the year 1870 in what is today Yellowstone National Park. We saw a bull moose that had recently lost the velvet on his antlers. When the moose are beginning their mating season they shed the velvet and the antlers become as hard as bone.

September 11, 2008
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
While hiking Specimen Ridge we encountered a buck pronghorn laying claim to part of the trail. After scraping, urinating and defecating, the buck laid down in the middle of the trail. We chose to move around keeping a distance off the trail, the buck looked at us knowing that he won this stand-off.

September 10, 2008
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
On our way out to the Trout Lake trailhead, we got a great look at 11 wolves known as the Slough Creek pack assembled near their den area. They have recently lost both the alpha and beta females by other wolves. They seem to have rallied though and the wolf watchers were curious if one of the subordinate females may step into the alpha role.

September 10, 2008
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
When the group stopped for lunch at Lilly Pad Lake, we noticed movement among the logs and discovered a short tailed weasel. The weasel was still in its brown summer coat and will soon shed out to a white winter coat so it will not be easily seen by predators when running through the snow.

September 08, 2008
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
Late in the bison rut, the bulls are still quite “testy” and not to be aggravated. This morning in Hayden Valley, I had to shout out to a couple who were walking out towards two bull bison. With an aggressive, wild animal, which can run 35 mph, you don’t want to walk out into the open and approach such a creature.

September 07, 2008
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
During a short off-trail excursion, we scared two great horned owls out of a densely wooded area. Although these animals are more commonly spotted in the evening or early morning, they are also active throughout the day.

September 07, 2008
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
In Lamar Valley we watched the Druid wolf pups walking and wrestling on a log. While many packs have few or no pups, this year the Druid pack has several. The pups have been seen near a traditional rendezvous site, an area where pups are brought during summer and fall which is closer to the wolves’ food than the den site.

September 07, 2008
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
There was a yearling wolf chasing pronghorn in Lamar Valley. Adult pronghorn really don’t have any predators who can catch them, but young wolves may not know that until they try. This one found out rather quickly as the pronghorn “left the wolf in the dust”!

September 06, 2008
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
While driving the Blacktail Plateau drive we observed two bull moose in the middle of the road. They were most likely there due to the nearby cow moose, yet their attention was mostly focused on grazing in the roadside grasses.  By the end of the six-mile road, we had found a total of four moose, three bulls, and one cow.

September 06, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
Today while on the Northern Range we watched a bald eagle on a perch above a river get dive-bombed by an osprey. Osprey are solely fish-eating birds and this osprey made a grand attempt to get this competing predator out of its territory.

September 06, 2008
Course: Fall Wolf and Elk Discovery
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
We were visited by a badger at a very busy public rest stop in the park this week. As people lined up to use the bathroom, the badger poked its head up out of the hole on a hillside nearby and sat patiently watching all the human commotion down below. It finally slipped off to hunt ground squirrels. A rare treat, we often find ourselves searching for the elusive badge for days at a time. This one decided to watch us for a change.

September 01, 2008
Course: Behind the Scenes of Wolf Behavior and Ecology
Observer: John Scarlett, volunteer program assistant
Location:
The wolf sightings were incredible for all three days of this class. The highlight, however, was watching the Slough Creek wolf pack across from the Lamar Buffalo Ranch over a period of seven hours. They were feeding on a carcass, interacting with ravens, coyotes, and other wildlife.

August 29, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
We spotted a wolf pack with pups resting in a group, occasionally wagging their tails and howling. Soon their lazy day was interrupted by a herd of bison, about 200 strong, who piled into their space and sent them running.

August 28, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Barbara O’Grady, instructor
Location:
We discovered an elk calf trembling in the water of the Yellowstone River near Otter Creek. We learned from other visitors that she had been attacked by two wolves about thirty minutes earlier. Apparently, the calf’s mother successfully defended the calf, driving off the wolves and fleeing to the river for safety with the calf. When we arrived, the cow had retreated to the tree line and was calling for her calf to join her. The calf appeared too terrified or injured to follow. Six hours later we passed by again. The calf was bedded down on the steep river bank, panting hard and clearly still stressed. As we watched, she struggled to her feet and slowly made her way to the top of the river bank and into the forest. I could see several bite marks on her left rear quarter–none of which appeared to be life threatening.

August 28, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
A young coyote in his late summer coat (thin and light) was busy hunting for ground squirrels this warm afternoon on Dunraven Pass. It was delightful to watch as his ears and head cocked and rotated each time he detected the slightest movement. When he finally caught one, it was gone in one gulp!

August 24, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
A young bald eagle sat high on a Douglas fir along the bank of Yellowstone Lake. The white of the head was not fully developed yet, suggesting that it was around four years old. On average, the completely white-headed bald eagle that we all readily recognize does not occur until the bird is five years old. Not long ago, the bald eagle was threatened with extinction in the lower forty-eight states due to DDT poisoning. The result of a focused conservation effort, the bald eagle became protected and is now recovered to stable populations.

August 22, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
We observed a grizzly bear wandering through the valley today looking for something to eat. His nose was held low to the ground searching for any number of possibilities: ants, clover, roots, berries, mushrooms, or thistle. Grizzly bears are opportunistic omnivorous eaters and will consume almost anything available to them.

August 20, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Brian Robinson, instructor
Location:
The bison are in full rut. We stopped to watch a large herd moving just south of Mud Volcano. It was fascinating to view the interaction between certain members of the herd, especially the males. Several times we were treated to some very powerful head-butting between two very large bulls.

August 19, 2008
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
While hiking the Glen Creek Trail, we stopped for a short break. We noticed movement in the trees and watched as a red fox trotted down the hill and through the grassy area about hundred yards out. It stopped for a moment, its ears twitching as it listened for the movement of mice or ground squirrels, and then continued on its way across the meadow. We were packing scopes to leave when we caught the movement of three dark objects in Lamar Valley. We re-positioned the scopes in time to see a young black wolf running toward a grizzly sow and her cub. The sow chased the wolf off, but the wolf soon doubled back toward the bears. There seemed to be a playful quality about the wolf, but the mother bear was in no mood to play!

August 18, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Jessica Winans, instructor
Location:
While traveling through Hayden Valley, we found ourselves surrounded by twenty or thirty bison. It stopped all traffic, causing the proverbial “bison jam”. One bison scratched its side on the grill of the bus, while another peered through the side doors, nearly touching its shiny nose on the glass. The students on the bus captured some great pictures of what they referred to as “the honeymoon bison” –a reference of course to the start of the annual rut.

August 17, 2008
Course: The Wolves of Yellowstone
Observer: George Bumann, instructor
Location:
We spotted a large grizzly on a bison carcass not far from the Slough Creek Campground road. We stopped to set up the scopes and watch. The most interesting part of this observation was the bear’s actions while off the carcass. The bear would drape itself over a large boulder, flat on its belly, front paws extended straight out in front, and snooze between feedings. Also, while in the area, we were rewarded with a bonus. A small component of the Slough Creek wolf pack came into our view up on the side of the ridge near a winter den. They seemed playful as they gradually bedded down in the shade of the aspen for a rest.

August 17, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
From our vantage point high on a hill, we focused in on a bison carcass with four wolves feeding on it. Soon a grizzly sow and her cub-of-the-year appeared on the scene and chased three of the four wolves away–one stayed behind in close proximity. In the meantime, much closer to our position, we spotted a black bear feeding on a piece of meat that we believe was stashed earlier by a wolf. Then a lone wolf showed up, a dark grey, amber-eyed animal with designs on the black bear’s bounty. Initially, the wolf intimidated the black bear into climbing a nearby tree. But after surveying the situation, the bear descended from the tree and reclaimed the prize. The wolf seemed resigned to bedding down in the area and waiting its turn.

August 17, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
Today turned out to be a very productive one for wildlife viewing. We began by observing a grizzly bear feeding on a bison carcass. He tugged away at it while being closely watched by three golden eagles sitting patiently on a nearby Douglas fir tree. Later that day, we spotted four members of the Druid Peak wolf pack stir up a bison herd, while a fifth caught and devoured a badger.

August 13, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
A black wolf nervously approached the carcass of a bull bison, lying relatively near the road. Just as the lone wolf began its final approach toward the carcass, the roar of a passing motorcycle frightened it away. This was an unfortunate lesson in how humanity can negatively impact the natural interactions of wildlife within the park. Left to nature and undisturbed, this carcass would feed numerous species of wildlife, including birds and insects, and eventually return its remaining nutrients to the soil.

August 13, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Lisa Whitwell, instructor
Location:
As we approached the aspen turnout along the Lamar River valley, we came upon a very visceral scene–a black bear feeding on a bison carcass, as it alternately sloshed in the mud and treaded water along the edge of the river.

August 12, 2008
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
While hiking during the late morning hours in the Mammoth area, we came across two very large bull snakes. Considered harmless to humans, these snakes eat small rodents up to the size of gophers, hence their other name of gopher snake. The morning air was cooler than normal for this time of year, allowing the snakes to remain more active longer into the day.

August 11, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
As we entered the Lamar Valley this morning, we experienced a unique close-up view of a prairie falcon. The bird was intent on getting to a recently deceased ground squirrel that was lying in the road. As we neared, its wariness over took the need to feed and it flew away with its talons empty.

August 10, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
As we watched a large black bear forage the vegetation for food, we noticed a family venture within ten yards of the bear, apparently trying to include the animal in a photo. This observation provided our group the opportunity to discuss the inherent dangers of approaching any wild animal too closely, especially a potential predator like the bear. Once bears learn that humans are not particularly threatening, they can become comfortable (habituated) with people. The actions of an emboldened bear often lead to its own destruction.

August 10, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
After seeing a grizzly sow and two cubs several miles away (tiny, brown specks on the side of a mountain), we were rewarded at last with a close-up of a grizzly in the Lamar Valley. The bear was close enough that we could observe facial features through binoculars. This sighting was particularly helpful to the younger members of our family groups. Now they could see for themselves the physical differences between black and grizzly bears. One teen remarked, “On a grizzly, the hump is higher than the rump!” Our evening concluded near Tower Junction in the evening twilight. We spotted a black bear just twenty-five yards off the road, its black coat blending almost perfectly with the rapidly approaching darkness. It was a treat for us all to have such a close but safe encounter with this magnificent animal.

August 10, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Jessica Winans, instructor
Location:
We first spotted a moose in the bottom of the meadow, on the edge of a wooded area. The large bull moose was easy to see with the naked eye, but we could zoom in on every detail with the scopes. After leaving the overlook, we came across several people with scopes near the hairpin turn south of Dunraven Pass. We stopped to see what all the excitement was about and found another grizzly in the fading light. It was a small, light-colored animal wandering about in the fallen trees.

August 08, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
While casually observing a herd of bison, we noticed a female kestrel swoop down and land in a nearby tree. Using scopes, we then observed a chick in a cavity nest of the tree where the kestrel had perched. We watched for several minutes as both adults busily flew back and forth with insects for the hungry chick.

August 06, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
While driving through the Lamar Valley, we noticed a group of four wolves, probably from the Slough Creek pack, feeding on an elk carcass they had no doubt killed earlier that morning. Scavengers waited patiently nearby. Then we spotted a large male grizzly above the scene and near the tree line as it stood on its hind legs to sniff the air. As we suspected, the grizzly seemed to be tracking the scent of the elk carcass as he made his way toward the gathering of wolves. Upon arrival, the wolves were chased off and joined the group of scavengers already assembled. On a relatively hot August day, this was indeed a rare opportunity and one that we all felt very fortunate to have witnessed.

August 06, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Brian Robinson, instructor
Location:
At an overlook in Hayden Valley, we trained our scopes on a collared grizzly grazing along the edge of the forest and digging for roots. As we watched the bear, a bull bison strayed from a nearby heard and trudged right up along the rail of the overlook where we were situated. He approached so closely that it became necessary to get back on the bus until he passed.

August 05, 2008
Course: No Child Left Indoors
Observer: Karen Withrow, volunteer program assistant
Location:
A large group of teachers, gathered to get ideas for a curriculum to introduce students to the outdoors, spent an afternoon at Artists’ Point on the Yellowstone River to experience what it is like to capture nature by painting in watercolors. As much as the exercise pushed the class beyond their comfort zone, the highlight had to be the encounter with a grizzly bear on the trail back to the parking lot. Quickly trading paint brushes for bear spray, the group banded closer together and ultimately made it safely back to the bus.

August 04, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
A black bear was browsing near Petrified Tree this morning. We were able to observe its behavior from a distance. It ate clover and other plants while we discussed the black bear’s diet in Yellowstone, which consists mainly of vegetation.

August 03, 2008
Course: Michael Kay, volunteer program assistant
Observer: Bears: Folklore and Biology
Location:
At 6:30 in the morning, just one mile east of Lamar Buffalo Ranch, we spotted a large grizzly combing through the sage brush at a rapid pace, possibly searching for rodents and their caches. Later that day on the Antelope Creek side of Mount Washburn, we observed three more grizzly bears searching the grasslands for roots before disappearing into the forest beyond.

August 03, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Jessica Winans, instructor
Location:
We noticed a huge vehicle jam in the road ahead and were able to find a place to park in a nearby overlook. Once we disembarked the vehicle and surveyed the meadow below us, we discovered what everyone was looking at, a grizzly bear. For nearly an hour, the bear busily dug for roots, laid down to rest, walked about, and then went to work again. Finally, he sauntered off into the nearby forest.

August 01, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
The bison have begun their breeding season! Today we watched as an eager bull followed a cow only to be temporarily side-tracked by a bellowing bull nearby. The bulls grumbled a bit towards one another before the following continued.

August 01, 2008
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
A group of elk standing in the middle of the river tipped us off to investigate the landscape. Sure enough, we found a coyote on an elk carcass. The coyote appeared to have mange. We discussed the ways humans have tried to eradicate coyotes and wolves in the past, including introducing mange into the ecosystem.

July 28, 2008
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
During our evening wildlife-watching, we were fortunate to find two black bears near Tower and a lone black wolf on Jasper Bench. This can we a difficult time of year to find this sort of wildlife because the days are long and warm.

July 28, 2008
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
While helping the group to envision bears feeding at the old dump along Clear Lake trail, we had a large cinnamon black bear come into our view. He was at a safe distance from us, and the bear knew we were there. This enabled us to observe him eating grasses and a few choice wildflowers along the way. Our group of ten slowly moved as a unit, always keeping the bear in our field of view and maintaining a safe distance at all times, as we watched him move across the meadow. It was truly a special treat for all of us to experience this close but safe encounter on the trail.

July 27, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Jessica Winans, instructor
Location:
Two young male buffalo battled on the east side of the Yellowstone River in Hayden Valley. The losing buffalo swam across the river towards the group of spectators, who were forced to rush back to their cars.

July 27, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
After watching a grizzly bear on the lower meadows of Mount Washburn, we were treated to an exciting encounter with a wolf. Next to the roadside, through a field of yellow arnicas, an uncollared gray wolf trotted parallel to the road. We stopped and the wolf crossed the road right in front of the bus. It never looked in our direction. It was intent on tracking a group of elk below the road. As we watched, the wolf approached the elk and a chase began. We did not see the wolf catch anything but knew that we had witness something special.

July 25, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Brian Robinson, instructor
Location:
The bison in the Hayden Valley are beginning their rut and are herding up in larger numbers. We’ve had great views of the vast herds and enjoyed watching their behavior.

July 25, 2008
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
Heading north through the Hayden Valley, our group was stopped by a herd of about 200 bison pouring off a hill, crossing the road to the river. We observed some of the first mating behavior of the year as the bulls bellowed from cow to cow. The calves, only a few months old, seemed to sense a change in the herd’s behavior. We saw several cows being “tended” by bulls who matched their every step, hoping for a chance to mate.

July 24, 2008
Course: Backpacking with Predators Eyes
Observer: Patti Walton, instructor
Location:
On the third day of our backpack, we observed a large bull moose from the trail near Cache Creek. On the same trail, we observed both scat and tracks of a large grizzly bear.

July 23, 2008
Course: Day Hiking the Beartooths
Observer: Lisa Whitwell, volunteer program assistant
Location:
On the way to hike the Beartooth Lake loop, a female moose cantered across the road in front of us and made her way into a meadow. She proceeded to graze in the morning sun.

July 23, 2008
Course: Mammal Signs: Interpreting Tracks, Scat, and Hair
Observer: Michael Kay, volunteer program assistant
Location:
Along the north side of Soda Butte Creek the class studied coyote tracks. Then after fording across the creek to the south side, we were able to examine two sets of otter tracks that were no more than a couple of hours old. Later, along the Lamar River, we encountered a full set of grizzly tracks, which we cast in plaster. In the same area, we were also able to cast a fresh set of wolf tracks. All tracks were measured for size and gate.

July 22, 2008
Course: After the Burn: Rejuvenation Among the Ashes
Observer: John Scarlett, volunteer program assistant
Location:
The class visited several locations throughout the park. At each location, we were able to view a succession of photos of the area, starting with 1989 and each four year interval until the present. It was fascinating to see the progression of plant growth over the years since the 1988 fires. Our last stop was at the site of a 2007 prescribed burn at Norris. We witnessed first-hand the amazing rejuvenation of plant life after only one year!

July 21, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
We watched a family of otters enjoying the warm sun on the riverbank. Their thick coats keep them warm in Yellowstone’s frigid waters but an afternoon sunbathe seemed irresistible.

July 20, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
From the safety of our bus, we watched an adult male grizzly bear turn over rocks, foraging just off the road on Dunraven. The bear had odd fur growth near its neck and back legs. We speculated as to whether it could have been due to mange or acidic soils, but were unsure as to what had caused the patchy-haired appearance.

July 20, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Jessica Winans, instructor
Location:
We saw something dark moving down the road in the vicinity of Lake Butte so we stopped to look. We could not find anything at first, but then saw movement that turned out to be a young grizzly rolling in the grass. We were the only people there and the bear was less than 200 yards away. He got up several times, moved a few feet, and laid down again. Eventually he walked towards the road and caused a bear jam.

July 20, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
A large bull moose trotted up to Floating Island Lake and began to eat aquatic vegetation, silhouetted by the morning sun. Nearby, a pair of sandhill cranes and their two colts foraged for insects in the lakeside meadows.

July 19, 2008
Course: Private Tour
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
As we made our way through the Lamar Valley, someone spotted a coyote about one hundred yards from our position. We stopped to observe, and soon two more coyotes appeared. The first coyote immediately assumed a submissive behavior with its tail down, yelping, and a hunched back. It was not long before the two dominant coyotes chased the submissive one over the ridge line and out of our view. This observation, although brief, was an excellent opportunity for a more detailed discussion of the social structure and behavior of coyotes.

July 18, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
On the west side of the Lamar Valley, a coyote hunted ground squirrels along the roadside. The coyote ignored visitors as he pounced and missed more than six times over the span of a half-hour. He finally was successful in grabbing a ground squirrel and gulping it down. Then he lie down, content for the moment.

July 18, 2008
Course: Birding for Beginners
Observer: Karen Withrow, volunteer program assistant
Location:
Over the course of this two-day course, we identified 49 species of birds. The highlight was a rare sighting of a group of approximately 15 red-necked phalaropes at Indian Pond. They were doing “synchronized flying” around the pond.

July 17, 2008
Course: Fly-Fishing for Beginners
Observer: John Scarlett, volunteer program assistant
Location:
As if the sport of fly-fishing wasn’t intimidating enough for our beginner’s class, we had to contend with other “fishers” as well. The tow legged kind exercised a certain ethic and etiquette, but the two-winged kind was a different story. At Slough Creek, a particularly raucous Osprey let us know that he was not impressed with our casting technique, nor was he happy with the competition.

July 14, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
We observed two members of the Slough Creek wolf pack pursuing a cow elk and her calf just north of the creek. The wolves were probably yearlings, testing their skills as hunters and only tentatively making any sort of effort. During the process, four big horn rams were forced to move quickly to a rock outcropping in order to stay clear of the chase.

July 14, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
In Hayden Valley, we observed two coyotes chasing an injured goose. The goose rushed to find water, presumably a defensive tactic on the part of the goose. The coyotes did not hesitate. They leaped into the water, swam after the goose, caught it, and then killed it in shallow water. Coyotes are known to be opportunistic, but to witness them actually swim after their prey was a fantastic experience.

July 13, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Jessica Winans, instructor
Location:
On our way back from wildlife watching in Hayden Valley, we stopped at West Thumb to catch the sunset. We were soon joined by a herd of about thirty elk, including four young calves and one bull. The elk bugled and moved about the thermal area. The calves ran and played, but frequently returned to the safety of their mother’s side. As the day came to a close and the skies darkened, the group turned their attention to the sounds around them. The combination of the gurgling, hissing hot springs along with the bugling elk was wonderful. The group described it as “an intimate wildlife experience” and labeled the day a very good one.

July 13, 2008
Course: Emerging Knowledge of Wolves
Observer: Michael Kay, volunteer program assistant
Location:
Our class watched three wolves hunting pronghorn antelope along the ridgeline. The wolves broke out in a full run at the antelopes, who were heading east. Eventually the wolves gave up the chase.

