Well I got lazy and am doing the night in the Super 8 so you get a trip report I should be camping the rest of the time so you may not get reports until I get home to Billings.
Well this trip starts with after another day of fun in the sun, I have a decent wildlife list but very very few photos.
The list:
Bald Eagle
Golden Eagle
Osprey (quick glimpse sure looked like one)(they should not be here yet...)
Red Tail Hawk
Canadian Geese
Goldeneye
Mallard
Grey Jay
American Dipper
Magpie
Raven
Mule Deer
Bison
Elk
Bighorn Sheep
Pronghorn Antelope
Snowshoe Hare
Coyotes (tons out this afternoon)
Wolf Dots or so I was told (I did not bother trying to really see)
And a bunch of other small birds that were backlight hard by the sun keeping me from making a successful ID.
It was 11 in Billings this AM and I saw 19-34 in the park. SUN SUN SUN... I pray for some clouds tomorrow so I can do some shooting instead of hiking and snowshoeing :)
Otter report... no new tracks sense the snow (I believe two days). I check well over a mile worth of the river (both directions.)
Also Wraith Falls is flowing and I don't think one would need snowshoes to get back to it. I laid down a decent trail for you :) The last bit you may want atleast gaiters.
It is still paradise even if Feb 28th felt like April 28th :)
February 28, 2009
February 24, 2009
Montana State Resident
It is official I am now a resident of the state of Montana.
License Plate (GOHIKE, RMC background), Driver License, Registered to Vote.
Now it only takes 40 years, or so I am told, to become a real Montanan.
License Plate (GOHIKE, RMC background), Driver License, Registered to Vote.
Now it only takes 40 years, or so I am told, to become a real Montanan.
February 23, 2009
The Next Canon 1D...
So some people are starting to worry about what the next 1D will be.
I still say... give us more pixel density and I will be happy.
A 1DIII... 10MP 1.3FOVC is the same density as a 16.3 MP FF.
So if they go FF we need more than 16MP or it is a step back in terms of pixels on a subject (with the same lens.)
A fast 21MP FF, or that could crop shoot fast, would not be bad at all.
These all have the same pixel density (ish):
21MP FF (5ish FPS?)
13MP 1.3FOVC (8-10 FPS?)
8MP 1.6FOVC (10+ FPS?)
If Canon can get a hair more high ISO performance from a third 21MP sensor then they could deliver near D3 noise in a camera with far more resolution/pixel density.
DXoMark High ISO scores:
5DII = 1815
1DsIII = 1663
1DIII = 1078
While the D3 = 2290
Give me a Canon 21MP FF that can get fast enough, in a crop mode, and deliver ISO 2000 ish and I'll be a happy and poor man.
Think about it a medium resolution sports/wildlife crop camera, and a high resolution landscape/portrait FF camera all in the same excellent body (flip a switch/push a button.)
I still say... give us more pixel density and I will be happy.
A 1DIII... 10MP 1.3FOVC is the same density as a 16.3 MP FF.
So if they go FF we need more than 16MP or it is a step back in terms of pixels on a subject (with the same lens.)
A fast 21MP FF, or that could crop shoot fast, would not be bad at all.
These all have the same pixel density (ish):
21MP FF (5ish FPS?)
13MP 1.3FOVC (8-10 FPS?)
8MP 1.6FOVC (10+ FPS?)
If Canon can get a hair more high ISO performance from a third 21MP sensor then they could deliver near D3 noise in a camera with far more resolution/pixel density.
DXoMark High ISO scores:
5DII = 1815
1DsIII = 1663
1DIII = 1078
While the D3 = 2290
Give me a Canon 21MP FF that can get fast enough, in a crop mode, and deliver ISO 2000 ish and I'll be a happy and poor man.
Think about it a medium resolution sports/wildlife crop camera, and a high resolution landscape/portrait FF camera all in the same excellent body (flip a switch/push a button.)
February 17, 2009
Yellowstone, February 6th - 10th
TRIP NOW ONLINE
Well for those of you who saw the daily trip reports and thought I would have no photographs to put online... you were wrong. For 5 days I did have very few images; but 80 or so image are online. I will be adding and subtracting a few in the next few days.
Overall the weather was too nice or too bad the entire time. Temperatures stayed too warm for great shots of frost covered grass/trees/animals. The cloud free harsh sun filled days left much of the day non photogenic. The mornings had heavy hanging cloud cover and snow leaving the sunrises wanting.
I had a great time however and was able to spend time with new and old friends.
I look forward to Kevin getting his photos online soon too.
February 10, 2009
Yellowstone, February 10th...
Safely back to Billings after the bulk of the day in YNP.
The morning started in Gardiner at 22, worked its way down to 14 and then thanks to the sun got up around 31. Cloudy followed by sunny. I ended the day in Billings, moments ago, at 43 degrees.
Todays list:
Bison
Elk
Mule Deer
Raven
Magpie
Golden Eye
Mallard
Bald Eagle
Bighorn Sheep
Pronghorn Antelope
Coyote
Wolves (Druid dots)
Although it was less than productive shooting for me it was not really a slow day for YNP. I missed a good wolf shooting situation today; but that is life and how Kevin and my luck has been for the past 5 days.
A slow day in YNP is better than a good day in most other places. And now that I am back to work I will be reminded of that until my next trip to paradise.
