May 22, 2016
Grizzly Bears Standing, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

I had a spectacular day yesterday in Yellowstone National Park. It started out with a nice encounter with a black bear sown and her two cinnamon yearling cubs, then I saw and photographed my first elk calf of the season. The best image of the day came from my encounter with Scarmom, a Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) sow, and her two COYs (cubs of the year), or spring cubs, as they foraged close to the road. After I was with them for about half an hour, something caught Scarmom's eye off in the distance and she repeatedly stood up to see what might be out there. She also brought her cubs closer to all of the paparazzi, and one time they all stood up and more or less faced the camera — fantastic! Note that it was raining lightly when I took the image and there might have been some sleet too. I spent about another two and a half hours with them, and wasn't surprised that I didn't make another fantastic image. My time with them ended when a heavy rain squall moved in with small hail followed by heavy snow. I was planning to wait out the storm in the car, but the bears decided to leave the area.

After the spectacular image I got of Scarmom and her cubs, I would have been quite happy with the images that I had gotten for the day. However, because there was still another few hours before sunset, I went looking for other subjects. I found a cooperative badger and got my best images of this visit of that species. Then spent some quality time with a black bear sow and her two COYs. The action was fun to watch and I got some good images. I also really enjoyed having them practically all to myself.