July 10, 2008
Course: Alpine Wildflowers of the Beartooth Plateau
Observer: John Scarlett, volunteer program assistant
Location:
On a seemingly barren wind-blown Beartooth plateau, above the tree-line, our class studied an incredible variety of wildflowers in a wide range of habitats – habitats that changed within a few feet, based on the wind, rocks, moisture, and winter snow depth. We even observed a large herd of bighorn sheep grazing on the sparse alpine vegetation.

July 10, 2008
Course: Day Hiking the Wild Yellowstone: Lake Area
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
While hiking off trail, we spotted fifteen elk bulls – all with magnificent velvet antlers. They grazed peacefully in a meadow, stopping occasionally to survey their surroundings.

July 09, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
Our group enjoyed watching an adult osprey and three chicks this afternoon, ferociously devouring a fish. Young chicks depend upon their parents for food and protection for a good part of their early life. Gradually, they are taught how to fish on their own and live independently of the nest.

July 08, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Brian Robinson, instructor
Location:
While watching the ravens on a two-day old bison kill, two wolves approached from across a meadow to the north. Both fed on the carcass for several minutes until a collared grizzly made its appearance. The grizzly chased the wolves away and took over “ownership” of the remains. When we departed some thirty minutes later, the grizzly was still feeding.

July 08, 2008
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
We encountered two black bears on the trail today. The bears were mostly sleeping, as they are prone to do on a warm summer day. What was interesting is that these two bears acted as a mating pair, even though the female was accompanied by a very large two-three year old cub. It is rare that a mother keeps her cub around that long, and equally unusual for her to engage in mating activity with a cub still in her midst.

July 08, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
This morning, we spotted a mother otter with her two pups. They were playing and swimming near the shore of the lake. She helped them up onto a log and began to groom them. The pups kept jumping back in the water to play and the mother patiently watched after them.

July 07, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Jessica Winans, instructor
Location:
When we arrived at the overlook in Hayden Valley, we spotted four hikers moving across the valley on the Howard Eaton Trail. On closer observation, we realized that a carcass lay very near the hikers’ position, about one hundred yards away. In the trees, just out of view from the hikers, we discovered three wolves waiting for the area to clear so they could return to the kill. Soon after resuming their feeding, several coyotes challenged their possession – they were quickly dispatched by the wolves. The bison carcass had reportedly been taken down by several members of the Hayden pack the evening prior.

July 07, 2008
Course: A Trail Through Leaves
Observer: Dave Syfert, volunteer program assistant
Location:
We watched several dozen cutthroat trout moving up the stream to spawn. Their tails and dorsal fins often broke the surface of both the lake and creek in the shallows. Then we watched as a young otter captured a trout, climbed atop a dead tree at the lake’s edge, and slowly ate the entire fish. The otter seemed almost seemed to be posing for us, first pinning the fish with a pas while eating, then turning to face the other direction while it finished the fish.

July 06, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
The cutthroat trout are spawning right now at many lakes and streams throughout the park. Typically, they live in lakes, but once each year they make the journey up the many creeks surrounding the lakes to spawn. They face huge obstacles as they make their way upstream – powerful waters and predation from all species of mammals and birds.

July 06, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
We observed a herd of pronghorn running around, appearing to be very agitated. We stopped to investigate. In the middle of the ruckus was a badger, apparently trying to find its way out of the predicament. In time, it did escape the chaos and resumed hunting for ground squirrels. The children found it extremely entertaining to watch all the dirt flying as the badger dug furiously for its next meal.

July 05, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
Today we watched Grand Geyser erupt. Grand is the tallest predictable geyser in the world. It erupts on average every eight hours or three times per day. When it erupts, it lasts for a full 9 to 12 minutes and reaches an impressive two-hundred feet high.

July 04, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Barbara O’Grady, instructor
Location:
We came across an entire family of river otters at Trout Lake today. Both adults and two pups played together near the south shore for at least an hour. We watched as they ate for awhile, and then they decided to come onshore to check out the crowd that had gathered. The whole family looked healthy and happy. It was very hard to leave the area and return to the bus.

July 03, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
Our group spotted a family of otters at Trout Lake – mom, dad and two youngsters. The spawning season for cutthroat trout is in full swing now, and otters are frequently observed feeding on this plentiful and easy source of protein. At any other time of the year, otters are not as readily seen – especially in such obvious family units.

July 02, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Brian Robinson, instructor
Location:
Our group had stopped to look at a small herd of bison and practice our spotting scope setup routine. One of the students noticed a black dot on a distant hill that seemed to be moving. We finished setting up the scopes, and sure enough the dot turned out to be a grizzly! We tracked the movement of the bear for about ten minutes, before it moved out-of-sight on the far side of the ridge.

July 02, 2008
Course: Photographing Yellowstone’s Summer
Observer: Dave Syfert, volunteer program assistant
Location:
The class saw several remarkable sights during our photography trips. We watched as a golden eagle preened and groomed on a fallen log, then was forced to fly away when a wolf burst out of the sagebrush close-by. In the evening, we watched as a large female black bear was frightened from where she was feeding in grass by a bison’s bluff charge. The bear was pushed down the road by repeated charges.

June 29, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Jessica Winans, instructor
Location:
We observed cutthroat trout jumping the LeHardy Rapids. This marks the first week of spawning for the trout, and everyone was excited by the flash of red as the trout tried to negotiate the rapids. We noticed several pelicans gathered down stream from the commotion, but did not witness any fish being caught.

June 29, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Barbara O’Grady, instructor
Location:
Our hike to Trout Lake became even more special as we approached the south side of the lake and spotted a river otter out for a cruise on the water. He did a few flips, ducked under some deadfall, reappeared a few times as if to see if we were watching, then disappeared – a brief but very special sighting.

June 29, 2008
Course: Natural History and Geology: Yellowstone Lake
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location: Pelican Valley
We explored the flooded trail of Pelican Creek today, looking for frogs and salamanders. We heard the chorus frogs, but they were hidden so well we could not see them. It was fascinating to observe a newly-created habitat due to the high levels of water in the creek, and all the different organisms that had found new homes within its confines.

June 29, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location: Hayden Valley
We were pleased to watch a small black bear from a safe distance doing what bears do – eating grass, insects and flowers. The group enjoyed quietly observing the bear for several minutes as it seemed not to know or care that we were nearby.

June 29, 2008
Course: Wildlife Watching on the Northern Range
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location: Mount Washburn
In the warm afternoon sun, a rare time by grizzly standards, we found a beautiful cinnamon colored grizzly digging for roots in the meadow below Mount Washburn.The holes were so deep that it was often difficult to even see its massive head!

June 28, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
We visited LeHardy Rapids and arrived just in time to watch a male white pelican scoop up a cutthroat trout and swallow it whole. This observation was a great segue into a discussion of how important cutthroat trout are as a food source to so many species of wildlife in the Yellowstone Ecosystem.

June 27, 2008
Course: Wildlife Watching on the Northern Range
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
We witnessed an amazing interaction between a grizzly, a cow elk and a group of wolves this morning in the Lamar Valley. While a grizzly busily fed on a carcass, a wolf (#302) and two yearlings from the Druid Peak pack steadily harassed the bear, hoping to force it away from the kill. To show its determination, the bear would occasionally lift its head and bluff charge the wolves. Eventually, the big grizzly grew tired of the game and walked away. The wolves returned safely to the carcass. Watching this entire process from a distance was a very nervous cow elk – no doubt the mother of the calf, now a carcass being consumed. Another fact of nature in Yellowstone.

June 25, 2008
Course: Wildlife Watching on the Northern Range
Observer: Patty Walton, instructor
Location: Trout Lake
We hiked to Trout Lake to watch the spawning activities of the cutthroat trout. We also noticed an osprey sitting expectantly in the top of a tree overlooking the spawning area. Several muskrats swam the edges of the lake – very close to our position.

June 25, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Brian Robinson, instructor
Location:
Our group noticed a light grey solitary wolf lying in the grass near a creek, possibly injured or sick, based on his position and lack of movement. Other onlookers said the wolf had been there all day. We checked again the next morning and found that the wolf had moved on. Hopefully, it did so in good health.

June 24, 2008
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
We spotted a grizzly lumbering into the valley from the tree line. It took a position on top of a carcass where it began feeding. Soon a group of wolves from the Druid Peak pack appeared. A challenge ensued with the grizzly prevailing. The next day, we observed a grizzly sow and her two yearling cubes grazing near the road junction at West Thumb. When she made a move in our direction, we quickly piled back into the bus for a safer view. We ended up with a ring-side seat of the bears as they continued grazing just ten yards from our bus. They did not seem to mind the attention.

June 24, 2008
Course: Wildlife Watching on the Northern Range
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location: Mount Washburn
We had the wonderful experience of watching a mating pair of grizzly bears frolicking with one another on Mount Washburn. They began their playful ways by rolling down a hill in a large clump of brown fir. Then they lounged around with their feet up in the air. We could not help but smile at the thought of them bringing more grizzly cubs into the world of Yellowstone.

June 24, 2008
Course: Wildlife Watching on the Northern Range
Observer: Patty Walton, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
The Druid pack had killed an elk in the Lamar Valley earlier this morning. When we arrived, a grizzly had taken over possession of the carcass. We watched as the grizzly, having had its fill, sauntered off, only to be replaced by three more wolves and a hoard of raven.

June 23, 2008
Course: Natural History and Geology: Yellowstone Lake
Observer: Barbara O'Grady, instructor
Location: Hayden Valley
Seeing a grizzly is always a treat, but seeing a sow and cub a few miles off the road while hiking is electric! Such was our good fortune as we hiked to Sulphur Mountain in the Hayden Valley. The pair was “chilling” on one of the few remaining ice patches about two hundred yards from where we stood. We quietly watched them snooze and play, then move off as we observed from a safe distance.

June 23, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families - Mammoth
Observer: Shannon Burgess, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
During our Monday morning orientation session, we were startled by the sight of elk running fast along a ridge above us – as we peered from the window of our classroom. When we moved out to the deck to get a better look, we counted a herd of at least fifty elk being hotly pursued by a loping grizzly. They disappeared below the ridge line a few minutes later. Only the audible signs of distress from the elk ensued. Then silence. The group was in awe of what they witnessed, and not one lifted a camera the whole time to snap a photo. They were content to just watch and be immersed in a Yellowstone moment. We could not have planned a more delightful animal orientation that morning.

June 22, 2008
Course: Wildlife Watching on the Northern Range
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
We had the rare treat today of seeing three adult black bears interact with one another. It all began with a large male and a smaller female sniffing each other – each seeming to size up the other. Then another male wandered onto the scene. The female promptly took off running with the new male right on her heels. The first male bear initially watched the chase then slowly sauntered along after them. Bears are highly solitary animals, so it is not often – even during the current mating season – that we see adults interact in this fashion.

June 22, 2008
Course: Fish Bones and Scat Piles: Otters in the Wild
Observer: John Scarlett, volunteer program assistant
Location:
Even though we did not get to see otters, we know that they are in Yellowstone. We set “hair snares” which collect hair samples for DNA analysis. We gathered scat and, using microscopes, we were able to determine what the otters ate. Bones of cutthroat trout, salamanders, and other fish look totally different from each other. Cutthroat trout comprise over 90% of an otter’s diet, so the dramatic drop in the cutthroat population is profoundly affecting the otter population.

June 21, 2008
Course: Learning Birds by Sound
Observer: Michael Kay, program assistant
Location: Mammoth Hot Springs
This was a fascinating experience to actually identify birds just by the sounds they make. We listened and named the following birds: yellow warbler, common yellow throat warbler, chipping sparrow, vesper sparrow, yellow-headed blackbird, meadow lark, red wing blackbird, dusty flycatcher and many other waterfowl birds.

June 20, 2008
Course: Wildlife Watching on the Northern Range
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
We stopped to watch a courting pair of black bears in the Little America area. It was not long before the cinnamon-colored bear disappeared into the trees, followed by the black one. Then, just as we were departing this site, one of my passengers looked back and noticed a huge grizzly bear emerge from over the hill. As we stopped to watch, it proceeded to cross the road just in back of us, so close that we could see its eyes and watch as the muscles ripple under its reddish brown fur.

June 18, 2008
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
Today we observed a pronghorn aggressively chase two coyotes for several minutes, driving the pair away from an area of sagebrush near Blacktail Plateau. Although not immediately apparent, a pronghorn fawn was probably stashed nearby. Later, we spotted a huge boar grizzly following closely behind a sow near the Lamar River trailhead in the foothills of Mount Norris. The boar rubbed its back high on a Douglas fir tree as he added his scent to its base.

June 18, 2008
Course: Wildlife Watching on the Northern Range
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
Druid wolves moved between two bison carcasses, feeding on each. The carcasses were that of a cow and a young calf. It is believed that the cow died naturally first, and when the wolves discovered the carcass, they also found the calf and took it as well. It is probable that the calf could not have survived on its own.

June 17, 2008
Course: Wildlife Watching on the Northern Range
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
We watched two grizzly bears, a male and a female, as they grazed on a high slope. They remained about fifteen yards apart as they moved in concert across the ridge. Perhaps mating was on the mind of the male boar.

June 17, 2008
Course: Finding the Elusive Amphibian
Observer: Dave Syfert, program assistant
Location: Upper Geyer Basin
We enjoyed exceptional weather for this unforgetable class. We alternately waded and walked the margins of numerous shallow ponds and streams with capture nets in hand. The class found and examined the stages (egg, larva, tadpole & adult) of several amphibians – including tiger salamander, spotted frog and western toad. We also observed and listened to Boreal chorus frogs.

June 16, 2008
Course: Poetry + Ecology = Creative Fusion
Observer: John Scarlett, volunteer program assistant
Location:
We observed a deer which had just given birth to twin fawns nest to Rose Creek, just a few yards from the Lamar Buffalo Ranch bunkhouse. As she licked clean the newest fawn, it rose awkwardly to stand on wobbly legs.

June 15, 2008
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
We observed two young black bears – one cinnamon in color and one black – chasing each other. The black bear climbed a tree and stayed there several minutes, as the cinnamon-colored bear ran off in the other direction. Earlier, we had seen a very large male black bear moving through the woods in the same vicinity. We believe the younger bears were spooked by that large adult bear and sought to protect themselves.

June 15, 2008
Course: Yellowstone For Families - Grant
Observer: Jessica Winans, instructor
Location: Hayden Valley
Two grizzly bears lumbered up over the hill, startling several elk just below. The elk moved away and bedded down. The bears initially kept their distance, but then slowly approached the group of elk. The next day, there were reports of an elk carcass in the area. Later in the day near Lake,a mother grizzly and her cub were observed feeding in a grassy meadow just twenty yards off the road.

June 15, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
We were lucky enough to be able to watch from only a short distance as trout were “hitting” mayflies emerging from the Firehole River. During hatchings, trout and anglers alike are very active along Yellowstone’s rivers. Mayflies and other insects may emerge in large batches for only a short time period.

June 14, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
While touring Fountain Paint Pots, we witnessed a large eruption of the so called “perpetual spouter” Clepsydra. Although eruptions are almost constant from this geyser, we could here this eruption from Silex Spring over a large crowd of people. Clepsydra was shooting water much higher than usual and then suddenly stopped. “Perpetual spouters” are geysers that rarely stop. Clepsydra is known to stop when nearby Fountain Geyser erupts so we were lucky enough to stop during one of the rare, quiet intervals of Clepsydra.

June 13, 2008
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Barbara O’Grady, instructor
Location:
We hiked to Trout Lake hoping to see otters but were instead treated to a sighting of a cow moose and her twins. The calves were staying close to Mom on the north side of the lake, trying to get the hang of their long legs.

June 13, 2008
Course: Wolves - Reality and Myth
Observer: Michael Kay, program assistant
Location: Lamar Valley
We spotted a lone wolf traveling north along the Lamar River.It was black with a grey face and belly. Later, in the area of Hitching Post and the footbridge, we observed a group of three wolves harassing a grizzly bear. The wolves were part of the Druid Peak Pack, number 302 and two yearly females. We continued to watch the scene for nearly three hours, as the wolves interacted with coyotes trying to take a pronghorn fawn, and even crossed the road in front of us several times. Lots of action and excitement!

June 11, 2008
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Barbara O’Grady, instructor
Location:
A Druid Pack wolf yearling was harassing several coyotes near their den site. As we watched in the snow, the coyotes held their own, repeatedly running him off. There were wonderful vocalizations from the coyotes. The wolf was being a bully and eventually moved on leaving the stressed coyotes to recover.

June 11, 2008
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Barbara O’Grady, instructor
Location:
Noticing a small animal low to the ground and skittering through the sage, we stopped to get a better look. It was a badger. He approached the pullout we were in and seemed quite surprised to find us there. Everyone froze in place, including the badge as he sat peeking through the sage at us. Eventually, he moved away and into one of the large holes nearby.

June 11, 2008
Course: Essential Yellowstone
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
We stopped to watch a wolf as it fed on an elk calf. After a few minutes, it moved off. We continued along the road, spotted it again, and saw two wolves – a black and a grey (possibly one Mollie’s and one Hayden). Suddenly a cow elk came out of the trees. She chased the grey wolf which turned in our direction, running flat-out. At about 25 yards, the grey wolf veered to the right and continued at a run until it was out of the way of the cow’s hooves. The wolf then slowed and moved off into the woods.

June 10, 2008
Course: Wildlife Watching on the Northern Range
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
Today's northern range wildlife tour turned into a smorgasbord of Yellowstone's lesser seen creatures. A jackrabbit jumped the road near Mammoth; a bull moose was spied near Tower and another in the Little America area; a red fox was observed hunting at mid day near the Yellowstone River at Tower, and pronghorn with fawns were seen nursing in the early hours of the day near Specimen Ridge. To top off the day, we spotted three badgers near the Lamar footbridge parking area. All it takes is a bit of patience to generate some of the fondest memories.

June 09, 2008
Course: Wildlife Watching on the Northern Range
Observer: Barbara O'Grady, instructor
Location: Floating Island Lake
In their familiar nesting site at Floating Island Lake, the sandhill cranes escorted their newly-hatched colts on an excursion from the nest to the shore. They seemed to be sampling the various insects hidden in the grasses at the water's edge. At just a couple of days old, the colts were adorable and growing very fast!

June 09, 2008
Course: Photographing Yellowstone’s Early Summer
Observer: Tom Brown, program assistant
Location:
We watched a black bear and cubs just off the road north of Tower Falls. Both were very excepting of being watched while people were on the road. Once people started to press in closer, they ran off. This was a good example of the importance of keeping a safe distance, both for our benefit and that of the wildlife.

June 08, 2008
Course: Bears: Bones, Signs, and Stories
Observer: Glen Cope, program assistant
Location:
Our group stopped at Junction Butte this morning and watched a grizzly sow with one cub walking up the butte. As the group watched the mother and cub, a male grizzly was spotted 300 feet west of the pair. The male was working on a carcass, either a pronghorn or elk calf. Upon completion of its meal, the male headed south towards the pullout and came within 100 yards of us. We all retreated to the bus.

June 08, 2008
Course: Wolves at the Door
Observer: Dave Syfert, program assistant
Location:
A pack of five wolves harassed and divided a large herd of elk into smaller, confused groups. Eleven adult wolves were in sight at once, sweeping together westward across the summit. Later we watched three wolves cross the road to feed on a carcass near the river.

June 08, 2008
Course: Wildlife Watching on the Northern Range
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
Today was a day of ungulates. We first saw three moose in the Petrified Tree area and then three more near the Soda Butte picnic area. To see this many moose in such a short time was a rare and beautiful treat. We watched as they moved thru the remnants of snow and discussed their biology and presence in the park.

June 07, 2008
Course: Bears: Bones, Signs, and Stories
Observer: Glen Cope, program assistant
Location:
We watched a grizzly sow with two cubs in the Lamar Valley this morning. The sow was searching through the sage, methodically covering the area in a zigzag pattern. It found and chased a cow elk and then found the elk calf that the cow elk was trying to protect. It pounced on the elk calf and proceeded to eat it.

June 06, 2008
Course: Who’s the Moose?
Observer: John Scarlett, program assistant
Location:
Our class walked part of the Bannock Trail, studying the moose habitat of Yellowstone’s Northern Range when we came upon a moose cow. It was raining and quite cold but the moose seemed at ease.

June 06, 2008
Course: Greater Yellowstone Coalition Annual Meeting
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location: West Yellowstone
While stopped on the side of Highway 191 just north of West Yellowstone, in the midst of a conversation about the controversies of the 1988 season of fires, a newborn elk calf stumbled out of the woods intending to cross the road in front of us. No cow elk was in sight! This is a very busy highway with numerous large tractor-trailer rigs traveling at high rates of speed. Fortunately, the calf moved back to the grassy treeline instead of attempting to cross. On the third attempt, however, the calf successfully crossed to the safety of the other side and into the protection of the lodgepole pine forest.

June 06, 2008
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
While hiking off trail, we skirted a group of seven bull bison as they grazed in a vibrant green meadow. As we stood in the trees to evaluate the bisons' movements, two sandhill cranes flew over our heads.

