Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Grand Tetons

It was a treat to find a little Mountain Bluebird (male) flitting from branch to branch in a tree alongside one of the buildings at Mormon Row, Grand Teton Park, Wyoming, US. This is a well-known location, where two beautiful old barns are still standing. Photos of the one, especially, can be seen on many calendars and here on Flickr. We got out of the car to photograph one of the barns. Very nearby, a small herd of wild Bison were grazing, which didn't feel too comfortable, but it was also quite an amazing feeling. Taken on 15 September 2012, the fifth day of our week's holiday. Low light and heavily cropped. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Bluebird

It was a treat to find a little Mountain Bluebird flitting from branch to branch in a tree alongside one of the buildings at Mormon Row, Grand Teton Park, Wyoming, US. This is a well-known location, where two beautiful old barns are still standing. Photos of the one, especially, can be seen on many calendars and here on Flickr. We got out of the car to photograph one of the barns. Very nearby, a small herd of wild Bison were grazing, which didn't feel too comfortable, but it was also quite an amazing feeling. Not the best angle on the Bluebird, but I liked the background. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Bluebird

The large Nodding or Musk Thistle is my favourite Thistle species, so I was kind of happy to notice this one when I was down in the Grand Tetons, Wyoming, US, on 15 September 2012. Though a little past its prime, I still love the arrangement of those spiky bracts. Here in Alberta, this Thistle is an invasive "weed", but I don't know how it's classified in the US. Alberta Provincial Designation: Prohibited Noxious. www.invasiveplants.ab.ca/Downloads/FS-NoddingThistle.pdf en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carduus_nutans

I was so thrilled to get the chance to visit the Grand Tetons on the 5th day of our week's trip to Wyoming. Unfortunately, we arrived at this well-known location at just the "wrong" time of day, when you had to more or less look into the sun to photograph the jagged peaks of the mountain range and the few scattered barns. The herd of wild Bison in the area was a treat, too. Taken on 15 September 2012 at Mormon Row. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_Row_Historic_District www.jacksonholenet.com/history_museums/mormon_row.php "The bison (Bison bison) is the largest land mammal in North America. In a typical year, more than 3,000 bison roam the grasslands of Yellowstone National Park. Bulls are more massive in appearance than cows, and more bearded. For their size, bison are agile and quick, capable of speeds in excess of 30 mph. Each year, bison injure park visitors who approach too closely. Most animals in Yellowstone are subject to different management goals when they leave the park. Bison require special attention because many have been exposed to the bacteria that causes brucellosis, a disease that also infects domestic cattle. Yellowstone has worked with the state of Montana and other federal agencies to develop a plan for managing the bison population in a way that protects both its wild and free-roaming characteristics and the health of Montana cattle. Yellowstone is the only place in the lower 48 states where a population of wild bison has persisted since prehistoric times, although fewer than 50 native bison remained here in 1902. Fearing extinction, the park imported 21 bison from two privately-owned herds, as foundation stock for a bison ranching project that spanned 50 years at the Buffalo Ranch in Yellowstone's Lamar Valley. Activities there included irrigation, hay-feeding, roundups, culling, and predator control, to artificially ensure herd survival. By the 1920s, some intermingling of the introduced and wild bison had begun. With protection from poaching, the native and transplanted populations increased. In 1936, bison were transplanted to historic habitats in the Firehole River and Hayden Valley. In 1954, the entire population numbered 1,477. Bison were trapped and herds periodically reduced until 1967, when only 397 bison were counted park wide. All bison herd reduction activities were phased out after 1966, again allowing natural ecological processes to determine bison numbers and distribution. Although winterkill takes a toll, by 1996 bison numbers had increased to about 3,500." www.nps.gov/yell/naturescience/bison.htm

Having seen so many spectacular photos of this and another barn from the Mormon Row Historic District, I was thrilled to bits that my friends from England, Linda and Tony, drove to this wonderful spot. I was not so thrilled to see that the sun was in exactly the wrong spot, ha. Still, it was great to see these wonderful old barns that have such a great range of mountain peaks (Grand Tetons) behind them. Wild Bison were hanging around some of the buildings, which made for a somewhat uneasy walk. We also saw a little Mountain Bluebird in the trees there. Couldn't believe that the other beautiful barn, that I so much wanted to photograph, had a wedding party going on, with a bus parked nearby and people all over the place, including in front of the barn and at the side of it. I still tried, but felt very much an intruder! (Location on map is only very approximate). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_Row_Historic_District

On our recent week's trip down to Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park, we pulled off at a viewpoint and, as the time for the sun to set was approaching, we decided to stay there and witness sunset over the Grand Teton Range. While we were there, we noticed an Elk stag down in the valley in the far, far distance. There was also a photographer hiding in the bushes quite near to him. It was rather disturbing to see how stressed the stag was, taking a few steps in one direction, then turning around and looking back at the photographer, then pacing in the opposite direction, repeating continuously. Not sure that any photo is worth putting wildlife through that kind of stress. Calgary: "It's the dreaded "S" word for many Canadians, but parts of Alberta could be seeing SNOW this week. "A low pressure system that brought snow to the Yukon on Monday will continue to sink south into Alberta," says Brian Dillon, a meteorologist at The Weather Network. "Areas along the foothills will pick up around five centimetres of wet snow through Tuesday and by Wednesday, places like Calgary and Lethbridge may also see some scattered flurries mix in." As the low pressure system tracks over the Rockies, temperatures are set to dip as well. Most places continued to feel the summer-like conditions on Monday, but as the cold front slides through, temperatures across the Prairies will drop to the low single digits." While it may seem too early to see flurries in the forecast, Alberta is no stranger to fall snow storms. On average, Calgary usually sees around five centimetres of snow in September. The city typically picks up close to 10 cm in October as well." From The Weather Netowrk.