^{Bullock’s Oriole. Canon R5, 500mm + 14.TC, tripod, 1/2500 @ f8, ISO 800}

When storm fronts come through in May, it can often lead to some interesting bird sightings in the backyard. This past weekend, we had over nine inches of snow Friday night and Saturday morning, there were close to 100 birds in the backyard at various times including two Bullock’s orioles that made brief appearances. Previously, I’ve only seen one other oriole in our yard over the past five years and I was fortunate enough to photograph this young male.

This post comes a day after we received about 9 to 10 inches of snow. Snowy weather in May isn’t unusual in Yellowstone so I thought this photo was appropriate. This young bison grazes on the green grass of spring while the slopes behind it are covered in snow. This image was taken after last week’s snow, not Friday night’s but it shows the conditions in the area right now.

One of the most interesting wildlife sightings to be had in Yellowstone happens in May when the harlequin ducks can be found. They prefer whitewater and can only be seen for a few weeks when the park roads open. The males, or drakes, are among the most colorful ducks in North America, perhaps only outdone by the wood duck. I recently spent some time photographing these beautiful ducks since my bird addiction pulled me away from the mammals.

Since my previous two posts were personal PSA’s, I thought I’d go back and add some context to the images. Both were taken over the past couple of weeks in Yellowstone National Park. The baby bison are much more numerous than they were at the start of the month and there’s still many cow bison that haven’t calved yet. This playful calf was using mom as a scratching post. Below, one of my favorite spots for sunrise photos is covered in a May snow. Yes, it does snow in Yellowstone in May. In fact, I’ve seen snow in every month of the year, though it usually melts fast in the summer months. The light on Mount Haynes only lasted a minute or so. I saw how quickly the light was moving and opted for a faster ISO than I might usually use for a landscape so I could handhold the camera. If I had tried to set up a tripod, I probably would have missed this shot.

Each day, there are more cars in Yellowstone as the summer season moves towards it’s busy time. If you’re coming to the park this summer there are a couple of things to remember as you drive through Yellowstone. The maximum speed limit is 45 mph and in some places often lower. There are many blind curves and it’s always possible that wildlife could be in the road around that curve, or traffic could be at a stop. Also, with that speed limit in mind, while it might only be 15 or 20 miles between one destination and another, it’s important to allow more time than you might think you need to get to your destination. Finally, bison often use the roads to travel as well. Expect to be stuck in a bison jam at some point in your stay. While it may be inconvenient, please be patient and respectful. We’ve all seen videos of “stampeding” bison I’m sure, and those are usually caused by people pushing the bison with their vehicles. While it’s not only stressful for the animals, it also may lead to a bison hitting someone else’s car. Yes, I’ve seen it happen. It certainly can be frustrating being stuck in a bison jam and I’ve been frustrated by it too, but staying calm and realizing that it is part of what will happen at some point is important to remember.

I posted a couple of times where to see my work if you’re visiting the Yellowstone area this summer, but I’ve had some messages asking, so I thought I would do one more. Here are the five locations where my work can be seen in person:

Seldom Seen, 115 Yellowstone Ave, West Yellowstone Montana. Open year round though may be closed during the off season.

Cello Gallery, 2 West Main Street, Bozeman, Montana. Open year round.

Old Faithful Inn Gift Shop, Yellowstone National Park. Open June 4 to October 11 for 2021.

Lake Hotel Gift Shop, Yellowstone National Park. Open May 28 to October 3 for 2021.

Yellowstone Visitor Center Book Stores. Opening is pending NPS approval for 2021.

Each listed location has a variety of products ranging from metal prints to matted prints as well as my books.

I’ve been spending a fair share of time trying to photo bison calves and I’ll be sharing several images over the next week or so. I obviously try to do some different things with the image, including trying to isolate them amid the chaos of the herd. I hoped to have this calf look in my direction before the grazing bison blocked this view, but it didn’t happen. Either way, I liked how this turned out with the orange, in focus calf against the brown, out of focus adults.

^{American Avocets. Canon R5, 500mm + 1.4TC, tripod, 1/5000 @ f11, ISO 1600}

This is another image from my great avocet encounter back at the end of April. It was a challenge to keep track of all the action and also to create images that weren’t completely cluttered with birds. I tracked this avocet in flight as it came in to land with the group that was closest to me and I liked the result as it landed.

I watched a herd of bison in some early morning light from my car as I sat in a pullout. This pregnant cow bison began walking to the road. Bison herds are usually led by a dominant cow and this may have been her as the herd slowly followed. They grazed the fresh, green grass as they found it and eventually crossed the road to move into a thermal area where the ground was warmer and the grass greener. I liked this scene with the cow facing me while the rest of the herd was out of focus behind her.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there. I wish the best for everyone and that everyone has a wonderful day. This image is from 2010 and is one that still makes me think of mothers, so much so that it’s titled “The Joy of Motherhood.”

I tried earlier to find bison calves to photograph but didn’t have any luck until this past Friday when I was able to photograph a couple of different babies. As May continues, these little guys will be more and more common and they’re certainly one of my favorite subjects. And as we move into the summer season, I’ve been busy putting together orders for my two displays in Yellowstone National Park. I’ve been very privileged to have displays at the gift shops at both Lake Hotel and the Old Faithful Inn for many summers now and this year we’ll be back. If you’re in Yellowstone, check out either of these stores and talk to the wonderful staff and check out some of my images or books. You’ll also find my books in the bookstores in Yellowstone’s visitor centers as well as a limited number of 8×10 prints.