June 05, 2008
Course: Wildlife Watching on the Northern Range
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
Our day began with the Slough Creek pack testing a small herd of elk near their den site high on the hill above us. The elk attempted to protect themselves by clustering on the far edge of a rocky cliff. Later, we located a carcass with six hungry Druid Peak wolves simultaneously feeding on it. Soon a grizzly bear approached, stopped, stood up on his hind legs and sniffed the air, then charged the wolves and their kill. But the wolves were not impressed, and the bear wandered back into the forest. The carcass continued to be a magnet for coyote, ravens and even a bald eagle. Still later, we were fortunate enough to observe a mountain fox hunting ground squirrels near Baronette Peak. It was quite a productive day!

June 05, 2008
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Barbara O'Grady, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
We stopped at the Yellowstone Picnic area for lunch. All the tables were occupied so we spread out on the rocks and logs just beyond the furthest table. It was not long before we noticed that we were being scrutinized by a female pronghorn standing nearby. She slowly and cautiously made her way around our group until someone finally noticed that she had a fawn nursing. We realized the baby had been hidden in the tall sage, uncomfortably close to our position, and mom had circled around to rejoin her baby. They continued their brief nursing session then turned and walked away. The tiny fawn was the highlight of the day for us wolf and bear watchers!

June 04, 2008
Course: Wildlife Watching on the Northern Range
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
The morning began with a young collared wolf from the Leopold pack scouting the Blacktail Plateau area. We watched her carefully surveying the area and her surroundings, which led to a discussion of the social behavior of wolves. After she bedded down in the sage, we were fortunate to spot a pack of coyotes escorting six pups out into the open. The tiny pups playfully followed their mom as she patiently led the way.

June 04, 2008
Course: Native Trout Conservation in Yellowstone
Observer: Dave Syfert, program assistant
Location:
The class assisted a National Park Service fish biologist in electro shocking, netting, and gathering data form several large trout at Trout Lake. All three fish had both native cutthroat and rainbow trout markings, but lab work will clearly identify the species or whether the fish are hybrids. We then watched pre-spawning behavior in the shallow water at the edge of the lake.

June 03, 2008
Course: Essential Yellowstone
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
This was a remarkable day of observing mothers and their young. We first spotted a sow grizzly and her cub-of-the-year grazing in the valley. We watched for about an hour and were treated to both raising up on their hind legs to sniff the air, making sure that no intruders (human or otherwise) were getting too close. Later we came across a black bear mother and two young cubs at Tower, rolling around and playing in the grassy meadow. Then at Floating Island Lake, we stopped to watch a cow moose nurse her injured calf. Still later, we saw a female Bighorn sheep and newborn picking their way across a treacherous but appropriate slope. Bison cows nursed their young in emerald-colored meadows; osprey perched high on their lofty nests patiently sitting on their eggs, and the lone pup of the Slough Creek wolves getting the attention and protection of the entire pack. The park is at its most lively and colorful self right now, as the spring rain and snow showers continue to fall.

June 03, 2008
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location: Hayden Valley
We observed a sow grizzly and her yearling cub foraging in the southern Hayden Valley. They seemed to delight in their digging and flipping of bison piles together, as they lumbered several hundred meters between the swollen Yellowstone River and the numerous ponds in the area.

June 02, 2008
Course: Wildlife Watching on the Northern Range
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
We saw quite a variety of Yellowstone's unique wildlife on this day. But more uncommon than the five grizzly, two black bear, bison, elk and coyote that we observed, were two Bullock's orioles, one Wilson's warbler and one yellow warbler. All three vibrantly colored birds were in the same stand of willow and aspen. Some scientists connect wolves to songbirds - how? More wolves keeping elk on the move allows aspen and willow shoots to get beyond the browsing stage of the elk, thus creating more cover and food for song birds.

June 02, 2008
Course: Flying Pig Wildlife Trip
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
We watched a large black bear who appeared agitated by the close proximity of people. Its body language led to a great discussion about animal communication signals.

June 01, 2008
Course: Geysers, Mudpots, and Hotsprings
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
Walking through the West Thumb geyser Basin today, we found grizzly bear tracks in the thermal area. It is not uncommon for bears in early summer to search thermal areas for animals that did not survive the winter. We also spotted a cow moose and a very large beaver in the flooded willow of Willow Flats.

May 30, 2008
Course: Old Times on the Grand Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
While traveling from Lake to Mammoth, our group spotted a cow moose lying in the meadow at Willow Park. Upon closer inspection through the scope, we saw the tan ears of a very new moose calf lying next to her.

May 30, 2008
Course: Mammal Signs: Interpreting Tracks, Scat and Hair
Observer: Dave Syfert, program assistant
Location: Lamar Valley
While the class was divided into teams identifying and measuring tracks near the Lamar River, we noticed a young black bear swimming across the river toward us. It seemed to be searching for food and did not react when we bunched closer together. However, when we shifted slightly upwind from the animal, it quickly swam away. Looking for its tracks afterwards, we discovered instead the tracks of an elk calf near where the bear had landed. Then as we left the Lamar area, we spotted a large moose in the bend below the road at Elk Creek.

May 30, 2008
Course: Grizzly Bear Basecamp
Observer: Jim Garry, instructor
Location:
This evening, we witnessed three separate failed attempts by wolves on elk. The wolves were seconds from catching the last elk when it jumped into Slough Creek. We believe they were either from the Druid Pack or the Unknown Pack.

May 29, 2008
Course: Grizzly Bear Basecamp
Observer: Patty Walton, instructor
Location:
As we arrived in camp along Slough Creek, we observed a bull moose in the adjacent meadow, browsing and chewing his cud. We continued to see him over the next two days. Later in the evening, we caught a glimpse of three wolves that may have been from the Slough Pack.

May 29, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
Our groups seemed to spot grizzlies on every hill in the Lamar today. They were all feeding on our temporarily emerald green meadows. Soon the green grass will fade to summer tans and browns and the bears will head for the high country. We also watched the bighorn lambs at Calcite Spring. Watching these days-old lambs skitter across the steep rocky slopes had us watching with wonder at their balance and agility.

May 29, 2008
Course: Old Times on the Grand Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
While traveling to Canyon, we saw two wolves–a black and a grey–perhaps of the Mollies Pack, on a freshly killed cow elk. The grey wolf lay off to the side while the black wolf gulped down chunks of meat. As the wolves moved off, an adult bald eagle flew in and landed on a tree. A few minutes later, an immature bald eagle flew in while the adult eagle chattered.

May 28, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Ariana Mindelzun, instructor
Location:
Our day began by watching a newborn elk calf, wobbly on its legs, making its way to the safety of the sage brush. Following this, we watched a black bear sow with two cubs of the year. The cubs played in the grasses as the sow grazed nearby.

May 28, 2008
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
In the Lamar this evening, we came across two adult bison that had been separated from a calf by the swollen Lamar River. A coyote also noticed that the bison calf was alone and was approaching it. We watched as the adult bison made their way back across the river and the calf fended off the coyote. Eventually, the adults made it to the calf and they all headed towards a large heard off in the distance.

May 28, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Barbara O’Grady, instructor
Location:
We watched a black bear with two yearlings at Mary Bay. They moved along the flats at the base of the hillside opposite Mary Bay and then noticed a solitary bear not on her trail. We could not determine if it was a male or another female but it followed the sow and cubs up over a hill and disappeared into the snowflakes that continue to fall here in Yellowstone this spring.

May 28, 2008
Course: From Bison to Bighorn: The Hoofed Mammals of Yellowstone
Observer: John Scarlett, program assistant
Location: Yellowstone Picnic Area
After observing about ten bighorn rams (many with full curls) and ten ewes very close to the road, the class hiked the ridge above the Yellowstone Picnic area. We learned about the bighorn lambing habitat as we trudged up the ridge. Later, from the Calcite Springs overlook, we scanned the area across the Yellowstone River canyon toward the plateau we had just hiked. There, deep in the canyon below the plateau, were two bighorn ewes with newborn lambs!

May 26, 2008
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
At the west end of the Lamar Valley, we watched a sow grizzly bear with cub as it killed and ate an elk calf. Calving season has just begun, with bears typically taking more elk calves than wolves, or any other large predator at this time of year.

May 26, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
We saw two courting grizzlies on the Northern Range. We discussed grizzly bear mating and the incredible adaptation of delayed implantation. We also saw motherhood in many forms, from a black bear sow grazing with two cubs to cow bison herding their young calves across the road.

May 23, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
We were fortunate enough to get an exceptional view of the Slough Pack wolf pups, but what captivated us was watching a nervous herd of elk group together as some wolves drew near. We were able to discuss defense mechanisms while we were watching the activity. As park historian Paul Schullery put it, “Elk just make more sense with wolves around.”

May 22, 2008
Course: Old Times on the Grand Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
We watched a grizzly sow with two cubs as they left the shelter of trees across from Indian Pond. The sow led the way across the open sage. She stood on her hind legs and looked toward Indian Pond and then began to dig for roots.

May 22, 2008
Course: Old Times on the Grand Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
We stopped at the confluence of the Yellowstone and Lamar River’s to talk about the park’s history. However, we spotted three cow elk behaving strangely. On close inspection, we saw that the elk were chasing two wolves, which left the area as a grizzly came into view. The bear made its way down to the elk and chased the cows, then walked back and forth. It found the hidden elk calf, grabbed it, and walked off.

May 21, 2008
Course: Wildlife Viewing on the Northern Range
Observer: Ashea Mills & Ariana Mindelzun
Location: Elk Creek Area
We discovered a cow moose on a sloped hill in the 1988 burned Douglas fir forest. She was bedded among the downed trees, seemingly not bothered by the cold rain. After returning to our bus, we had a nice discussion about the importance of fire on our ecosystem and the type of habitat moose prefer.

May 21, 2008
Course: Wildlife Watching in Grizzly Country
Observer: Shirley Cope, program assistant
Location: Lamar Valley
A pair of white-faced Ibis flew in and joined our progress along the Lamar River. While scanning the meadows and ridgelines for wildlife, we spotted a lone grizzly emerging from the treeline and moving toward the river- nose to the ground. He swam the river, shook off the wet, and continued his path toward a carcass. The usual collection of ravens and magpies were already gathered on the carcass, and we counted four bald eagles swoop in at various times. Later, we stopped at the Yellowstone River bridge to check on some old carcasses and found two marmots wrestling and tumbling around an old tree trunk. We also noted a couple beavers near the confluence of Soda Butte Creek and the Lamar that day.

May 18, 2008
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location: Northern Range
We observed a black bear sow and her two cubs-of-the-year (COY) wrestling and playing near the forest edge. Soon, an intruding black bear, forced the sow to send her cubs up a nearby tree, while she chased off an intruding bear. Later, she ran at her cubs when they seemed to stray too far into the open, forcing one to climb yet another tree, while pinning the other to the ground as if disciplining it. Bear cubs in the open are vulnerable, especially to raptors, and it appeared that mom clearly made her point.

May 16, 2008
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
We observed a large herd of about 50 bison cows with days old calves running down a steep embankment into the swollen waters of the Lamar River. They proceeded to swim across the fast, cold currents of the river, with the calves swimming on the down river side of their mothers where the current is not as swift. Many calves seemed to barely make it across the turbulent waters. When they all did finally reach the other side, the calves and yearlings ran exuberantly as they worked to restore their body temperatures.

May 13, 2008
Course: Day Off
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location: Mount Everts
On the upper western slopes of Mount Everts, I watched a foraging sow grizzly bear with her two cubs-of-the-year (COY). It was about 8:30 in the evening and no one else stopped to watch with me! To think that just one mile from Mammoth Hot Springs, I could witness this beautiful uncollared grizzly roaming free with two playful, yet attentive young in tow was truly amazing.

May 13, 2008
Course: Wildlife Viewing on the Northern Range
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
Today we saw two grizzly bears engaged in courtship-like behavior. The slightly larger male seemed to be following the smaller female. The behavior included "wrestling" and other unique interactions reserved typically for mating season. Some speculate that such behavior is needed to trigger ovulation in female bears.

May 12, 2008
Course: Wildlife Viewing on the Northern Range
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location: Slough Creek
Snow blanketed the roads as we made our way from Gardiner to Lamar Valley. By mid-day, the four inch snow had all but disappeared. While watching wolves near Slough Creek, red-tailed hawks, bald and golden eagles circled above our heads. In the distance, we spotted what we believed to be a Forster's tern. It hovered and swooped among the marshy areas of Slough Creek. Also, many hundreds of robins and juncos were feeding along the road sides of Lamar today.

May 11, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Barbara O’Grady, instructor
Location:
A small crowd of wolf watchers followed a Druid yearling as he moved west through the Lamar Valley. Three coyotes were in pursuit, agitated and intent on keeping him away from their den. Our eye was drawn to the scene as a heard of pronghorn vacated the area and a red tailed hawk flew overhead. The coyotes were successful in escorting the wolf away from their pups and calm returned to this portion of the valley for a time.

May 07, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location: Swan Lake Flats
We were fortunate to spot a lone, yearling wolf - black in color - working the snowy sage meadows of Swan Lake Flats, probably searching for voles and ground squirrels on which to feast. Its large feet could barely keep him aloft in the slushy snow.

May 05, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Barbara O'Grady, instructor
Location: Floating Island Lake
We stopped by Floating Island Lake to check on the sandhill cranes that have once again nested on the island. A red-tailed hawk, perched at the top of a conifer nearby, suddenly swooped down onto the still icy lake. As it skidded across the ice, the bird's extended talons snatched up the squirming salamander that had somehow found its way onto the ice.

April 29, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location: Tower and Slough Creek Areas
We followed fresh grizzly tracks on the snow in the Tower Fall area. A grouse escorted us along the closed road above Calcite Springs. Earlier that morning, we observed members of the Slough Creek pack of wolves interact at their den site. There was much tail wagging and greeting as several adults returned from a carcass. Totally engrossed in the action at the den, we failed to notice the approach of a bull bison until the last minute. We quickly scrambled to our bus as the bison used our scope for a scratching post!

April 28, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
As the snow had yet to melt in the interior of the park, we drove to the Grand Canyon from Norris with about three feet of snow lining the plowed road. From Lookout Point on the north rim, we spotted an osprey sitting on its nest. Later, on our way back to Norris, we encountered a red fox crossing the road carrying a snowshoe hare in its mouth. As we neared, it quickly jumped up onto the snow berm and pranced off into the lodgepole pines with its prize.

April 27, 2008
Course: The Magic of Waterfowl Migration
Observer: Glen Cope, program assistant
Location: Northern Range
Today, we observed a Caspian tern and a Bonaparte's gull. This is an unusual siting for Yellowstone. They may have been migrating through this area on their way to Canada.

April 16, 2008
Course: Suffield High School custom program
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
These high school students learned much about wolf social dynamics today. The light gray male wolf, often seen around the Druid pack over the winter, was found dead. The number one cause of death for wolves inside the park is other wolves. Competition for mates, territory, and other factors add up to a dangerous world, especially for a lone wolf. It is likely that the Druid wolves killed the light gray male. He had been hanging around the pack since November and is thought to have mated with one or more of the females. With the onset of denning season he was apparently no longer tolerated.

April 15, 2008
Course: Suffield High School custom program
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
Even though winter is still hanging on, we are beginning to see signs of spring. Out on the snow in Lamar Valley we spotted a Uinta ground squirrel. The Slough Creek wolves were in and out of their denning area. During our day we also found some new bison calves, a yellow-bellied marmot out of hibernation, and some bluebirds eating insects hatching from the river.

March 16, 2008
Course: Day Off
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
On a midday ski toward Slough Creek campground, I noticed two golden eagles perched in a huge, dead, yet still standing, Douglas fir tree. As I pulled out my binoculars to take a closer look, the male eagle hopped up to mount the female, while still poised on the high branch. Now that’s a balancing act! Incubation time for golden eagles is estimated to be about 45 days, which means there might be eaglets by early May!

March 16, 2008
Course: Fang and Flesh: Hunter and Hunted in Yellowstone
Observer: Ben Shelkowsky, volunteer
Location:
In the early morning a beaver appeared for about five seconds, ducking underwater when we stopped to watch. A couple days earlier we had seen two river otters in a canyon just west of Lamar. They popped out from a hole, sliding along the ice in the creek.

March 16, 2008
Course: Fang and Flesh: Hunter and Hunted in Yellowstone
Observer: Nathan Varley, instructor
Location:
Our morning field trip found several instances of predator-prey interactions. We watched several magpies picking ticks off a bison and a coyote eating something out of the snow. Two golden eagles circled over the Lamar River causing the Canada geese there to start calling, then take off and fly away. The Druid wolves played in the deep snow. We watched the Slough wolf pack test elk; a group of six or so fending the wolves off by standing their ground. Later on we discovered an older kill with wolves and ravens eating the remains.

March 12, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
A quiet walk up the Pebble Creek drainage led us to some wild shapes and forms in the melting ice. We called them “ice volcanoes,” fast and cold water moving below holes in the ice which had been pushed up and had cracked around the edges. We stayed awhile, mesmerized by the thawing creek.

March 07, 2008
Course: Winter Rendezvous
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
We spotted three bighorn rams near the Yellowstone and Lamar Rivers confluence grazing on lichen. We also heard a single wolf howling in the same area. The Agate pack responded from the east. We were able to see them near a kill site/carcass, traveling along a sunny ridge.

March 06, 2008
Course: Winter Rendezvous
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
A sad fact of brucellosis is that cows abort their first calves. On our drive back from the Lamar Valley area, we came across a mixed herd of cow and calf bison. One cow was walking the road with some afterbirth material hanging. Since it is still very early in the season, she may have recently aborted her calf. This led me to believe that she might have brucellosis.

March 06, 2008
Course: Winter Rendezvous
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
Along a trail in Little America, we came across some animal tracks, possibly fisher. The fisher is a medium-sized weasel almost never seen or tracked in Yellowstone. Actual population numbers are uncertain. The animal was using a snowshoe trail to avoid the deeper snow. The tracks could also have been made by a smaller weasel and distorted from the effects of weather.

March 06, 2008
Course: Winter Rendezvous
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
Around the Blacktail ponds we discovered two cow elk carcasses which appeared to be freshly killed. After waiting awhile, about seven Leopold wolves appeared, a couple of which came into feed for a short time. Sometimes wolves do kill more than one animal in a hunt, as single wolves may pick out different elk to test. Most hunts are actually unsuccessful but sometimes the opposite is true.

March 05, 2008
Course: Winter Rendezvous
Observer: Barbara O'Grady, instructor
Location:
As we returned from a snowshoe hike to Trout Lake, we observed two kills at Blacktail Deer Plateau. One had two bald eagles and a golden eagle on it. The other, a bald eagle. We watched as ravens and magpies tried to share in the feast.

March 05, 2008
Course: Winter Rendezvous
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
Four bighorn rams grazed and lay on the hill at the trailhead for the confluence of the Yellowstone and Lamar Rivers. We parked the bus, got out quietly to gear up for our snowshoe hike going out of our way to avoid the rams, then regained the trail and continued along the rim above the river. We looked back to see the rams following us down the trail! We decided to move ahead to get out of their way. Luckily they made their way down to the river’s edge, leaving us to our hike.

March 05, 2008
Course: Winter Rendezvous
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
We had a close-up look at more than fifty pronghorn along the Old Yellowstone Trail.  Many bucks were obviously building back their horns made out of compressed hair. Near the base, all around their horns there was loose hair. The hair begins to compact from the top, angling downward. They are about halfway through finalizing their horn growth. The bucks are the only North American horned animal that sheds its sheath once a year.

March 03, 2008
Course: Yellowstone's Winter Explorers
Observer: Anita Edington, volunteer
Location:
This morning we watched some ravens harass a golden eagle. We also saw a Slough wolf, three eagles, and numerous ravens on a carcass, just above the Slough Creek pullout. On our afternoon snowshoe hike to the Rose Creek acclimation pen we encountered a group of territorial bison, causing us to detour around them.

March 02, 2008
Course: Yellowstone's Winter Explorers
Observer: Anita Edington, volunteer
Location:
At first light we watched the Druid pack travel eastward from a carcass about one mile east of the Lamar Buffalo Ranch. About a half hour later we spotted a muskrat in Soda Butte Creek just above the confluence with the Lamar River, as well as some American dippers and Barrow’s goldeneyes. Above the confluence, across from “Hitching Post” pullout, we observed some bighorn sheep. In the afternoon we found a beaver on the bank of Soda Butte Creek less than a mile west of the cone. All in all a good variety of “critters” in a fairly small area.

March 01, 2008
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
We spotted a young bison in Little America which still had the chestnut brown color of calves only a few months old. Most calves are born in late April and May, turning dark brown by August. This calf was starting to change color, meaning he was probably born as late as November, but somehow has managed to survive the deep snow and cold of a Yellowstone winter. He was also moving well with the herd. We saw him two days in a row and the group had covered at least five miles over the snowy landscape in a few hours.

March 01, 2008
Course: Winter in Wonderland
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
Today Yellowstone National Park celebrated its 136th birthday! As Yellowstone was originally set aside for its unique geological wonders, our group felt honored to be the only ones at a late winter eruption of Fountain Geyser at Fountain Paint Pots, part of the Lower Geyser Basin. Wildlife also makes Yellowstone special, and this week we spotted five bald eagles in one spot, moose and grouse tracks along the snowy trail to Lone Star Geyser, and sightings of multiple wolf packs.

