Wyoming - Jellystone and Night Rodeos

Howdy!

Have been back about a week now from a visit to Wyoming. Cody in particular as that is where my folks live so it was time to have a short (4+ day) vacation to take my daughter to see grandma/grandpa. Thankfully got some reasonable tickets and flew from Salem, OR with a stop in Salt Lake then on to Cody. That saved us at least 4 hours of driving each day to catch or go home from airports.

While there is a bunch of things to do in that part of Wyoming, Cody itself has some interesting things going on. The gateway on the East side, Cody is about 50 miles from the East-Gate to Yellowstone. In Cody they have a Night Rodeo and from my folks house you can watch it (with binoculars) and you can hear it! We did not make it this time to the rodeo but will when we venture out again next year.

Grandma, daughter and I all went to Yellowstone to see 'Old Faithful' and take a drive through part of the park. On the way we able to start a "Bear Jam" and I was lucky enough to get some shots of a Grizzly from my point on the road. The bear was about 150 plus yards away and I only had a 200mm lens so I could not get a super shot. Of course I didn't want to ask the beast if it would pose so never got a clear face shot. I included about the best shot I have and have cropped it in from the original.

Anyway, if you are out there in Wyoming land head to Cody and take in some Rodeo, do some rafting, go to Yellowstone and just relax. Things move pretty slow around there so you don't need to be in a hurry.

until next time.

Tim

Just Hawking Around

So back in June on the 16th I am coming home on my bicycle from work and a hawk flies overhead and perches on my neighbors roof. I figured it would fly away by the time I got into my house grabbed a camera and headed out, but no it had not. It actually flew across the street to a fence to watch the hood.

So I started moving slowly and went across the street and got a shot before it flew to another tree, which my curiosity made me get close to and by doing that it flew out to a bush. Now I was shooting towards the sun around 6 PM but didn't want to move anymore. Really didn't want to stress the hawk and you have to take what you are given. The hawk rested on the ground, then the bush and it was only about 25 feet away so luckily I had been shooting with a big old 70-200/f2.8 so I could get some reach.

What I did not know was the hawk was looking for dinner! It made a small little jump towards the ground then just rammed into the bush that you see it sitting on. BOOM! about a dozen sparrows go flying out of the bush (they had been absolutely silent) and then the hawk came out with one in its clutches. Of course I had been so in tune with what it was doing I had quit shooting and was just watching......Dinner was served!

Enjoy the shots - I believe this is a 'Cooper's Hawk' based on the ambush method of attack! Plus the size, tail feathers and Head based on most of my research I am sticking with the Cooper's Hawk.

Thanks for reading!

Tim-