February 28, 2008
Course: Honing the Vague Verb
Observer: Don MacDougall, volunteer
Location:
A white-tailed doe and yearling stood by the road near the Yellowstone River and “Wrecker” pullout.

February 24, 2008
Course: Watching Winter Wildlife
Observer: Ben Shelkowsky, volunteer
Location:
We saw one red fox near Soda Butte searching for food on the flats close to the creek bed. On the way to Cooke City before exiting the Northeast Entrance, we saw two moose, probably adult females. They were standing apart on either side of the road, browsing in a forested area.

February 24, 2008
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
The group observed the Agate wolf pack take interest in a small group of elk near Pleasant Valley, Tower Junction. They quickly lost interest and traveled a short distance west to nap on a ridge together. On another day we saw a moose cross the road near Barronette Peak. Also, the Druid wolf pack was bedded on top of Specimen Ridge only 30-40 feet from a large 6 point bull elk who remained standing, looking alert, most of the hour we observed him.

February 23, 2008
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
Today we observed eleven Druid wolves, one coyote, and one red fox, all at the same time in Lamar Valley. Only a small number of foxes have been seen this winter but we saw two this week. Some crusty snow has developed during the warmer weather, perhaps allowing the lightweight fox to come out in the open and be able to avoid getting caught by the heavier coyote.

February 22, 2008
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
As the chill set into our fingers and toes, the sun greeted us from east of Lamar Valley with a temperature of 3°F. We watched eleven Druid wolves move up a snow-covered hill along Specimen Ridge, scent marking and sniffing as they went, to indicate their territory. They seemed oblivious to us as we watched them interact with some bison.

February 19, 2008
Course: Winter Wildlife Expedition
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
The entire Druid wolf pack was seen east of Lamar Buffalo Ranch, traveling east along ridge tops north of the valley road. A dark gray male from outside the pack led the “bar” sisters into a group of aspen trees below and slightly east of the pack. The two females, “bright bar” and “dull bar” made themselves available to mate with the lone male. He mounted and “tied” with one of the sisters for five to ten minutes at about 10:30 a.m. We heard some howling during the one-and-a-half hour process, then most of the wolves laid down for a midday nap.

February 18, 2008
Course: Family Winter Holiday
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
We watched the Druid wolf pack on an elk carcass. Even though we were first on the scene, we were still a bit late to see actual event. There were plenty of eagles, ravens, and magpies waiting to grab a bite. We also saw a fox sleeping curled up in the snow. It kept opening its eyes every time the wildlife watchers made too much noise, but continued to sleep regardless of the disruptions.

February 15, 2008
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Barbara O'Grady, instructor
Location:
We snowshoed out to 9F’s old den, discussing the incredible opportunity we had to watch the collaring of one of the Druids in Lamar Valley. It was a crystal clear day. The head of the Yellowstone Wolf Project had also collared some Agate pack wolves. One of them howled below Specimen Ridge. It made a perfect backdrop to the story of #9F, since the howling wolf could have been one of her descendants.

February 13, 2008
Course: Trinity Lutheran School custom program
Observer: Don MacDougal, volunteer
Location:
We saw a cougar cross the road between Ice Box Canyon and Round Prairie around 8:45 in the evening. We also saw a fox on the road near Round Prairie right after the cougar crossing.

February 13, 2008
Course: Winter in Wonderland
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
On our ski day to Tower Waterfall, some of us saw a cow moose near Calcite Springs overlook…a first for this instructor during winter! After lunch we spotted a bull moose browsing willow near the Tower General Store! We thought we couldn’t top that but on our snow coach ride to Old Faithful the next day, an uncollared gray female wolf watched us for a few minutes near the Mount Holmes trailhead. She might have been the lone adult female from the Hayden pack. We concluded our tour with a beautiful view of a red fox at Artist Point on the south rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

February 13, 2008
Course: Yellowstone on Skis
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
At Canyon we spotted a red fox walking in the road. It trotted ahead then turned off the road onto the ski trail. When later on we stopped at the Chittenden Bridge to look at the Yellowstone River, we were able to watch four otters play at a hole in the ice. We saw them slide in the snow, scent mark, and roll over each other.

February 09, 2008
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Barbara O'Grady, instructor
Location:
There was a good deal of commotion in Lamar Valley today caused by a stuck snowplow. Above the traffic jam, on the hills north of the road and east of the Buffalo Ranch, one of the gray Druid pups had a stick or piece of ice to toss overhead, watch slide down the slope, then pounce on again and again. The wolf pup seemed oblivious to the other members of the pack and certainly unconcerned with the human activity below.

February 08, 2008
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Barbara O'Grady, instructor
Location:
Despite the wind, it was a beautiful morning in Lamar Valley. We arrived at about 8:30 Friday morning to find the Druids on a recently killed elk calf. The wolves busily helped themselves--a group of fifteen, plus two interlopers which are still attempting to join the pack. We watched as they finished up and began to move off in different groups, tails wagging, running, pups playing enthusiastically en route, bellies full. Two bald eagles soared overhead, and one very brave coyote sat patiently by the roadside watching, awaiting their turns at the carcass. The coyote was disappointed by one of the gray interlopers who stole the chance to feed.

February 07, 2008
Course: Winter in Wonderland
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
We were blessed with the closest encounter we could ask for with wild trumpeter swans. Along the Madison River, about ten swans moved up and down the free flowing water right next to us! As we watched, a bald eagle flew past, searching for an afternoon snack of a duck below. Luckily for the duck’s sake, the eagle just did a fly by without making contact.

February 06, 2008
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
The day was mostly cloudy with sun breaks. While we searched for mountain goats on Barronette Peak, we observed a golden eagle soaring among the snowy cliffs and frozen waterfalls, eventually landing inside a small dark cave. A very large avalanche of cold light snow plummeted from the summit, billowing along its steep rapid descent and covering the rocky cliffs, dark green conifers, and multi-colored icefalls to the bottom of a large run-out shoot between two thickly forested slopes.

February 06, 2008
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
A northern Pygmy owl hurled out of the spruce/fir forest near the Northeast Entrance to crash land on the road next to us. We could see the two eye patterns on the back of the nape of its neck as the tiny owl swiveled its head 180 degrees several times to reorient itself. They appeared and disappeared as it looked into the forest then back at us. The Pygmy owl took flight, revealing a mouse crushed in its tiny sharp talons, and carried its prey back into the densely forested habitat it had appeared from.

February 05, 2008
Course: Winter Wildlife Expedition
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
Part of the Druid pack was north of the Lamar Buffalo Ranch. They howled and were answered by other pack members south of the road. The howling spanned several minutes. We could hear a very low tone weaving through the other sounds.

February 05, 2008
Course: Winter Wildlife Expedition
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
We observed a dark gray interloper longingly watch the Druids. A light gray interloper came up over the ridge to join the darker wolf. A black Druid female also came up the ridge to greet the lighter one. She was joined by a gray female. While the three wolves greeted and danced around each other, the dark gray male tucked his tail and slunk away.

February 04, 2008
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
At 10 a.m. we observed two wolves near Elk Creek howling often and meeting along a deeply snow-covered ridge among the old burned forest, a bison and an eagle perched high in a snag nearby. The two wolves, one black and one gray, then walked away from each other, soon joined by another wolf each of their similar color. The grays were the Agate Creek alpha pair with two other black wolves. Later on, around 3 p.m., we watched 302M, the “Casanova” black wolf of the Druids, lope thru deep snow out of Lamar Valley onto the road. He was all by himself, probably searching for females to mate on his return to the rest of the pack.

January 30, 2008
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
The whole bus watched the Druid Peak pack chase and test, and chase and test, then strategize, regroup, and chase and test again, many small herds and individual elk on a nearby south facing slope in Lamar Valley near “Picnic” pullout. Several times we believed the pack had certainly surrounded an elk to prey on. The elk, however, somehow evaded the wolves. Eventually two cows from a group of six elk attacked and challenged one wolf, then several wolves. The elk stood their ground, stopping the predators from making a kill, and survived another encounter with the infamous Druid Peak pack.

January 28, 2008
Course: Boulder Creek Academy custom program
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
We watched the alpha female of the Druids approach the alpha male. She pawed at him, encouraging him to get up. She was in estrus, blatantly flirting with her mate by climbing on him and acting very playful.

January 28, 2008
Course: Boulder Creek Academy custom program
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
We watched the alpha female of the Druids approach the alpha male. She pawed at him, encouraging him to get up. She was in estrus, blatantly flirting with her mate by climbing on him and acting very playful.

January 28, 2008
Course: Yellowstone on Skis
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
Yellowstone showed us true winter weather with white-out conditions through the park. On Swan Lake flats, our snow coach driver Tyrene held the wheel with both hands, leaning forward to peer ahead. She drove from snow pole to snow pole, sometimes having go stop and wait until the blowing snow cleared enough to allow us to find the next pole!

January 23, 2008
Course: Winter in Wonderland
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
On a cold day, with temperatures as low as -45°F in Lamar Valley, our group was treated to some great wolf interactions! Some of the Druid Peak pack had killed a bull elk. A single wolf not associated with the pack was nearby, trying to gain the attention of some of the females. His tactics annoyed the Druid beta male but, after a short chase, two black colored wolves left with the lone male. Set in an aspen stand with deep snow and cold temperatures, this made for a wonderful winter scene.

January 21, 2008
Course: Winter Wildlife Expedition
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
East of Soda Butte Cone, we saw ten of the sixteen Druid Peak wolves feeding on a bull elk carcass. One gray wolf lay under a lone pine tree, separate from the pack. A black wolf walked up to displace the gray, then down to the kill. It was followed by the gray, which, after some barking and growling, was allowed to feed.

January 17, 2008
Course: The Wolves of Yellowstone
Observer: Ben Shelkowsky, volunteer
Location:
The group watched a solitary red fox for about thirty minutes at the first pullout east of the Buffalo Ranch. Meandering in the flat of the Lamar creek bed, it seemed to be searching for food.

January 15, 2008
Course: Yellowstone on Skis
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
We were the first people this morning to ski the trail to Lone Star Geyser Basin. We skied quietly, coming around the corner to surprise a pine marten crossing the trail about twenty feet in front of us. It stopped to look at us before bounding on its way. The cream of its chin and chest, and the red-brown of its body, showed up well against the monochromatic black and white of the trees and snow.

January 12, 2008
Course: The Buffalo Story
Observer: Rick Wallen, instructor
Location:
The busload of students and I observed a female white-tailed deer along the road near the east side of the Yellowstone River bridge. The deer looked at the bus as we approached her and immediately ran off to the south, uphill into the forest.

January 12, 2008
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
We had a great day of watching the Agate Creek wolf pack. The highlight was watching as the Agates chased elk twice and almost caught them. Unlike what many times is shown on videos and television, most chases are actually failures. As is also the case that females and younger wolves led both chases. The big males and older individuals may not participate as much in the early “chase” stage of the hunt.

January 12, 2008
Course: Winter in Wonderland
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
We watched an otter come up under a goldeneye, lift the duck out of the water, then kill it. This was rare because otters usually hunt fish.

January 04, 2008
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
Druid male wolf #302 walked in front of us to go retrieve some of the pack’s pups who were with a gray male of unknown origin. This is one of two males perhaps trying to join the Druids. The older animals, especially #302, are not allowing it. Interestingly, the Druid pups are readily accepting the stranger. When the pups rejoined #302, he pinned them to the ground and they were very submissive. The unknown gray male did not approach #302, tucked his tail, and ran away. This series of events has been common lately. The two unknown males are hanging around the Druids, unaccepted, and perhaps perceived as competition by the other adult males.

January 02, 2008
Course:
Observer: Meriwether Anderson Sale, volunteer
Location:
On the Mammoth-Tower road, about 200 yards east of the Blacktail Plateau parking area, we sighted a bobcat loping west on the road as we approached by car. Noting our presence, he turned quickly south, jumping over a roadside snow bank, gaining cover in the roadside timber.

January 01, 2008
Course: Winter in Wonderland
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
During our Northern Range snowshoe hike, we happened upon very fresh mountain lion tracks—so fresh the snow kicked out from each track had not solidified on the surface. Finding the tracks of a solitary animal is not unusual for this species. The next day on the groomed cross-country ski trail to Tower Falls, we passed bobcat tracks and scat, most likely from the night before. On the day after that, during our snow coach ride to Old Faithful, we observed for fifteen minutes a bobcat feeding on a bull bison carcass. The cat was sitting inside the chest cavity of the bison—completely inside—feeding on remnants along the rib cage and upper chest. We crossed our fingers in hopes of seeing a lynx on the way out but, alas, no lynx.

December 29, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
A badger sat on top of a mound just before Hitching Post turn out at the confluence of the Lamar and Soda Butte rivers. He watched us for a moment before diving back into his burrow. Further down the road, east of Floating Island Lake, we spotted a dead elk. Over thirty ravens and a number of magpies roosted in the trees. Two coyotes fed, looking up warily at the magpies coated in red blood.

December 29, 2007
Course: Family Winter Holiday
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
A dozen ravens teased four wolf pups. They hovered just out of reach above the wolves’ heads while the pups jumped up in the air, trying to reach the birds. There was no food nearby to attract the two species together, which made this a wonderful example of play between them.

December 28, 2007
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
As a rare event, we witnessed a red fox being chased by a wolf! Wolves readily chase and kill coyotes—near carcasses especially—but it is rare to see a wolf chase a fox. The wolf may have been a younger wolf “experiment.” The chase lasted several minutes and covered perhaps a mile or more over snow-covered ground. The wily fox, light on his feet in the snow, was able to outmaneuver the heavier wolf.

December 25, 2007
Course: Winter in Wonderland
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
Christmas day gave us a view into the real Yellowstone. We watched eight of the Druid Peak wolves feeding on a bison carcass. On our snow coach ride to Old Faithful the next day, we counted near sixty trumpeter swans! There are only a few resident swans in Yellowstone but winter attracts larger numbers to the open (unfrozen) water. On another day, below Fishing Bridge, we watched six coyotes, one of which was feasting on a signet trumpeter swan. Two of the coyotes conspired to take it away from a single dominant coyote. The scheming coyotes made their move, tag-teaming the one…their plan worked!

December 08, 2007
Course: Food for the Masses, Session Three
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
A coyote was eating on a carcass when fifteen Druid wolves approached at a dead run. They were out of the distracted coyote’s line-of-sight until the last second, at which time the coyote ran off, tailed tucked as when threatened. Wolves have been known to kill coyotes on carcasses, but this one was able to get out in time to run down the road, where often will not follow.

December 07, 2007
Course: Food for the Masses, Session Three
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
We watched the Druid wolves feed close to the road on a carcass killed by another pack. Only a few wolves would come this close to human presence. People at the pull-out, though at a legal distance, created a disturbance for the wolves. Instead of eating at the carcass, a few wolves carried pieces away to the rest of the pack. Wolves are adaptable enough to change their behavior to get by. It would be more usual for wolves to feed on the carcass until there is little left.

December 05, 2007
Course: Food for the Masses, Session Two
Observer: Nathan Varley, instructor
Location:
The Druid wolves displayed several greeting behaviors. As they gathered up, we watched them greet, howl, tail-wag, lick, and show other signs of recognition.

December 04, 2007
Course: Food for the Masses, Session Two
Observer: Nathan Varley, instructor
Location:
On this day we saw a small, red bison calf feed at its mother’s side. It is unusually late in the season to see red calves. Elsewhere, we heard a pack of coyotes howl, then bed down. We also watched some ravens bathe in Slough Creek.

December 03, 2007
Course: Food for the Masses, Session Two
Observer: Nathan Varley, instructor
Location:
Two coyotes chased and attacked another one at a carcass. They grabbed and bit it, but it was able to jump up and escape.

December 03, 2007
Course: Food for the Masses, Session Three
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
On this day, while we watched a wolf pup eating, we counted 30-40 ravens on and around the carcass with the pup. Immediately after the wolf left, a coyote appeared within 50 yards. Amazingly we hadn’t seen him in the sage, hidden well by his camouflage coloring. As the coyote came up to the carcass, he harassed a few of the other ravens, which vocalized, circled the carcass, and then all flew off together. Though ravens will eat with coyotes, wolves and ravens seem to tolerate one another better.

November 30, 2007
Course: Food for the Masses, Session Two
Observer: Nathan Varley, instructor
Location:
Druid Peak wolves trailed behind a fleeing elk herd in Little America. A few elk struggled to keep up but the wolves never could catch up to the stragglers.

November 29, 2007
Course: Food for the Masses, Session Two
Observer: Nathan Varley, instructor
Location:
On Amethyst Bench, bighorn rams moved through a herd of 35 sheep, checking the ewes for receptiveness.

November 28, 2007
Course: Food for the Masses, Session Two
Observer: Nathan Varley, instructor
Location:
We found an unknown gray wolf attempting to join the Druid pack. It was jumpy and nervous, then submissive, when it ran from the adult wolves.

November 24, 2007
Course: Food for the Masses, Session One
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
The Druid wolves chased a bull elk, then gave up and headed south. As we drove to Lamar Valley, we again discovered wolves, this time heading toward the road. Lead by “road-tolerant” #302, all of the pack but two crossed to the other side. The other two stayed behind and howled. One of these, a black pup, has many times refused to cross a road to stay with the pack. Soon after, the two became three as an unknown gray wolf—one of two recently in Lamar Valley—joined the pups. This wolf led the two younger ones across the road to the rest of the pack on Jasper Bench. The pack greeted the pups while the unknown gray remained at a distance. He watched from there and has been seen on an off since, perhaps trying to join the Druid pack.

November 23, 2007
Course: Food for the Masses, Session One
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
At the end of the day we observed the adults of the Oxbow pack approach and chase a bison up Hellroaring Canyon. This pack has not been known to kill bison in the past but proceeded to attack and grab at a bison calf. The action only lasted a few seconds however, because a big bull bison ran down to chase away the wolves. Bison are very formidable prey, and defend one another from predators. It is no wonder very few Yellowstone packs prey on bison especially, in this case, when a large bull helps out in defense of the herd.

November 21, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
This afternoon we spotted a decent-sized grizzly bear walking slowly and sniffing around the sagebrush flats of Little America. Considering recent cold weather and snowfall, most grizzlies in Yellowstone are normally hibernating by this time.

November 11, 2007
Course: Hunter, Hunted
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
The class hiked out to Number 9’s old den site in Little America. Upon our return to the bus, we spotted a large grizzly bear (probably a boar) on the north side of the road. The grizzled hairs rippled as the bear moved slowly across the grass/sage flats, grazing and smelling for food. We watched for 15 minutes until he slowly wandered off to the north.

November 10, 2007
Course: Hunter, Hunted
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
We went out into Lamar Valley early to watch wildlife. We spotted the Druid Peak Pack in the eastern end of the valley. The wolves had been on the carcass of a bull elk they had taken down a few days earlier. We watched as they traveled west. They spotted a small herd of bull elk. They grouped up, trotted up hill toward the elk. The elk saw the wolves and ran. The wolves singled out a single bull and surrounded it. He stood his ground, once kicking a wolf which went flying. This was a perfect example of what we had been discussing in class: that if an elk stands its ground, it usually will survive and that wolves can’t just take down any animal they want. The wolves quickly gave up on the elk and continued west, finding another elk to test. This bull also passed. Suddenly the pack looked west and began to run. They ran up on the Slough Creek Pack who had ‘trespassed’ onto the thin line between pack territories. The Sloughs had taken down an elk in the night. Most of them spotted the Druids coming and took off, though a few pups seemed to be unaware of the Druids coming on. The chase was on! The Druids chased the Sloughs and then returned to the kill where they had their morning meal.

November 08, 2007
Course: Jefferson High School group program
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
While looking for wolves in Lamar Valley, we spotted the Druid Peak pack chasing a bull elk. As we looked on, the pack captured and killed the bull. Shortly thereafter, an unknown pack of six wolves approached the Druids, upon which they chased the intruders out of the area. The unknown group, split in half by the chase, howled to find one another. After one to two hours, the pack reunited up near Specimen Ridge. As the elk move into the area, packs are becoming increasingly territorial. This new pack is probably trying to find a place to fit in but the famous Druids are becoming once again a large, dominant presence in Lamar Valley.

November 07, 2007
Course: Jefferson High School group program
Observer: Mary Beth Phelan, volunteer
Location:
As the last hint of light touched the skyline above Jasper Bench with hues of red and orange, we watched the Slough Creek pack fly down the slopes chasing bull elk. It was almost haunting in its beauty. The wolves, with tails flying high, scattered the elk in all directions. We watched until the cloak of darkness covered their hunt, but it is a hunt with an alpenglow backdrop that will always be remembered.

November 01, 2007
Course: Food for the Masses, Session Two
Observer: Nathan Varley, instructor
Location:
We watched a large group of eagles, both bald and golden, fight over access to a carcass.

October 19, 2007
Course: Greater Yellowstone Coalition - Women in Wilderness Retreat
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
On the way to the B-Bar Ranch to pick up the group, I noticed a lone gray wolf along the dirt road, not a typical sight outside the park boundaries. As the bus approached, the wolf moved away from the road. After picking up the group the next morning, on the way back to the park, a sow grizzly and one cub-of-the-year ran across the road illuminated by our headlights. As the whitebark pine nut crop has not been great this year, there has been an increase in bears at lower elevations, closer to human activity. Before we entered the park boundary, two red foxes crossed our path as well.

October 16, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
The highlight of this day was five wolves on Swan Lake Flats! We counted three black and two gray wolves of this pack that has yet to be named. We watched a grizzly bear walk right through these wolves. Both watched each other warily without much interaction. We were able to get a photograph of the scene by putting the lens of a digital camera up to a spotting scope (digiscoping).

October 16, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
The highlight of this day was five wolves on Swan Lake Flats! We counted three black and two gray wolves of this pack that has yet to be named. We watched a grizzly bear walk right through these wolves. Both watched each other warily without much interaction. We were able to get a photograph of the scene by putting the lens of a digital camera up to a spotting scope (digiscoping).

October 10, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
Today we heard elk bugling all around us! Away from the roadside and the main trails we watched a group of elk with two bulls, each trying to dominate the scene. They were sizing each other up, bugling, and charging, but no serious fighting. Another sign of the season was a bear den we located, dug out of the side of a mountain. It was well-camouflaged by tall grass and on an angled slope, not easily found.

October 07, 2007
Course: Old Times on the Grand Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
On the banks of the Yellowstone River in Hayden Valley, we watched a grizzly bear digging at something with its front paws, and then eating it. We couldn’t tell from our distance what the food source was.

October 06, 2007
Course: Master Artist Seminar: Our National Parks
Observer: Lisa Whitwell & Bill Mahoney, volunteers
Location:
Mammoth Hot Springs was sugar coated in this season’s first real snow, surrounding a smoldering Orange Mound.

October 05, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
We toured Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin, then north to the Norris Geyser Basin. On a short hike to the Pocket basin area we came across a large bull bison. He stood by another dead bison lying in the steam of a nearby hot spring. This newly dead bison had been recently scavenged. We speculated about how it died, injury sustained during the rut? Old age? Thermal burns? We don’t know the full story but the thermal area is where the bison chose to lie down, a connection between two of Yellowstone’s natural resources.

October 04, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
Hiking along the south side of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, we had to maneuver around a group of bison who had left Hayden Valley. Since the mating season has ended, dispersing bison can pop up just about anywhere! We made it safely around the group without disturbing them.

October 01, 2007
Course: Autumn in Wonderland
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
We watched a bald eagle digging in a muskrat den. In the background a coyote dug up rodents on the shoreline of the Yellowstone River. Later on we viewed a turkey vulture, fairly rare for Yellowstone, flying over Canyon Lodge.

September 30, 2007
Course: Watching Wolves in Autumn
Observer: Lisa Whitwell, volunteer
Location:
The full Druid pack of seventeen wolves had become separated by the road and started howling. Eventually they reunited on the Lamar side of the road which was touching for us to watch.

September 29, 2007
Course: Fall Wolf & Elk Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
While checking out some scat on a trail in Little America, we encountered a badger. It poked its head out of a hole, and then went back to digging. Dirt was flying out behind the badger as it dug for hibernating Uinta ground squirrels. Some sources say a badger can out dig five adults with shovels, and many of our group now believe that!

September 29, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
The participants wanted to see pronghorn, moose, wolves, and bears – whew – and they got them all! As this is the pronghorn mating season, we saw a group in Lamar Valley with the buck taking full charge of his small harem. We spotted a bull moose in Soda Butte Creek feeding on willow. In Hayden Valley five of the Hayden Valley wolves were close by, but we had to let some visitors know not to run after them. This activity led to the wolves’ quick departure. By the end of the day we were able to find a black bear and cub feeding on rosehips. In addition, we viewed bighorn ewes and lambs foraging near Calcite Springs. They are at lower elevations at this time of year.

September 29, 2007
Course: Old Times on the Grand Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
While traveling along the East Entrance road, the group spotted a grizzly. The bear was blond in color. It voraciously ate the clover along the roadside, slowly moving along. We stopped there to watch for about 30 minutes.

September 27, 2007
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
Each day of this program we had incredible sightings of wildlife, but on our trip down the Delacy Creek trail some of our group had chance sightings of great gray owl fledglings. These young owls stay near their next for a few months once they’ve fledged. They are the largest, though not the heaviest, owls in North America. Upon our arrival at Shoshone Lake we were greeted and circled by a mature bald eagle. It took numerous passes over our group.

September 23, 2007
Course: Fall Wolf and Elk Discovery
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
Our group observed several Oxbow pack wolves, both gray and black, testing a group of nine elk. There were seven cows, one yearling, and a large bull near the confluence of the Lamar and Yellowstone rivers. The elk, which were running from the wolves, grouped tightly and were very wary. Once the wolves moved on, the elk became more relaxed and resumed moving around and grazing.

September 18, 2007
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
While walking near a beaver pond, we observed a tiger salamander. It was apparently heading from the wettest pond area to the wooded lot nearby. Tiger salamanders are the only salamanders known to occur in Yellowstone and, although probably common, are rarely seen. At this time of year they are possibly traveling to a spot to spend the winter.

September 18, 2007
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
Above the Yellowstone River, on the Yellowstone Picnic Trail, on our way to Specimen Ridge, we saw eleven pronghorn. The buck scent marked his territory and ran around, rounding up his harem. After we got back from Specimen Ridge, we drove to the Slough Creek road to watch three black Slough pack wolves. They were lying on rocks above an elk their pack had killed earlier in the day. One pup walked down to the kill, scattered the ravens, and began to chew on the carcass.

September 18, 2007
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
We watched a young bull moose moving across the ridgeline in Lamar Valley. He was moving back and forth and looking very nervous. We then saw a grizzly bear down below him. Perhaps he knew the bear was there and was trying to find another way around.

September 18, 2007
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
Fall is the time when ungulates are mating, bears are in hyperphagia, and everyone seems to be getting ready for winter. Knowing that, we were still surprised at the amount of wildlife we found in less than two hours between Phantom Lake and Lamar Valley. We counted two black bears, one grizzly bear, dozens of bison and elk, many pronghorn, a coyote, and the Slough Creek wolf pack feeding on a carcass.

September 16, 2007
Course: Fall Wolf & Elk Discovery
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
We observed 21 Slough Creek wolves together on western Jasper Bench. The adults regurgitated to feed the pups. They engaged in a variety of wolf activities: traveling and group howling, playing, greeting each other, bowing, Alpha male, and subordinate behaviors. Later on we found a grizzly bear foraging in Lamar Valley near a large herd of bison. The herd was made up of a few small cow groups and a couple bulls attempting to move the grizzly away. The bear sent one group running with a short lunge in their direction.

September 16, 2007
Course: Fall Wolf & Elk Discovery
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
At noon, an osprey soared over Little America with trout in its talons held aerodynamically upside down.

September 14, 2007
Course: Autumn Wolf & Elk Backpack
Observer: Nathan Varley, instructor
Location:
Over the course of our three days in the backcountry we came across two cows and one bull moose bedded along a streamside, two elk herds—each with a bull, cows and calves, another cow moose eating willow and Canada thistle, two different grizzly bears grazing by a stream, and 13 bighorn sheep—mainly rams—crossing in front of us.

September 14, 2007
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
We saw a black bear saw with a single cub eating grasses in a meadow. She headed up a cliff, leaving the cub behind. Suddenly the cub realized it was alone and tried to climb up the hill with no success. Mom came back down to save the day and showed the cub an easier way up the hill.

September 14, 2007
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
Hiking up on a steep section of Specimen Ridge I looked down to find an out of place rock. Among the grass and bits of petrified wood there was a worked piece of chalcedony. Angled, and about three and a half inches long, the worked chalcedony was used to crack into animal bone to access the marrow. Early aboriginal people called this tool a hand axe. One of our program participants, familiar with artifacts, estimated the piece to date back to 1000 or more years old. We took pictures and left the awesome piece of early human tool right where we found it.

September 14, 2007
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
While looking for animal sign in Lamar Valley, we discovered raccoon tracks. The tracks were along the river in wetland habitat, where raccoons love to be. This is an extremely rare find in Yellowstone. Raccoon numbers in the park are probably rather low but we don’t know for sure how many may be here.

September 13, 2007
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Barbara O'Grady, instructor
Location:
On the trail to Clear Lake we observed a great horned owl and two ravens harassing a great gray owl which had prey and was not interested in sharing.

September 12, 2007
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
Taking a short jaunt up the Glen Creek drainage away from Swan Lake flats, we happened upon not one, but three adult moose, two cows and one bull! The most interesting thing we noticed about the group, aside from them foraging solely on willow bunches, was that the bull’s antlers were not palmated. They looked like elk antlers, narrow with tines, but not flattened.

September 12, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
At the northern end of Swan Lake flats, two merlins flew over the treetops, calling as they went by the Glen Creek trail. In the meadow along Glen Creek we came upon three moose, one bull with interesting, elk-like antlers and two cows. Later on we counted nine spruce grouse foraging together near the trail.

September 12, 2007
Course: The Autumn Wildlife Show
Observer: Lisa Whitwell, volunteer
Location:
Two yearling wolves chased a bull elk in the Lamar Valley close to the Buffalo Ranch. Their lack of experience resulted in a failed mission but proved amusing for those of us watching.

September 10, 2007
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
Along the base of Specimen Ridge a pronghorn buck ran out across the meadow ahead of us. Other pronghorn lay on a hill nearby. The buck rubbed his horns on sagebrush, then scraped earth with his hooves, then urinated and defecated on the scraping to let us know this is his “territory.” When satisfied, he walked on and we also continued, giving his area a wide berth while he returned to his group.

September 09, 2007
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
We watched an injured wolf called “Slant” trying to make her way up a very steep hill to the rest of the pack. The pups were ahead of her and waited for her to catch up, howling to her every time she was out of sight. When she finally caught up to the pups, they approached her with their tails wagging to lick her face.

September 09, 2007
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
While hiking down the Chittenden Trail on Mount Washburn, we saw three bighorn ewes at a hairpin turn. While we waited for the rest of our group to catch up, two sheep trotted toward us. We bunched up as one put her head down and kept coming in our direction. We bunched up more, and then left the road to give them space. They followed us watchfully as we climbed down the mountain to the lower switchback and continued on our way.

September 09, 2007
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
We started our morning with a melee of wolves! Seven total! The Agate pack met up in an open meadow in the Antelope Creek drainage with howling, wagging tails, and general greetings all around. Wolves were a wonderful way to begin our day. We also spotted a large grizzly bear rooting around in the high country on Mount Washburn.

September 09, 2007
Course: Fall Wolf & Elk Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
In the morning hours we saw an adult Agate wolf come back to the rendezvous site (the area the pups hang out in during later summer), and possibly regurgitate food. The whole pack soon reunited, with the adults leading the pups toward a carcass site off to the north. This was preceded by lots of tail wagging and awesome howling—a fairly common event when pup are this age and are rejoined by the adults.

September 09, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
This morning we saw the entire Agate wolf pack gather together for a group howl at their rendezvous site in the Antelope Creek drainage. In Hayden Valley we watched the alpha male of the Hayden pack return to their rendezvous site to feed the pups waiting there with the alpha female.

September 08, 2007
Course: Pelican Valley Grizzly Bear Basecamp
Observer: Kerry Gunther, instructor
Location:
We watched a sow grizzly bear with two cubs, three single adult grizzly bears, and five wolves interacting and scavenging at a bison carcass. We also noticed most of the rest of the wolf pack a few miles away. This was a good opportunity to further our understanding and appreciation of large carnivore ecology and interspecific interactions.

September 08, 2007
Course: Raptors on the Wing
Observer: Lisa Whitwell, volunteer
Location:
A huge golden eagle flew directly over the Yellowstone Association bus and soared the winds of the incoming front north of Wilsau, MT, at the northern part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

September 08, 2007
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
While visiting the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, we watched an osprey on a nest eating a large fish starting with the head.

September 08, 2007
Course: Roosevelt Rendezvous
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
On the Howard Eaton Trail near Mammoth Hot Springs we watched a Steller’s jay break into a land snail’s shell for the tasty treat inside.

September 04, 2007
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
There was a great variety of bird life on the Yellowstone River this morning. We spotted common mergansers, lesser scaups, and other waterfowl, along with a raft of pelicans, the morning light shining through their translucent large beaks. This may be among the last we see of them this season, as most have already migrated south. A flash of brilliant yellow caught our eyes as we followed a migrating Townsend’s warbler working through the riparian willow. An American dipper delighted our group with its incredibly stable footing in LeHardy’s Rapids while it fed on aquatic invertebrates.

September 03, 2007
Course: Fall Wolf & Elk Discovery
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
We watched two young wolves, one black and one gray, interacting with coyotes, ravens, and magpies at a carcass near the Lamar River this morning.

September 03, 2007
Course: Unraveling the Canyon
Observer: Bill Mahoney, volunteer
Location:
On a geology course, not even focusing on wildlife viewing, over the course of a few hours on the same day we had very close sightings of a grizzly bear crossing the road near Antelope Creek, a bighorn sheep browsing just inches off the road near Tower, and a bull moose grazing inside the trees near Canyon.

September 02, 2007
Course: From the Ground Up: Botanical Illustration
Observer: Dave Syfert, volunteer
Location:
From our established area for plant specimen work we were able to observe a grizzly bear next to the Lamar River throughout the day. In the evening, a great blue heron flew over the bunkhouse.

September 01, 2007
Course: Grizzlies: From Dumps to Recovery?
Observer: Peg Erickson, volunteer
Location:
We went out both mornings of the course to Mount Washburn, Hayden Valley, and Antelope Creek. The only grizzly bear we saw was across from the Buffalo Ranch near the Lamar River each morning after we returned from the outings. It was a large bear, eating something in the grass, visible via spotting scope or binoculars from the ranch.

September 01, 2007
Course: FRom the Ground Up: Botanical Illustration
Observer: Dave Syfert, volunteer
Location:
We found several bear tracks imprinted in the mud of the Rose Creek trail after a night’s rain.

August 30, 2007
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
While hiking to Clear Lake, we saw a brown creeper looking for insects on the trunk of a tree. Later on, we watched a coyote eating something near the road. He would grab a bite in his mouth, tilt his head back, and gulp the morsel. We watched for ten minutes as he finished his meal then trotted away.

August 29, 2007
Course: The Wolves of Yellowstone
Observer: John Scarlett, volunteer
Location:
The class observed the Agate Creek pack for five hours, and saw an incredible variety of behaviors. All agreed, however, that the most awesome sight of the morning involved wolf #113, the oldest wolf in the park (about 10 ½ years), and the founder and former alpha male of the Agate Creek pack. A puppy approached the resting “Alpha Emeritus” and literally prostrated himself in a gesture of respect.

August 29, 2007
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
At the Norris Geyser Basin we were lucky to see a sagebrush lizard, the only lizard species in the park.

August 26, 2007
Course: South Dakota State University custom program
Observer: Brad Bulin and Ashea Mills, instructors
Location:
We arrived at Amphitheatre Valley just in time to see nine pups and two adult wolves harassing a sow grizzly with one cub of the year. One pup got a good face slap from the cub, and a few pups got some nips in at the cub’s back end, but no one seemed intent on hurting one another. The Agate wolves, however, were serious about getting the bears moving.

August 26, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
We observed a female grizzly bear with her cub of the year traveling through the Antelope Creek drainage. The Agate wolves and pups were also there, testing the bears as they moved through.

August 21, 2007
Course: Day Hiking the Wild Yellowstone: Northern Range Area
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
While hiking off trail along the Yellowstone River, we heard wolves howling and saw two elk standing at attention across the river. A few minutes later we spotted a wolf sitting in the trees. Ravens were flying low in and out of an area, so there may have been a kill nearby.

August 21, 2007
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
On Antelope Creek we were treated to a view of a bull moose chewing his cud in the morning shade, the Agate pack wolves howling in the background. Some higher notes came from the pups, while the rich, discordant, melodious tones of the adults filled Amphitheatre Valley.

August 20, 2007
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
To the misfortune of a cow bison and calf, we had a wonderful opportunity to observe several of the Slough pack wolves on these carcasses in Lamar Valley. At the same time we also counted up to seven coyotes, some pups, also taking their chances for a meal. As there was only one wolf at a time feeding, the braver coyotes were able to get a bite to eat.

August 20, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Janice Drout, instructor
Location:
From Lookout Point in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, we saw three osprey nests. Two of the nests each had two chicks in them. The third had a chick standing on a fish, and then a parent landed after flying so close to us that we could have touched it.

August 20, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
We watched a coyote walk very close to a bighorn sheep ewe sleeping with her lambs. The ewe stood up quickly to chase the coyote away. She continued until the coyote was well out of view, a wonderful display of a mother protecting her young.

August 18, 2007
Course: Writing Retreat
Observer: Nathan Varley, instructor
Location:
The deer and pelican return to our camp near the lake. We spot a downy woodpecker pecking wood.

August 17, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
Through the rain we watched the alpha female of the Hayden Valley wolf pack. Her very light color made her easy to spot in the green grass. As we watched, she moved out of the rain and into the cover of some lodgepole pines. Earlier in the day we had seen the Agate wolf pack chasing elk in the Antelope Creek area. We saw one uncollared and one collared black wolf come out of the thick tree cover. They might have been successful in their chase.

August 17, 2007
Course: Flying Pig Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
The Agate Creek wolf pack fed pups in the area of the Antelope Creek drainage by traveling between the kill site and the rendezvous site.

August 17, 2007
Course: Writing Retreat
Observer: Nathan Varley, instructor
Location:
Some more pelicans fly over camp, one comes back to circle us. We see yellow-rumped, Wilson’s, MacGillivray’s, orange-crowned, Townshend’s, and yellow warblers, all from the same spot, foraging in trees and shrubs by the lakeshore.

August 16, 2007
Course: Writing Retreat
Observer: Nathan Varley, instructor
Location:
We watch an osprey feed on a fish at the end of a limb. A mule deer doe with twin fawns orbit the campsite. At Plover Point, a flight of eight to twelve American white pelicans soar overhead.

August 16, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
Our group watched a grizzly sow with four cubs of the year digging into the side of the mountain below Dunraven Pass while some of the cubs slept.

August 15, 2007
Course: Writing Retreat
Observer: Nathan Varley, instructor
Location:
Our lakeside camp is a good spot for birds. A bald eagle flies over us, five spotted sandpipers forage off shore, and a brood of Barrow’s goldeneyes float in the bay.

August 15, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
We spotted three wolf pups and all the adults of the Hayden pack from a distance. It was a treat to see them – their stomachs looked distended from a recent feeding. We watched them through the thick haze of smoke from nearby wildfires. (Columbine and Promontory Fires near Yellowstone Lake)

August 14, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
This morning we saw a coyote at Blacktail Ponds. It walked slowly with ears perked, stopped for a moment in a listening posture, then suddenly pounced nose first into the sage. It tugged at something, and then came up with a ground squirrel in its jaws. It sat on its haunches and gulped the squirrel. After a big swallow, it stood up and continued hunting – an empty stomach on four legs!

August 14, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
The bison mating season in Hayden Valley is spectacular! Bison are all over the place with dust flying, grunts and fighting. It made for an exciting start to our day! We also caught glimpses of the Hayden wolf pack. We watched three pups with two adults far away on the east side of the valley.

August 13, 2007
Course: Flying Pig Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
We watched a sow grizzly with a few cubs of the year foraging near white bark pine trees on the north side of Dunraven Pass. The cubs were “bawling” with some ravens very close by.

August 13, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil, instructor
Location:
We saw a sow grizzly bear with four cubs of the year, an unusually large litter, frequenting the road near Dunraven Pass. This is another example of a healthy bear population possibly stemming from the good white bark pine nut crop last fall...many female bears went into their dens healthy, and many came out with young.

August 11, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
We watched a grizzly sow with four cubs of the year foraging on a mountain meadow, and then walking, running, and scampering into the spruce/fir forest on the south side of Mount Washburn. We saw another large dark grizzly feeing on a bison carcass in the Lamar River along with many ravens and several black-billed magpies too.

August 10, 2007
Course: Flying Pig Ed-Venture
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
We watched a grizzly feeding on a carcass. When it was done it walked into the river. We thought it would cross, but it proceeded to “take a bath,” feet up in the air. It stayed in the water for fifteen minutes, floating and watching an osprey flying overhead. The bear had moved to the shore by the time the osprey dove. The bear seemed startled when the fish dropped back into the river. It took the osprey three tries to finally keep a fish.

August 10, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Kathie Lynch, instructor
Location:
Our group watched a grizzly bear at a new bison carcass in Lamar Valley near the old picnic area. It turned the carcass over, and then it went to the river to soak.

August 09, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Sharon Baron, instructor
Location:
We watched a sow grizzly with one cub feeding on a bison carcass with an adult female wolf. The eight month old cub did not like sharing its food with a wolf, and kept chasing her away. Surprisingly the wolf would run away with her tail between her legs, and then return to feed again. Finally a compromise was reached; the bears fed at one end of the carcass, the wolf at the other. We also spotted three adult ospreys on a nest with two young. We wondered if the third adult was an offspring from last year, therefore tolerated.

August 08, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
As bear sightings are few and far between this time of year, we were very fortunate to see a grizzly sow with two cubs feeding on a bison carcass in Hayden Valley. Also, it is the mating season for bison, so occasionally one bull can be gored by a rival male...one death does mean a lot of food for many (bears, eagles, ravens, wolves, coyotes, etc.)

August 07, 2007
Course: Yellowstone's Northern Roadside History
Observer: Lisa Whitwell, volunteer
Location:
Down the trail at “Wrecker” pullout, a beautiful red-colored gray fox unconcernedly looked at us, and then settled into the sage to chew on his fleas. Seeing it sparked the discussion about whether most foxes in Yellowstone are actually gray foxes, regardless of their color, per a prior discussion with Dr. James Halfpenny during Lesser Known Carnivores.

August 07, 2007
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
In Hayden Valley we witnessed the “pecking order” amongst grizzly bears at a carcass. First a sow with one cub was chased off by a sow with two cubs, although the first sow was allowed to stay nearby. Soon after, a boar (male) came in and chased both sows and cubs away. Sows will not risk their cubs around these males. Then another, larger boar chased that bear away. We also watched a young bull elk chase a bison calf. Soon after, the bull elk was chased out of the area by an aggressive cow bison. Mommy to the rescue!

August 07, 2007
Course: The Bison of Yellowstone
Observer: John Scarlett, volunteer
Location:
There were so many bison grunting and rumbling and snorting their way through the campus at the Lamar Buffalo Ranch that students in The Bison of Yellowstone Field Seminar had trouble getting to class!

August 05, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
Even though we got to watch a grizzly and a black wolf in Lamar Valley for an hour, the highlight of our wildlife day was watching two coyotes harass a large gray wolf. The wolf seemed confused as to where to go, while the coyotes kept barking and howling, rushing at him occasionally. They followed him from near the road where we found them, all the way to the river. We think the wolf may have been injured. We also laughed as the bull bison were ignored by the cows who seemed more interested in eating grass than mating.

August 05, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Janice Drout, instructor
Location:
While in Hayden Valley we saw a coyote search out, pounce on, and swallow a small rodent (probably a pocket gopher) in three bites! It was all over in 15 seconds.

August 03, 2007
Course: Alpine Wildlife: Basecamp in the High Country
Observer: Nathan Varley, instructor
Location:
We sighted 13 bighorn sheep near a snow patch, either grazing or resting, near Wolverine Peak in the Beartooth Mountains. They became a little friskier and started to play after awhile. Perched high on a very narrow rocky ledge were a female mountain goat, a yearling, and a kid. On the Daisy Pass Trail we spotted a peregrine falcon soaring directly overhead. We speculated that it was hunting. Also on this trail we found grizzly scat less than 48 hours old.

August 03, 2007
Course: Introduction to Mammal Tracking
Observer: Lisa Whitwell, volunteer
Location:
At Beaver Pond, while making plaster casts of various fauna footprints, it was lovely to see an elk browsing close by, making fresh tracks.

August 01, 2007
Course: Tracking the Heat: Yellowstone's Hot Spot and Calderas
Observer: Bill Mahoney, volunteer
Location:
We watched a grizzly sow with two cubs turning over rocks and climbing on a steep slope near the Mount Washburn trailhead. The bears were visible from the road for about 30 minutes.

August 01, 2007
Course: Searching for Yellowstone's Most Elusive Carnivores
Observer: Peg Erickson, volunteer
Location:
We saw a large grizzly bear in front of the Lamar Buffalo Ranch across the highway foraging in a grassy area. He had an unusual looking second hump on his rump.

August 01, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
At the height of summer visitation we were able to have a spectacular and safe moment of pure wildness! This was the first time in Yellowstone for all of the participants in this program. We watched an untagged and uncollared adult grizzly bear parallel to the road in Lamar Valley – all within 150 yards – from the safety of our bus.

August 01, 2007
Course: True to Life: the Art & Science of Drawing Animals
Observer: Anita Edington, volunteer
Location:
At the east end of the Lamar field campus, the class sketched a variety of raptors. We watched adult and immature red-tailed hawks, including one that attempted to catch a chipmunk but missed. We also spotted an immature bald eagle, a golden eagle, and an osprey.

July 29, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
Even though the summer temperatures have driven much of the wildlife high into the mountains, in the Lamar Valley we were treated to the sight of a grizzly bear sleeping on a carcass with four Slough Creek pack wolves nearby. We talked about how these predators interact around food, and that the bear usually wins. We also observed some bison in rut. The bulls bellowed, stuck out their tongues, closely followed the females, and waited for a chance to mate. We were also fortunate to be among the last people to view osprey chicks on their nest before they fledged.

July 28, 2007
Course: Backpacking the Trail of the Nez Perce
Observer: Angela Patnode, instructor
Location:
In the Hoodoo Basin we came across two bull elk at about 300 yards. They watched us for about ten seconds before they took off. The next day we spotted seven bighorn sheep chewing their cud on the back side of Hoodoo Ridge.

July 28, 2007
Course: Exploring Yellowstone's Microbes
Observer: John Scarlett, volunteer
Location:
We had an opportunity to visit a pool of historical significance. Led by the instructor, we hiked to a spring in the Lower Geyser Basin where temperatures reach more than 158 degrees Fahrenheit/70 degrees Celsius. An enzyme discovered there in the bacterium Thermus aquaticus has made possible the artificial replication of DNA through a process called polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

July 28, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
We watched a grizzly bear who had taken over a bison carcass from the Slough Creek wolves. The bear buried the carcass by dragging dirt over it, and then lay on it. We saw it at 9 a.m. and it was still on the carcass at 2 p.m.

July 28, 2007
Course: Geology of Yellowstone Lake
Observer: Bill Mahoney, volunteer
Location:
A bald eagle was perched just a few feet off the ground on a small snag and was intently watching for fish along the Yellowstone River in Hayden Valley just south of Elk Antler Creek.

July 26, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
We observed a great grey owl hunting from a low perch on a lodge pole pine. It swooped down towards its prey in the meadow grasses, and then flew to another low perch empty-handed. It must have missed its target.

July 26, 2007
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
While hiking Snow Pass near Mammoth Hot Springs, we came upon cat tracks. The size and general width of the trail left behind suggested a small mountain lion. Cats are rarely seen in Yellowstone, making this a lucky sighting. Also, at the same spot, were red fox tracks. The fresh rain left the ground soft enough to reveal a lot of animal activity for us.

July 25, 2007
Course: No Child Left Indoors!
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
While hiking out to the Garnet Trailhead, we spotted movement on a hill. Three badgers stopped their activity for a moment and watched us. They walked up the hill, then came back down. One scooted into their den while the others walked on the hillside, possibly looking for Uinta Ground Squirrels.

July 25, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
We watched young wolf pups playing at their rendezvous site with one adult pup “sitter” near the north end of Hayden Valley across the Yellowstone River.

July 24, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
As we were walking back from Shoshone Lake on the DeLacy Creek trail, we watched a spotted frog jump into the creek.

July 24, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Kathie Lynch, instructor
Location:
The Hayden Valley wolf pack appears to still be present at its new rendezvous site near Alum Creek. After watching the wolves for some time, we saw a cow moose and calf grazing peacefully in a meadow on the Canyon side of Dunraven.

July 23, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
A surprise spotting of a silvery gray wolf near the road was the highlight of our wildlife day. We saw her squat and talked about how most subordinate wolves will squat (even if they are male) but her size led us to believe she was female. She went into some deep brush and we lost sight of her. We also got to see a cinnamon black bear foraging in a cow parsnip and dive nose-first into a tasty anthill.

July 23, 2007
Course: Flying Pig Ed-Venture
Observer: Kathie Lynch, instructor
Location:
The Hayden Valley wolves have moved from their den area near the Otter Creek picnic to the Alum Creek vicinity. We watched various pack members walking around and playing before they bedded down for the day.

July 23, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
An uncollared gray wolf ran across the road in front of the bus while we were driving past Geode Creek. It appeared to be a wolf from the Oxbow pack. It was a beautiful sighting. Later, while on a hike to an abandoned wolf den, we watched a peregrine falcon dive at six ravens that were eating grasshoppers and crickets along the drying grasses. The falcon did not make contact with the ravens but got very close. A second attempt proved unsuccessful and finally the falcon moved on. This was an incredible sighting as it was just 100 to 150 feet from where we stood.

July 22, 2007
Course: Global Climate Change & Yellowstone
Observer: Kathy Perkins, volunteer
Location:
Today we saw mud snails in the Madison River, eating water insects. This invasive species may very well deprive native fish of an important food source.

July 21, 2007
Course: Picking Bugs Out of the Paint: the Art of Plein Air
Observer: Anita Edington, volunteer
Location:
In an aspen grove west of the bridge near the road to Slough Creek campground, some pronghorn with two fawns grazed. A coyote tried to sneak up on one of the fawns but the adult pronghorn chased it away. The next day, just as we arrived at Slough Creek, we heard coyotes howling. Then, in view of the class, a coyote caught a very fat ground squirrel.

July 20, 2007
Course: Picking Bugs Out of the Paint: the Art of Plein Air
Observer: Anita Edington, volunteer
Location:
On the Slough Creek campground road, we watched a badger digging for about five minutes before it left.

July 20, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
This afternoon, we saw a grizzly female with two cubs grazing on the meadows of Mount Washburn. Her two cubs were still nursing.

July 19, 2007
Course: Fly Fishing for Seasoned Anglers
Observer: Tom Reed, volunteer
Location:
While fishing in the Lamar and Soda Butte area, we had a good opportunity to watch several different flying insects being fed on by the fish.

July 18, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
While hiking over open sage and grassland terrain, two buck pronghorn – one in fast pursuit of the other – came running full speed right towards us. We watched, awe struck, as the fastest land mammal in North America came whizzing past us, less than 75 feet away. Later on in the Hayden Valley, we were waiting for a chance to see the Hayden wolf pups at Otter Creek and a pine martin crossed the open field. It appeared that no on else saw this, as they were intent on looking for the larger wolves.

July 17, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
We watched Fountain Geyser erupt for about 20 minutes. It was a wonderful treat to watch bison meander through the entire Fountain Paint Pots area.

July 17, 2007
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
On the Delacy Creek trail, we encountered a great gray owl hunting on a sunny mid-morning. This owl, unlike most, will hunt during the day. The owl made several unsuccessful attempts to catch things. It also kept trying to perch on very small trees, making us think it could be an immature owl just starting to learn to hunt. Finally it flew right over our heads to seek another perch. What an awesome sight to see such a large bird so close. These owls are some of the largest in the world.

July 15, 2007
Course: Emerging Knowledge of Wolves
Observer: Nathan Varley, instructor
Location:
We saw wolf pups by the Yellowstone River. There were two adults lying in tall grass, and the pups were playing on the bank, pulling up grass, rolling around, and playing tug-of-war with a goose feather.

July 15, 2007
Course: Emerging Knowledge of Wolves
Observer: Janice Smith, volunteer
Location:
At Antelope Creek, we saw a sow grizzly and two cubs playing near the road. The cubs came into the road and they were playing with the traffic cones.

July 14, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
This morning on the Blacktail Plateau road, a black bear sow with one cub was feeding right next to the road on a berry bush.

July 13, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
A participant discovered an obsidian knife blade on our hike. Because the Yellowstone Association is the official educational partner with the National Park Service and we have an open dialog with them, we noted the location where it was found and took it to the park anthropologist. She was excited about the find and happy that we had retrieved it. It was estimated to be about 2000 years old and possibly obsidian that was quarried at Obsidian Cliff here in the park. Now, the family that found it will have their name in the record book in the park archives for years to come, showing that they found a 2000 year old knife blade!

July 13, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
We watched a white wolf, alpha female of the Hayden pack, walk down to the Yellowstone River from the forest with five pups, for a drink of water. The pups wanted a regurgitated meal and to nurse but she would allow neither. The pups played in the grass on the river’s edge and in the shallows. A yearling female pack member regurgitated a meal two times after they mobbed her, licking her muzzle.

July 13, 2007
Course: Dayhiking the Wild Yellowstone: Lake Village
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
As we hiked off-trail north of Yellowstone Lake, two coyotes trotted across the field. We continued and farther along, a bull bison lay in the shade of the trees as a fox hunted mice in the meadow. After our lunch stop, we walked through a forest and spotted an owl, either great gray or great horned, flitting through the trees.

July 13, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
One of the highlights to our week was watching two different packs of coyotes with pups. The first we saw in the evening and got to see the pups chasing each other near an alert pronghorn buck. The second ran across the road in darkening twilight and one of the pups, confused as to which side of the road he should be on, plopped down, appearing frustrated, right on the yellow line. We turned off the headlights and it ran back up to the mother.

July 12, 2007
Course: Mammal Tracking
Observer: Anita Edington, volunteer
Location:
We were searching for bear sign in the Mammoth area when we came across very fresh tracks, with the bear still in them! The bear was searching for ants and tearing decaying logs apart.

July 12, 2007
Course: Mammal Tracking
Observer: Anita Edington, volunteer
Location:
We were very fortunate to observe interaction of an elk herd, cows, claves, and four bulls. We listen to vocalizations between cows and calves for about 20 minutes.

July 12, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
We observed a sow grizzly bear with two cubs near Antelope Creek as the cubs played in the mountain meadow wildflowers. The mother grazed and dug up roots, bulbs, and tubers. Later, we watched three fledgling peregrine falcons flying in the Tower Canyon area. They were loudly calling to each other and occasionally landing on cliffs, ledges, and spires.

July 10, 2007
Course: Mammal Tracking
Observer: Anita Edington, volunteer
Location:
During a tracking exercise along Slough Creek, we encountered an otter swimming. It was visible for about two minutes.

July 10, 2007
Course: Beckett Group
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
The group watched a grizzly mother with her two cubs at Antelope Creek foraging in a field of wildflowers, then lying down in the mountain stream to nurse. Later we spotted a peregrine falcon fledgling near the Tower canyon aerie on top of the cliffs. Next we observed a buck antelope round up five does near Junction Butte.

July 09, 2007
Course: Flying Pig Ed-Venture
Observer: Kathie Lynch, instructor
Location:
At the Chittendon Road entrance to Mount Washburn we watched a grizzly sow and two cubs of the year walk down the gravel road toward us and next to the bus. We had a good view from the safety of the bus!

July 08, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
Near Antelope Creek we observed a grizzly sow and her two cubs for an hour. The sow moved through the valley, digging for insects and eating vegetation. The cubs stayed very close to their mother, looking for direction as to what flowers and vegetation to eat. The mother appeared to show the cubs that they could not eat “cow parsnip.”  She also rubbed against tree trunks, showing the cubs how to do the same.  The cubs stood up on their hind legs to look around for their mother; the mother kept a close eye on her cubs at all times.

July 08, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
In addition to watching a grizzly mother and two cubs of the year near Mount Washburn, we also watched a black wolf near Blacktail Ponds walk toward a bison carcass, then disappear over a ridge.

July 07, 2007
Course: Beyond the Trail: In-Depth Field Journaling
Observer: John Scarlett, volunteer
Location:
While walking along Pebble Creek mid-morning, we spied a water ouzel (dipper) nest attached to the rocks directly across the creek and about eye level. Once students were settled in and quiet, the adult resumed feeding in the creek and tending to two chicks in the nest. Binoculars gave an incredible view into the nest, and into the very large, orange beaks of the chicks. Students sent a couple of fascinating hours observing, sketching, and painting.

July 06, 2007
Course: Flying Pig Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
In the Tower area, the group watched three nearly fledged peregrine falcons on their aerie cliff ledge walking around each other. Near Mount Washburn we watched a sow grizzly bear grazing and foraging in the mountain meadows with her two spring cubs running around her.

July 06, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
A highlight for the group was watching a sow grizzly and her two cubs of the year cross behind our bus between Tower Falls and Dunraven Pass. She crossed the road about 300’ or less behind our bus. The two cubs followed quickly behind and immediately caused quiet the bear jam on the roadside. Bears now are high elevation-grazing in “greener pastures” while the valley floors are heating up during the daylight hours.

July 05, 2007
Course: A Trail Through Leaves
Observer: Janice Smith, volunteer
Location:
This morning the class hiked to Trout Lake for field journaling. Around 11 a.m. we observed two otters swimming in the lake. They swam to a log, climbed upon it, and proceeded to eat a trout. The log had shiny orange roe on it, which we surmised was left from the trout that the otters had consumed. They continued to swim around the lake and back to the log. We left at 11:30 a.m.

July 04, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
While walking back to the road in Little America, we looked to our right to see a fairly large male black bear foraging not far away. He was out in very hot weather in the middle of the day—in his thick black coat! Soon after, he sniffed the air and headed for a bison carcass about a mile away—quite a sense of smell! We were then able to investigate where he had been, and discovered a small hole full of ants busy recovering from their recent bear “attack.” The bear had been eating the ants and their eggs.

July 02, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
On a day hike near a wetland, a female goldeneye flew within a few feet of our head—twice! We were walking near some trees and she was protecting young somewhere nearby. She was using intimidating behavior to scare off potential predators.

July 02, 2007
Course: Flying Pig Ed-Venture
Observer: Kathie Lynch, instructor
Location:
We saw a black bear sow with a cub of the year on a bull elk carcass. We watched while the cub climbed up the elk antler like a tree.

July 01, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:

June 28, 2007
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
We hiked along Glen Creek, descending to Mammoth Hot Springs via Snow Pass. Just above the junction of Snow Pass with the Howard Eaton Trail, we noticed two black bears grazing in the meadow near the trail. The larger bear was a cinnamon color and the smaller one was brown. They slowly moved back and forth, possibly eating the salsify flowers.

June 27, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Phil Knight, instructor
Location:
Near Barronette Peak we saw a fox carrying prey and hunting. The prey might have been a bird. The Fox approached within five feet of some people, but did not seem to notice them.

June 26, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
We came across a cow and calf moose in the water at Floating Island Lake at close range. We watched while they fed, the calf frolicking in the grass as it caught up to its mother running back into the woods. During the day we also saw ten different bears, (five grizzlies and five black bears). After a good fall of whitebark pine nuts, we are seeing bears frequently.

June 26, 2007
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
We hiked three miles to the shore of Shoshone Lake. As we sat down to eat lunch, we looked down the shore to spot two young moose -- a bull and a cow stood in the water. They began to trot in the shallow water, coming toward us. We gathered our gear and backed off into the trees to give them space. They slowed to a walk and continued by us, glancing in our direction. They kept walking a few hundred yards then stopped to browse the willows. We backed away and returned to our trail.

June 26, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
We watched about eight Druid pack wolves at the Soda Butte Creek and Lamar River confluence running around with a bison herd near the trees at the base of the mountains.

June 26, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Wolf Basecamp
Observer: Dan Stahler, instructor
Location:
Two grizzly bears traveled though the meadow near our campsite this morning.

June 26, 2007
Course: Wolves of the World
Observer: Thomas Reed, volunteer
Location:
We saw the Druid pack at the junction of Soda Butte Creek and the Lamar River. The alpha female appeared to be playing tag with the yearlings. The wolves harassed bison for a few minutes and then wrestled, jumped on each other and napped.

June 25, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Wolf Basecamp
Observer: Dan Stahler, instructor
Location:
Those of us lucky enough to be awake at 3:30 a.m. heard a wolf howl chorus from the Druid pack. Later on, in the evening, we watched a courting pair of grizzlies wrestling on the ridge between Cache and Calfee creeks. Nearby a Druid wolf fed on a carcass upstream of Wahb Springs.

June 24, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Breanna Lewis, age 10, participant
Location:
On June 24 we joined a couple other families to look for wildlife. First we met our guide Janice to start Animal Ecology Day. We drove off to Yellowstone Lake to hike at Storm Point. Farther along the bank was a sleeping bison, on the other side of the lake. We soon forgot about it. Then, sunning on the rocks, we spotted a yellow-bellied marmot. After taking pictures, we moved on. Later, we stopped at a group of trees that had awesome bear claw marks on them. Suddenly we realized that we were right near where we saw the bison. Where was it? Then Janice looked at the shore and realized that there was a bison sleeping on the bank about ten yards away from us. As we started walking away, it stood up. Yikes! We high-tailed it out of there. After dinner, as we drove around, the first thing we did was stop at a look-out in Hayden Valley. The first thing we saw in our telescopes were three huge bald eagles. Feeling satisfied with our day, we drove off, but it wasn’t over yet! Our bus pulled to a stop at a car jam. We parked and got out. I grabbed some binoculars. We had no idea what was coming. Wolves are my most favorite animals in the world but I had never seen one. But, unless my eyes were playing tricks, I was seeing a huge gray wolf down below, and…way to the left there was a giant grizzly…a mother grizzly! There was a tiny cub following its mother, and the wolf was heading right for the cub! It wanted dinner! Oh boy, the big mother bear got mad! She snapped at that wolf and chased him off to the other side of the road, then sauntered off. The wolf, meanwhile, was going for a herd of twenty elk, it seemed, but then he disappeared behind a ridge. So we packed back onto the bus and…”Fox!” someone shouted. A red fox ran across the road, stared me straight in the eyes, and moved on. So we did too, but there was more. “Elk!” someone screamed. Janice halted the bus, and not a moment too soon, as one, two, three elk ran in front of our bus. We were lucky. Slowly, we drove on. “Well, we haven’t seen everything yet,” someone said, “not a moose.” “Yes we have!” I yelled. “Look!” They did. There was a female moose by the road grazing. Wow. Today had been an awesome day.

June 24, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Wolf Basecamp
Observer: Dan Stahler, instructor
Location:
We found four or five of the Druid wolves at Cache Creek. A little while later, on the south side of Mount Norris, we spotted a sow grizzly with two cubs of the year as well as two adult grizzlies, probably a breeding pair.

June 24, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
What a variety of animal interactions! We watched coyotes chase pronghorn until they turned on the coyotes! Then a bald eagle flew in a graceful arc over the whole scene. Later we watched a cinnamon colored black bear defend a bison carcass against a shiny black wolf. Multiple sows with cubs, both black and grizzly bears, were definite highlights. At Trout Lake, kids and grown-ups alike loved watching the spawning, wriggling, flashing trout.

June 24, 2007
Course: Learning Birds by Sound
Observer: John Scarlett, volunteer
Location:
By getting up at 4 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, we were on the road before sun-up listening to a wide variety of birds. By the end of class we had heard or seen an estimated 88 – 100 species of birds, the most exciting mid-morning on Sunday. In the Beartooths east of Cooke City some of the class was fortunate to see the elusive goshawk. Not only was the sighting a rare treat, it was a joy to see the park’s chief ornithologist, who has years of bird listening and sighting experience, so excited and enthusiastic.

June 24, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
While watching coyote pups play with each other and their mother near Soda Butte Creek, a badger patrolled the sage and grass flats below, going in and out of burrows for about 100 meters.

June 22, 2007
Course: Photographing Yellowstone’s Summer
Observer: Tom Murphy, instructor
Location:
On the north slope of Mount Washburn above Antelope Creek our class watched and photographed a sow grizzly with two cubs of the year. She fed on grass and, about ninety yards below our pullout, she laid on her back to nurse her cubs for about a minute and a half. In total, we watched her for about an hour before she went down the hillside toward Antelope Creek and out of sight.

June 21, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
While driving over Dunraven Pass, we saw a grizzly bear sow with two cubs of the year only 200 feet from the road. The cubs were made very nervous by the car doors slamming and kept standing up in the high grass to see what all the noisy tourists were doing. We saw a gopher snake sunning itself on the Mammoth Terraces. It slithered away into a hole to hunt rodents. At Trout Lake we watched cutthroat trout struggling to make their way upstream to lay their eggs.

June 21, 2007
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
In three-and-a-half hours, we had twelve bear sightings. One was as we turned into the Petrified Tree pull-out to see the tree, and spotted a black bear. We watched for thirty minutes as the bear climbed a snag, grabbed a bird from a hole in the tree, climbed down, sat, and ate the bird. He did this at least six times. We assumed the bear was eating baby birds from a nest in the tree. When the birds were gone, the bear walked away, pausing to defecate before moving on.

June 20, 2007
Course: Poetry in Yellowstone: A Journey of the Heart
Observer: Anita Edington, volunteer
Location:
Approximately one mile south of the Tower store we spotted a black bear sleeping on a day bed by the side of the road.

June 18, 2007
Course: Northern Range Beginning Tracking for Xanterra employees
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
A large black bear fed on an elk calf carcass under a tree before walking down to Soda Butte Creek to drink and soak in the water. We watched him leave the creek, shake off, then lie down in the shade of the tree within a few feet of the carcass.

June 18, 2007
Course: Flying Pig Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
We were fortunate with our grizzly viewing this morning! We saw two grizzly bears high on the upper slopes of Specimen Ridge, then two more on Mount Norris. Grizzly sightings are common in the Northern Range this year, probably because these bears have reached carrying capacity in this ecosystem. As the population increases, more bears are frequenting habitat along the roads. We also watched three wolves, two gray and one black, testing a herd of bison in the Blacktail ponds area fairly close to the road on the south side of Mount Everts.

June 17, 2007
Course: Wolves--Reality and Myth
Observer: Peg Erickson, volunteer
Location:
Early, at the upper part of Antelope Creek, we watched the alpha female of the Agate Creek wolf pack carry a freshly killed elk calf toward her den. The elk mother tried to stop her but was unsuccessful.

June 15, 2007
Course: Yellowstone for Families
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
We had some amazing “spotters” in our group! Several of the kids found bears we might otherwise have missed, including a sow grizzly on Dunraven Pass that stopped to nurse her three active, hungry cubs. Some other highlights were some raven chicks at Golden Gate, and at Tower, a big horn ewe with her lamb skittering on loose rock.

June 15, 2007
Course: Springtime in Wonderland
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
A black bear sow and one cub of the year darted across the road right in front of us at Craig Pass, along the Continental Divide.

June 15, 2007
Course: Flying Pig Ed-Venture
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
We watched one gray and one black wolf testing bull elk in the Antelope Creek drainage, walking along the ridgeline towards Mount Washburn.

June 13, 2007
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
We hiked out to Storm Point on Yellowstone Lake. Just before reaching the point we saw a coyote. It trotted into the trees, and we heard some bark/howling. Two coyotes came out of the trees and crossed the meadow. Three marmots chirped warning calls as the coyotes passed their rock thrones. Upon reaching Storm Point, one of our party looked down and spotted three otters near shore. We all watched them dive and swim among the rocks. On our way back to the bus, we skirted three bull bison which were grazing next to the trail.

June 13, 2007
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
At the Yellowstone River picnic area near Tower Junction, we were told of a nearby black bear. We cleaned up just as the bear walked right by the dining area, ignoring the smell of human food. Later, the same bear went down to the Yellowstone River. Because of too many people he couldn’t cross the road. Instead he went under the bridge and swam across the strong current so he could cross the road on the other side where there were less people. Bears can swim well! This is a good example of an animal analyzing and solving a problem.

June 12, 2007
Course: Cougar Ecology Backpack
Observer: Kelly Proffitt, instructor
Location:
From a Hellroaring campsite we observed four black bears feeding on grasses on the hillside opposite our camp. In the early evening we also spotted a blond-coated black bear across the river. The next day, along the Yellowstone River, we observed a bald eagle nest located across the river from our camp. We watched both adults hunting and actively tending the nest.

June 12, 2007
Course: Photography in Yellowstone: A Foundation for Creativity
Observer: Mark Grossman, volunteer
Location:
We traveled to the Mount Washburn area to try to photograph bears. At 7 a.m., near Chittenden Road, we found an old grizzly bear digging up food a few feet from the toilet amid a field of photographers. He had a gash on the right side of his face, probably from an encounter with another grizzly. The bear lumbered across the main road and proceeded south, ignoring the snapping cameras and the invitation of open car doors. Despite his age, or more probably because of it, he was an impressive and inspiring sight.

June 12, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
A rare sighting of two American avocets, a striking orange, black and white wader with a slender beak, started off our day. They were near to the suddenly leggy Sandhill crane colts at Floating Island Lake. Later, we were fortunate to watch a black yearling from the Agate wolf pack cross a large meadow from our perch on Dunraven pass.

June 11, 2007
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
Two peregrine falcons flew right over us from their perch in a tree, calling “ka ka ka ka ka,” soaring through the canyon to their aerie to feed their young.

June 11, 2007
Course: Flying Pig Ed-Venture
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
In Amphitheatre Valley, the Agate wolf pups were rolling through the grass, playing chase and tackling each other with full spring puppy energy. Next, a sow bear with two cubs-of-the-year walked through our view (but not the wolves’) with her cubs doing the same thing!

June 10, 2007
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
The group watched a yearling gray wolf move through sagebrush to the Lamar River’s edge, jump in to swim across, and then walk along the river bank to feed on a bull elk carcass which had about 35 common ravens on it. Two coyotes approached to scare the wolf a short distance from the carcass for a short time. The wolf walked back with a big bull bison just beyond, sending the coyotes away and returning to feed on the carcass, dragging the large elk up on to the riverbank.

June 09, 2007
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
A peregrine falcon flew to an aerie with a prey item to feed three nestlings. The falcon tore pieces of meat clutched in its talons with its sharp beak to present bits to the young birds. One of the eggs in the nest remained unhatched.

June 09, 2007
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
A large male grizzly bear followed a female all the way up Soda Butte Valley, demonstrating mating behavior. Later on in the evening we also saw a mountain (blond) red fox near Petrified Tree.

June 09, 2007
Course: Wolves of the Past, Present, and Future
Observer: John Scarlett, volunteer
Location:
About 8 a.m. five coyotes were feeding on a large bull elk carcass in the Lamar River, between the Buffalo Ranch and “picnic pullout.” When a wolf approached, the coyotes drove her off. After the coyotes finished feeding, the wolf—an uncollared black two year old Slough Creek pack female—made another approach and began feeding. About fifteen minutes later the Slough Creek alpha male arrived to feed as well. All the while, two bald eagles perched in the top of a nearby cottonwood tree, waiting their turn.

June 07, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
There were a lot of black bears in the Tower area today but watching a huge, cinnamon, black bear pursuing a black sow down the hill across from the Tower parking lot afforded us a chance to see the different hues that a “black bear” may come in.

June 06, 2007
Course: Bears: Bones, Signs and Stories
Observer: Anita Edington, volunteer
Location:
Early in the morning we spotted an adult grizzly walking along Amethyst Bench across from the Lamar Buffalo Ranch. Apparently the bear got too close to a coyote den because we watched two coyotes harass the grizzly for approximately half a mile, forcing it to leave the area.

June 06, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
A female moose crossed the road in front of the bus by Barronette Peak. A bit later on, we saw courting black bears near Rainy Lake. They seemed unconcerned about people or vehicles. Fortunately, a ranger arrived to manage the situation since people were approaching the bears too closely.

June 05, 2007
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
We watched a collared female coyote fishing in the Trout Lake inlet stream. She caught a Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout and carried the wriggling fish out into the meadow flat to bite the head off. She ate the entire trout but spit out some eggs onto the grass. After she went back to fishing, a raven flew down and ate the eggs.

June 05, 2007
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
A cinnamon black bear followed a black bear sow through the forest of Antelope Creek, scratching and rubbing his back on the trees, grazing on new green grasses.

June 05, 2007
Course: Bears: Bones, Signs and Stories
Observer: Peg Erickson, volunteer
Location:
Across from the Soda Butte Creek footbridge we saw eight or nine members of the Druid Peak wolf pack. They were traveling up a ridge. We were able to identify the alpha male and female, as well as some yearlings. Later, at Specimen Ridge, we saw three grizzly bears to the right of Amethyst Canyon. All three stood on top of the ridge at different times. Two rose up on their hind legs, but not in battle.

June 05, 2007
Course: Wolves at the Door: Successes and Challenges of Recovery
Observer: Ilona Popper, participant
Location:
From "Dorothy's pullout" we watched two black Slough Creek wolves. One chased an elk to the Lamar Buffalo Ranch; the other was across the river and headed up hill. We moved to the Soda Butte Creek footbridge, then to the confluence at the Lamar River to see about nine Druid wolves, including 480M and 569F, the alphas, and beta 302M and 471F. They chased elk, tested bison calves, and finally bedded down. This was a good opportunity to learn about wolf predation, prey behavior, and social behavior. In addition we saw a coyote, some pronghorn, and two grizzly bears.

June 05, 2007
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
Near Phantom Lake we watched a cinnamon colored black bear sow coax her cub-of-the-year down from a tree.

June 04, 2007
Course: Bears: Bones, Signs and Stories
Observer: Peg Erickson, volunteer
Location:
We observed an adult male cinnamon-colored black bear at Elk Creek carrying meat, although no carcass was visible.

June 04, 2007
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
A grizzly bear was dexterously digging for plant bulbs and ground squirrels on a mountain meadow slope below Mount Washburn.

June 02, 2007
Course: Native Trout Conservation
Observer: David Howard, volunteer
Location:
Today at Tower Junction, we spotted a single red fox traveling down the drainage towards the road. The fox stopped to drink from the stream and then we lost sight of him as we drove by.

June 01, 2007
Course: Grizzly Bear Basecamp
Observer: Angela Patnode, instructor
Location:
From the rocks at campsite 2S1, we observed Slough Creek wolves in the meadows and hillsides along the Slough Creek valley in the morning. In the evening, we concluded our day to the sound of a great horned owl.

June 01, 2007
Course: Flying Pig Ed-Venture
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
We were excited to watch a pronghorn mother with her two brand new fawns. The fawns nursed for a few minutes before their mother hid them safely in the odiferous sagebrush so she could graze. The twins bedded down and could not be detected at all while she was gone.

June 01, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
The Northern Range was full of babies today- sandhill crane colts and adults at Floating Island Lake, bison calves in the Lamar Valley, great horned owlets near Tower Falls, a red fox with four kits in the Antelope Creek drainage, and bighorn sheep ewes and lambs.

June 01, 2007
Course: Are Wolves Worth the Effort?
Observer: John Scarlett, volunteer
Location:
We hiked to a bison carcass in Little America. From reading the surrounding signs, it appears that it was a middle age cow who gave birth to a calf, lived long enough until the calf could graze and then died, weakened by winter and birth. When the wolves later came to the scene, they killed the calf. There was evidence that bear, coyote, and other scavengers had been on the scene.

June 01, 2007
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
We had a very close sighting of a cow moose in a random spot, the Uncle Tom’s parking lot on the south side of the Grand Canyon.

June 01, 2007
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
We saw bighorn sheep ewes and lambs on the cliffs near Tower Falls.

May 31, 2007
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
Our group spotted a new beaver lodge, and the beaver, on Swan Lake Flats. The beaver had damned up Glen Creek creating a new micro-habitat for some mallard ducks.

May 30, 2007
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
One of the main highlights of this course was watching a large, dark brown, black bear try to cross a three mile wide herd of bison. The bison were charging him from all angles. He finally made it across the Lamar River and ran up Jasper Bench. We also saw two sandhill crane colts stumbling around in the reeds, learning to peck like their two attendant parents.

May 29, 2007
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Eric Bindseil, instructor
Location:
During our off-trail hike along the Lamar and Soda Butte Creek trail, we saw a badger dig up a ground squirrel and eat it. The badger was covered in dark soil but then shook itself off to reveal its lighter gray fur.  Further on in Little America, two pronghorn elk were spotted sparring with each other near a large, lichen-covered glacial erratic as we hiked towards an old den site. On our way back to the bus, both pronghorn bucks ran quite close to us.

May 29, 2007
Course: CSI Yellowstone Mammal Tracking
Observer: James Halfpenny, instructor
Location:
Our group was at Rainy Lake for a tracking field trip. At 2 p.m., a red fox appeared about 100 yards south of us, and then walked away. At 2:40 p.m., either the same or another fox appeared and started walking slowly towards us. At about 40 yards away, it stopped and looked at us for several minutes before turning towards the woods to our left. We moved to the right to give it ample room and it wandered away.

May 29, 2007
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
We spotted a pine martin along the DeLacy Creek trail. We were the first hikers on the trial this morning so the martin seemed more curious than scared. We watched as it bounded down a log across a grassy meadow and then went on about its business.

May 29, 2007
Course: Trails Through Yellowstone
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
A coyote was slinking around the thermal areas of Geyser Hill in the Upper Geyser Basin.

May 26, 2007
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
We watched a gray wolf cross the road by a crowd of people, trying to convince a black female wolf to do the same but she would not cross. They were likely members of the Slough Creek pack. Later in the day, we saw a grizzly sow kill an elk calf in the Lamar Valley. She was then followed by the two older cubs, who shared in the meal. This was one of the first elk calves we’ve seen in the valley this year.

May 26, 2007
Course: Springtime in Wonderland
Observer: Janice Drout, instructor
Location:
Our group saw a sow and two grizzly cubs near two cow elk in Hayden Valley. The elk appeared to be standing their ground. Perhaps there was a calf nearby. The bears eventually gave up and walked away. That afternoon, we saw four wolves running though the valley. They ran right by three bison into the woods. The bison seemed unconcerned.

May 24, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
Near Soda Butte Creek, we watched a litter of eight or nine coyote pups, all playing and wrestling with each other among the sagebrush. This was a very large litter for coyotes.

May 23, 2007
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
Out of all of our outstanding wildlife sightings, a major highlight was watching the morning light catch the heavy breath of a huge bull bison as he defended a cow elk carcass, sending wolves scattering off their kill. We discussed how much animal behavior is still a mystery.

May 23, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
For thirty minutes we watched a very large male grizzly pursue a female back and forth along high meadows near the top of Specimen Ridge while in the Lamar Valley. This is the courting time of year for bears.

May 22, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
In Little American today, we watched the Slough Creek wolves who had taken down a bison cow and calf. We also saw a grizzly sow with three cubs-of-the-year.

May 21, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
We enjoyed watching four coyote pups playing tug-of-war with a piece of meat brought back to them by their mother. They chased and played, tugged and pulled, until a dog barked in a car on the road. Suddenly all four puppies ran as fast as their legs would carry them back into their den. The last pup made sure to drag the piece of meat into the hole with them.

May 21, 2007
Course: Flying Pig Ed-Venture
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
We saw a red-tailed hawk forcefully chasing a bald eagle away from a red-tailed hawk nesting area. Later, we saw a bighorn sheep ewe sleeping with a very small lamb pressed close to her side.

May 20, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
In the early morning light we watched a sow grizzly bear graze in a high green drainage on Specimen Ridge with her three cubs of the year. The cubs “batted” each other around but never strayed more than a few feet from their mother. Today we had a total of six grizzly sightings—a good sign that bear populations are doing well in northern Yellowstone.

May 20, 2007
Course: Wolf Nations
Observer: Nathan Varley, instructor
Location:
A pronghorn herd in elegant formation chased coyotes, their rump hair erect and flashing white at us while we watched spell-bound from the pattern of their motion. A northern goshawk fluttered and hovered alternately on its flight up Soda Butte Creek.

May 19, 2007
Course: Old Times on the Grand Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
A large grizzly fed on a carcass on the shore of the Yellowstone River. We watched for a while, and then traveled to the north end of the valley where we spotted four Hayden wolves, including the white alpha female. They ran along the shore of the river, waded across, and then continued south. The alpha female seemed to dog behind the other three. They ran all the way down the valley to the carrion that the grizzly had been feeding on. The grizzly was nowhere in sight as the wolves crossed the river to the carrion and began feeding.

May 18, 2007
Course: Old Times on the Grand Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
At Mary Bay, we watched a grizzly on an elk that had been taken down by the Mollies pack of wolves. The bear laid on the carcass, pulled at it, dragged dirt over it and intimidated a coyote who tried to sneak a bite.

May 18, 2007
Course: Flying Pig Ed-Venture
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
What a great spring day on the Northern Range! There are bears everywhere: plenty of black bears near Tower Falls and grizzlies in Lamar. At Calcite Springs we had some good looks at nesting birds. We saw a moose on the Gardner River (a rare treat) and, within five minutes of each other, we saw a bald and a golden eagle.

May 17, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
We watched five goslings take their first steps on solid ground. They had just leapt from 20’ up in a broken Douglas fir tree. Two adults escorted them down for their first view of their future ‘water world’ life. They took their first swim in Trout Lake; it lasted for about five minutes.

May 17, 2007
Course: Old Times on the Grand Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
At Canyon Junction, we watched a mother moose and her bull calf that was about ¾ the size of his mother. We watched them graze as they walked through the forest. They crossed the road to the ponds and walked into the water, sticking their heads under water and coming up with plants hanging from their lips, water dripping. The mother seemed to be in the process of driving her calf away because she would charge him. He would run away, splash the water in frustration, and then follow her. This happened several times for about 15 minutes.

May 16, 2007
Course: Old Times on the Grand Tour
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
At Nez Perce Creek, we stopped to look for newborn bison calves in a herd. We spotted about 10 calves resting in the sun.

May 16, 2007
Course: Idaho Virtual Academy
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
We saw five wolves of the Leopold Pack, two of which walked side by side as if they were a couple holding hands. They continued to walk shoulder to shoulder for a very long time. We were lucky to have this chance to hear and see this pack so close that we didn’t need binoculars. At another location we saw a peregrine falcon sitting on a near ledge. When it moved, we were able to look at four freshly laid eggs.

May 15, 2007
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
In Little America we observed several pronghorn males trying to secure females and young in their own band. One larger male left with most of them. However, one managed to secure two females for his small band.

May 15, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Ashea Mills, instructor
Location:
We arrived in the Lamar Valley at 9 a.m. and, although it was warming up already, we were still able to see three black wolves from the Slough pack. Two were trying to get across the river to a carcass on an island but in the end gave up. This was a good thing considering the fact that a grizzly bear was sleeping on the carcass.

May 15, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
A single black wolf was interacting with a grizzly bear, trying to get at a bison carcass, in the Lamar Valley. The bear stayed in charge and the wolf eventually backed down. On the way back, we saw that the female peregrine falcon was back on her nest near Tower Falls.

May 14, 2007
Course: The Spring Wildlife Show
Observer: Glen Cope, volunteer
Location:
Just north of the Nez Perce ford on the Yellowstone River, we watched great blue herons preparing to nest, displaying and interacting with each other.

May 14, 2007
Course: Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
At the Hellroaring Overlook, we watched the alpha female of the Oxbow pack join several pups at the den site. Late in the day, we watched a black bear sow and cub cool off in a spring pond with two moose grazing in the background near Petrified Tree. Near Junction Butte, we visited a bison carcass and, upon returning to the bus, watched as several bull bison ran into the carcass with tails up (a sign of agitation), sniffing around at the carcass for several minutes. Like elephants, bison defend even old carcasses. This one died over the winter.

May 11, 2007
Course: Into the Bear's Den
Observer: Shirley Cope, volunteer
Location:
Hiking to a bear’s den on the trail from the Yellowstone picnic area, we passed two bighorn sheep rams. On the Tower-Mammoth road near Elk Creek we saw a bull moose just beginning this year’s antlers.

May 11, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
On our tour of the Northern Range we watched a bull moose forage grass. His new antlers were about five inches long. Near the mouth of Amethyst Creek a large grizzly bear dug in a grassy field.

May 07, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
This spring day was eventful for wildlife! Four grizzly bears together was a nice start to the morning-- one sow with two second year cubs moved away from a bison carcass when a large lone grizzly moved in. Possibly a male interested in courting the female? Near Tower junction we saw harlequin ducks below the Yellowstone River bridge. The ducks are just returning to Yellowstone, the most northern of their summer range. Later, high up on the steep cliffs of Barronette Peak, mountain goats with kids foraged near the snow melt waterfalls.

May 04, 2007
Course: Institute Staff
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
In Little America Flats, my wife and I witnessed a bison cow giving birth.  During the beginning stages she was closely accompanied by another female bison and newborn calf. They were removed from the rest of the nearest bison herd. On Specimen Ridge we watched a lone grizzly bear graze on grass near the melting snow line. Our drive back towards Gardiner proved exciting as we saw two bull moose graze in a 1988 burn area, near the turn-out for the Petrified Tree. Both moose looked healthy and were growing out their antlers, still covered in fine layer of velvet.

April 29, 2007
Course: Institute Staff
Observer: Jenny Golding, staff
Location:
While biking the old Gardiner road, a cow bison was seen grazing with a new calf. The calf seemed curious and unafraid, however the cow was quite nervous.

April 28, 2007
Course: Institute Staff
Observer: Jenny Golding, staff
Location:
Six sandhill cranes were seen in close proximity to each other at Swan Lake. A coyote traveled through between crane pairs, causing the cranes to move away.

April 25, 2007
Course: Institute staff
Observer: Jenny Golding, staff
Location:
What appeared to be a very large grizzly was seen from a distance of approximately one and a half miles in the Blacktail area. The bear was ambling slowly, and appeared to be eating grass or other forbs.

April 23, 2007
Course: Institute Staff
Observer: Jenny Golding, staff
Location:
A grizzly bear was seen on the slopes of Specimen Ridge from the Slough Creek pull out. The bear appeared to be eating grass or other forbs.

March 24, 2007
Course: Institute Staff
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
Early this morning in the Lamar Valley I witnessed my first two grizzly bears of the spring season. One fed on a bison carcass on the upper slopes of Mount Norris. The Druid Peak wolf pack, on the scent trail of a yearling wolf from another pack, came upon the bear and surrounded it--interesting action between two of Yellowstone's large predators. A second grizzly bear I observed walking up-slope from the Slough Creek drainage. Both bears looked large, obviously they 'wintered well' during the last few months of hibernation.

March 24, 2007
Course: Institute Staff
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
The same morning I observed the two bears, I also saw 15 wolves from three separate packs. The Druid Peak wolves traveled along Mount Norris on the scent trail of a yearling wolf from another pack, and then interacted with a grizzly bear feeding on a bison carcass. The Slough Creek wolves were “escorted” by bison near the west side of Lamar Valley, and their alpha male swam the Lamar River to travel north out of the valley. The Agate pack was bedded at the base of Specimen Ridge.

March 23, 2007
Course: Institute Staff
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
This morning from our office in Gardiner I heard my first sandhill cranes of the year! Their "chortling call" was coming from the foothills of Sepulcher Mountain, just inside the park boundary from our office front door. This is slightly early for their spring return to this region by about two to three weeks, another obvious sign that spring is beginning to show itself to us.

March 16, 2007
Course: Institute Staff
Observer: Gilaine Spoto, staff
Location:
Hiking along the Yellowstone River on the old railroad bed, I heard and then saw a red-winged blackbird. This one is the first I spotted this spring. The same day two separate yellow-bellied marmots poked their heads out of their holes as I walked by.

March 10, 2007
Course: Winter Rendezvous
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
The Agate wolf pack made a kill near Junction Butte just out of our sight, then chased off some coyotes.

March 09, 2007
Course: Winter Rendezvous
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
As we skied the Blacktail Plateau trail, we came across two coyotes on a carcass. A little while later we had to move for six bison walking toward us on the trail.

March 08, 2007
Course: Winter Rendezvous
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
An ermine (long-tailed weasel, white color phase) crossed our path as we snowshoed up to Trout Lake. We ate lunch where one lone set of wolf tracks, at least a day old, crossed the lake and headed south toward Lamar Valley.

March 08, 2007
Course: Winter Rendezvous
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
We got a good look at all twelve wolves of the Agate pack fairly close up in Little America.

March 08, 2007
Course: Yellowstone’s Winter Serengeti
Observer: Mary Beth Phelan, volunteer
Location:
As we left the Lamar Buffalo Ranch for the day, we saw the Druids on their kill again with the pups playing nearby. We again saw the foxes. Outside the North Entrance near Stephens Creek, we counted about 100 pronghorn. We also spotted a pied-billed grebe on the Gardner River.

March 08, 2007
Course: Winter Rendezvous
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
At a carcass in Little America, we watched while two foxes and two coyotes took turns feeding. We were fortunate as it is rare to see both species tolerating each other when food is available.

March 07, 2007
Course: Winter Rendezvous
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
From a vantage point in the Lamar Valley, our group watched six Geode pack wolves silhouetted against the blue sky in the mid-afternoon light, walking along a snow cornice high on Specimen Ridge. We looked on as they tested some large bull elk.

March 07, 2007
Course: Winter Rendezvous
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
Near the confluence of the Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek, we watched a belted kingfisher hunting the river by flying above then crashing ungracefully into the water for fish.

March 07, 2007
Course: Winter Rendezvous
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
In Lamar Valley Druid wolf 302M left the pack to walk close to the road in plain view.

March 06, 2007
Course: Yellowstone’s Winter Serengeti
Observer: Mary Beth Phelan, volunteer
Location:
In the Lamar Valley, the Druids were on a carcass. We saw 302 move through the valley then curl up in the sun. At another time we saw three foxes at the same carcass. Later we came across the Slough Creek wolves on a kill near “coyote hill.”

March 03, 2007
Course: Yellowstone On Skis
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
Along the Gibbon River, east of Norris Geyser Basin, we spotted a red fox curled up in the snow with its tail over its nose. Later, as we drove through Hayden Valley, we counted seven more red foxes. One lay about 25 yards from the road grooming itself. After a few moments, it stood, stretched, walked in our direction, then turned to trot past our snow coach down the road. Next, we got caught in a “bison jam” as three groups of bison walked north through the valley. Fortunately they remained calm as the coach threaded through.

March 01, 2007
Course: Winter Wildlife Expedition
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
By ourselves at the Hellroaring overlook, we observed the Oxbow pack howling and playing in the morning sun. We watched one black pup jumping up to catch a raven that was in a tree just out of the wolf’s reach. Off the side of the road a red fox sat yawning while we looked on.

February 28, 2007
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
From the Hellroaring overlook we could see the Hellroaring pack in the canyon. There are currently three wolves in this pack, which is one not often seen lately.

February 27, 2007
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
We stopped at the confluence of the Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek to watch two otters swimming. Just across the water, a golden eagle was eating something we couldn’t identify.

February 24, 2007
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
The Agate Creek wolf pack was near Junction Butte, going to and from a carcass. One of last year’s pups carried a bone, and a female adult chased off a coyote.

February 23, 2007
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
At the Yellowstone River Bridge near Tower Junction our group noticed a young female pronghorn grazing alone, which is rare at this time of year in this area.

February 22, 2007
Course: Custom Program
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
From inside the bunkhouse at the Lamar Buffalo Ranch we could see a red fox near the fence. We watched out the window as the fox sniffed around, then up and over the snow pile. This was in the early evening.

February 20, 2007
Course: Custom Program
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
This morning we watched the eight wolves of the Slough Creek pack feed on an elk carcass. One gray wolf ran circles around the carcass in an attempt to chase away the ravens that were stealing its food.

February 19, 2007
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: George Bumann, instructor
Location:
At the confluence of the Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek there were two golden eagles eating a goldeneye in a tree over our heads. While we watched, the duck’s head dropped out of the tree and rolled down the bank to the road.

February 18, 2007
Course: Family Winter Holiday
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
Altogether we found eight otters in one day. We saw two in the Yellowstone River at the Chittenden Bridge, four more up river from there, plus two more in Hayden Valley. On our way to Canyon we counted three foxes, one of which was mousing close to the road. This completed one of our two “three dog days;” which include sightings of wolves, coyotes, and foxes, the three dogs of Yellowstone.

February 17, 2007
Course: Northern Yellowstone Adventure
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
In Hayden Valley we watched a red fox successfully mousing, and across from Mud Volcano in the Yellowstone River, five coyotes fought over a carcass. We noticed bald eagles all along the river valley.

February 17, 2007
Course: Yellowstone On Skis II
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location:
Driving south from Canyon our group spotted two trumpeter swans floating in the Yellowstone River. We stopped at an overlook in Hayden Valley to look at a large bison herd that had made patterns in the snow by pushing it aside with their heads to graze.

February 17, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
We saw the rather well-known wolf 302M near Soda Butte. He had been missing for some time from his recent pack, the Druids.

February 16, 2007
Course: Institute staff
Observer: Tom Boschen, volunteer
Location: Northern Range
A group of excited watchers viewed a mother cougar with three kittens on a carcass from the Hellroaring overlook between noon and when it started snowing around 5:30 p.m. The group was joined briefly by another adult cougar, for a total of five cats.

February 16, 2007
Course: Northern Yellowstone Adventure
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
We had a rare view of five mountain lions in the Hellroaring area. There was one female with three kittens plus another older offspring.

February 15, 2007
Course: Silence and Solitude
Observer: Bonnie Quinn, volunteer
Location: Lamar Valley
At the confluence of the Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek we watched a long-tailed weasel catch a vole, then speed back to a hole to disappear.

February 15, 2007
Course: Northern Yellowstone Adventure
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location:
We saw a red fox, tail bare of fur, walking through Lamar canyon. Later on, we spotted a pronghorn doe in the Yellowstone River bridge area. From the Hellroaring overlook we could see the alpha female of the Hellroaring pack with two male wolves.

February 13, 2007
Course: Silence and Solitude
Observer: Tom Murphy, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
We watched a Wilson’s snipe walking up Rose Creek looking for insects. Typically these birds migrate out of Yellowstone for the winter.

February 13, 2007
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location:
This morning we saw three large bighorn rams. The next afternoon we watched the Agate wolf pack with young of the year, chewing on a carcass.

February 05, 2007
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location:
On the Blacktail Plateau, around 7 a.m. we saw a coyote feeding on a carcass. Suddenly the coyote picked up and carried the quarry across the road in front of us. It turned out to be half of the body of another dead coyote, which we suspected had been recently killed by wolves. The live coyote was not about to pass up a free meal.

January 31, 2007
Course: Yellowstone on Skis
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location: Gardners Hole
At Swan Lake flats, we saw an unknown group of six wolves feeding on a bull elk carcass. One large gray wolf wore a collar that no longer functions.

January 30, 2007
Course: Yellowstone on Skis
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
At “Jasper bench” in the Lamar Valley, we watched all 11 members of the Druid wolf pack howling, playing, and exhibiting some mating behavior.

January 29, 2007
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location: Northern Range
In three days, we saw three different wolf packs in Lamar Valley and Little America. We saw the Agate pack once, and both the Druid Peak pack and the Slough Creek pack twice.

January 27, 2007
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
East of Soda Butte we witnessed the Druid Peak wolves take down a bull elk within a quarter mile of us.

January 26, 2007
Course: Custom Program
Observer: Chuck Middlebrooks, volunteer
Location: Slough Creek
From "Dave's hill" and "Bob's knob" we watched 11 Agate pack wolves at the western end of Slough Flats for about an hour. They traveled west at about 9 a.m.

January 25, 2007
Course: Custom Group
Observer: Chuck Middlebrooks, volunteer
Location: Between Lamar Valley and Silver Gate
At 7:30 a.m. we saw 11 Druid Peak pack wolves from the "footbridge" parking lot to the east. They traveled west to the confluence of Soda Butte Creek and the Lamar River. The hoar frost on the trees was beautiful. At 4 p.m. we saw a cow moose in Silver Gate just 75 yards off the road.

January 24, 2007
Course: Custom Program
Observer: Chuck Middlebrooks, volunteer
Location: Northern Range
From the "footbridge" pullout looking east we sighted 11 of the Druid Peak wolves across Soda Butte Creek on the first bench. They had a kill closer to the road near Soda Butte Cone. At 4:30 p.m. from the parking lot at the Lamar Buffalo Ranch we watched 11 Druid Peak pack wolves travel west to Amethyst Bench and stop. The pups played and we heard some howling.

January 23, 2007
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
In the Lamar Valley, we saw the Druid Peak wolves, then heard them howl through the fog. In the snow-covered scene we could distinguish lower adult from the higher pitched pup howling.

January 22, 2007
Course: Institute Staff
Observer: Wynelle Middlebrooks, volunteer
Location: Lamar Valley Buffalo Ranch
A group of eight Slough wolves were right behind the Buffalo Ranch on the rolling hills near a carcass from yesterday. They moved up "ranger hill" and had a brief chase.

January 20, 2007
Course: Institute Staff
Observer: Chuck Middlebrooks, volunteer
Location: Slough Creek parking Lot
A group of 11 Druid wolves were running down the north/south bench between Lamar and Slough. They chased a group of elk but were not successful. They rallied and howled for quite some time.

January 19, 2007
Course: Yellowstone's Wolves
Observer: Chuck Middlebrooks, volunteer
Location: Lamar Valley
This morning, we saw three Druid wolves and then ten Agate wolves, who were howling. Later in the morning, we saw a lone uncollared black wolf that was traveling east along the Lamar River in front of the Buffalo Ranch.

January 18, 2007
Course: Yellowstone's Wolves
Observer: Chuck Middlebrooks, volunteer
Location: Confluence of the Lamar River and Soda Butte
A winter weasel (ermine) caught two voles and carried them across the road right in front of us at the confluence of the Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek.

January 18, 2007
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
We watched Druid Peak wolf 302M leave the pack to walk down Lamar Valley right in front of the Buffalo Ranch toward the Slough Creek wolf pack, which is a pack of many females and one male.

January 18, 2007
Course: Yellowstone's Wolves
Observer: Chuck Middlebrooks, volunteer
Location: Lamar Valley and Little America
This morning we saw eight Druid wolves north of the "footbridge" parking lot, five Slough wolves chasing elk near Slough Creek, and three Agate wolves on a carcass in Little America.

January 17, 2007
Course: Winter Wildlife Expedition
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
We had a wonderful sighting of all 11 Druid Peak pack wolves walking along the Lamar River bottom. A few of the pups made a poor attempt at approaching a bison herd. The bison faced them down and the wolves quickly moved off. Later, while we hiked the canyon rim of the Yellowstone River near Tower Falls, a bald eagle flew by at eye level so close to us that we could hear its wings beating. At another time we noticed a female ruffed grouse along side the road near Barronette Peak.

January 17, 2007
Course: Institute staff
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location: Northern Range
In Lamar Valley the Druid wolves were lounging upon a hill on the north side of the road, seen from "picnic pullout." In Little America, a coyote was lugging a leg, elk or bison, down the road. He veered off the road, trotted up a small rise, then sat next to his prize.

January 14, 2007
Course: Institute Staff
Observer: Chuck Middlebrooks, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
Another three dog day! We saw nine Druid wolves south of Soda Butte, three coyotes on a carcass at Phantom Lake, and a red fox at the Buffalo Ranch.

January 13, 2007
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
We saw two wolf packs at the same time, precluded by a red fox sighting earlier in the day, and followed by multiple coyotes throughout the day in the Lamar Valley.

January 09, 2007
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location: Confluence of the Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek
We watched from the confluence of the Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek as a group of six coyotes ran from wolves from the Druid Peak pack not far from a carcass. All 11 Druid wolves were visible.

January 05, 2007
Course: Winter Wildlife Discovery
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location: Little America
We found a carcass in Little America with three coyotes feeding on it, only a few hundred yards from the road. We could see them very clearly with only binoculars.

January 05, 2007
Course: Winter Wildlife Discovery
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley Buffalo Ranch
Just behind the Lamar Buffalo Ranch we saw an ermine hunting for rodents. We could see it clearly while sitting on the back porch.

January 05, 2007
Course: Winter Wildlife Discovery
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location: Little America
We heard wolves howling to the east of us, then we moved up the valley to find ten Agate Creek wolves perched on a snow covered hill less than a mile from the road in Little America.

January 04, 2007
Course: Yellowstone Ed-Venture
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location: Confluence of the Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek
We had bighorn sheep and a golden eagle in the scope at the same time. The sheep were grazing, moving along slowly at the base of a cliff. The eagle was perched in a tree. We also saw four coyotes, one of whom was quite large and well-furred. They were following each other's trail along the Lamar River.

January 03, 2007
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location: Roosevelt Lodge area
We observed a female pronghorn near Roosevelt Lodge. It is very unusual to see one in this location at this time of year.

January 03, 2007
Course: Winter Wolf Discovery
Observer: Brad Bulin, instructor
Location: Little America
Today in Little America, we found Agate wolf alpha male 113 and saw a new alpha male (formerly Agate) currently in the Slough Creek pack. Wolf 113 had not moved much and many wolf watchers were concerned about his health, as he is nine years old.

January 02, 2007
Course: Institute Staff
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location: Gibbon Meadows
Bison plowed their heads through snow next to the Gibbon River as they grazed the buried grasses. In the background a geyser erupted in a backcountry thermal area.

December 30, 2006
Course: Northern Yellowstone Adventure
Observer: Julianne Baker, instructor
Location: Yellowstone River, south of the Chittenden Bridge
Three otters were traveling on snow-covered ice, going downstream, searching for open water. They were leaping and sliding, moving very fast on the Yellowstone River, south of the Chittenden Bridge

December 25, 2006
Course: Institute Staff
Observer: George Bumann, instructor
Location: Blacktail Plateau
We watched at least thirteen Leopold pack wolves on a carcass at Blacktail Plateau.

December 17, 2006
Course: Institute Staff
Observer: Gilaine Spoto, staff
Location: Mammoth Hot Springs
At the Mammoth horse corral parking lot, we saw a few sets of wolf tracks in the fresh snow, possibly made the previous day. Mid-afternoon, we saw a white long-tailed weasel in the lower Mammoth housing area.

December 17, 2006
Course: Custom Program
Observer: MacNeil Lyons, instructor
Location: Northern Range
At the base of Mount Norris we watched 11 Druid Peak wolves. One gray pup scavenged on a young bison carcass while the rest of the pack lounged above. At 9:30 a.m. we saw two coyotes trotting through the Lamar Valley. At noon, as we stood on the ridge above the Yellowstone Picnic Area, two bald eagles flew up-river below us and four bighorn sheep grazed along the trail. At 3 p.m., below Specimen Ridge, we saw a fox mousing. It would stalk, pause and cock its head to listen, then leap into the air, twisting to hit the snow nose first.

December 14, 2006
Course: Jefferson High School Group
Observer: Shauna Baron, instructor
Location: Lamar Valley
In the Lamar Valley, at first light we began hearing the howls of multiple coyotes all around us. We began searching for birds in the area. While searching, we found an elk carcass with eight coyotes on it and at least 38 ravens. A herd of bison approached the carcass causing many of the coyotes to run away.

December 07, 2006
Course: Group Program
Observer: Bonnie Quinn, volunteer
Location: Mount Everts
We watched one bighorn ewe and four rams scrambling on the cliffs of Mount Everts. Multiple rams made several unsuccessful attempts to mount the ewe.

December 06, 2006
Course: Group Program
Observer: Bonnie Quinn, volunteer
Location: Lamar Valley
At "coyote pullout" we watched seven Slough Creek wolves moving and reclining around a drainage east of a calf elk kill. Five coyotes feeding on the kill were interrupted by a sixth coyote, which was chased all the way down to the road. The Slough Creek wolves rallied, tails wagging and playing. They looked east and howled frequently for 30 minutes. The eighth wolf was just out of our sight, perhaps being called to by her pack mates.

November 29, 2006
Course: Institute staff
Observer: Gilaine Spoto, staff
Location: Northern Range
I heard sandhill cranes when I walked outside the office at Mammoth Hot Springs. On the way home from work, about 4:30 p.m., I watched a rough-legged hawk hunting along the Gardner River.