Thanks to all of the people who I spent time chatting with in the park, the conversations keep us all sane on the slow days.
Sorry if my trip reports have sounded as if the trip was a let down. Slows times do lower the spirits; but time in YNP is never waisted, us regulars call it "paying the dues."
The morning started in Gardiner at 22, worked its way down to 14 and then thanks to the sun got up around 31. Cloudy followed by sunny. I ended the day in Billings, moments ago, at 43 degrees.
Todays list:
Bison
Elk
Mule Deer
Raven
Magpie
Golden Eye
Mallard
Bald Eagle
Bighorn Sheep
Pronghorn Antelope
Coyote
Wolves (Druid dots)
Although it was less than productive shooting for me it was not really a slow day for YNP. I missed a good wolf shooting situation today; but that is life and how Kevin and my luck has been for the past 5 days.
A slow day in YNP is better than a good day in most other places. And now that I am back to work I will be reminded of that until my next trip to paradise.
Thanks to all of the people who I spent time chatting with in the park, the conversations keep us all sane on the slow days.
Sorry if my trip reports have sounded as if the trip was a let down. Slows times do lower the spirits; but time in YNP is never waisted, us regulars call it "paying the dues."
February 9, 2009
Yellowstone, February 9th...
Read yesterdays post :)
The morning started in Gardiner at 31, quickly worked its way down to 21 and then thanks to the sun got up around 35. Snowy, cloudy, sunny, snowy.
Todays list:
Snowshoe Hare
Bison
Elk
Mule Deer
Raven
Magpie
Golden Eye
Mallard
Golden Eagle
Bald Eagle
Bighorn Sheep
Pronghorn Antelope
Coyote
Although it was slow for me It was not really a dead day for YNP. I missed a few good wolf shooting situations today; but that is life.
A slow day in YNP is better than a good day in most other places.
The morning started in Gardiner at 31, quickly worked its way down to 21 and then thanks to the sun got up around 35. Snowy, cloudy, sunny, snowy.
Todays list:
Snowshoe Hare
Bison
Elk
Mule Deer
Raven
Magpie
Golden Eye
Mallard
Golden Eagle
Bald Eagle
Bighorn Sheep
Pronghorn Antelope
Coyote
Although it was slow for me It was not really a dead day for YNP. I missed a few good wolf shooting situations today; but that is life.
A slow day in YNP is better than a good day in most other places.
February 8, 2009
Yellowstone, February 8th...
Another slow day with not much wildlife to shoot.
The morning started in Gardiner at 18, quickly worked its way down to -8 and then thanks to the sun got up around 35. Sunny, sunny, sunny, which unfortunately does not equal good shooting light; but on a much better note clouds started to come in as the day ended with a hope of snow tomorrow.
Todays list:
Bison
Elk
Mule Deer
Raven
Magpie
Golden Eye
Bighorn Sheep
Pronghorn Antelope
Coyote
Although it was slow for me It was not really a dead day for YNP. My eyes saw the Druids; but at the distance they did not process them as such. A small group of wolves were also spotted mid day very near the road.
A slow day in YNP is better than a good day most other places, and remember tomorrow will be better :)
The morning started in Gardiner at 18, quickly worked its way down to -8 and then thanks to the sun got up around 35. Sunny, sunny, sunny, which unfortunately does not equal good shooting light; but on a much better note clouds started to come in as the day ended with a hope of snow tomorrow.
Todays list:
Bison
Elk
Mule Deer
Raven
Magpie
Golden Eye
Bighorn Sheep
Pronghorn Antelope
Coyote
Although it was slow for me It was not really a dead day for YNP. My eyes saw the Druids; but at the distance they did not process them as such. A small group of wolves were also spotted mid day very near the road.
A slow day in YNP is better than a good day most other places, and remember tomorrow will be better :)
February 7, 2009
Yellowstone, February 7th...
Another slow day with not much wildlife to shoot.
The morning started in Gardiner at 21, quickly worked its way down to 5 and then thanks to the sun got up around 35. Sunny, sunny, sunny, which unfortunately does not equal good shooting light.
Todays list:
Bison
Elk
Mule Deer
Raven
Golden Eye
Bighorn Sheep
Pronghorn Antelope
Coyote
and some other small birds.
Although it was slow for me It was really a day of misses including two Wolves and at least one Otter. Also at the days end I ran into a group of students from the Rocky Mountain College, the school I work for, who saw and spent and hour watching a Bobcat. So things are happening I just have not been in the correct place at the correct time. Tomorrow will be better :)
The morning started in Gardiner at 21, quickly worked its way down to 5 and then thanks to the sun got up around 35. Sunny, sunny, sunny, which unfortunately does not equal good shooting light.
Todays list:
Bison
Elk
Mule Deer
Raven
Golden Eye
Bighorn Sheep
Pronghorn Antelope
Coyote
and some other small birds.
Although it was slow for me It was really a day of misses including two Wolves and at least one Otter. Also at the days end I ran into a group of students from the Rocky Mountain College, the school I work for, who saw and spent and hour watching a Bobcat. So things are happening I just have not been in the correct place at the correct time. Tomorrow will be better :)
February 6, 2009
Yellowstone, February 6th... Snow Day
Well the snow put an early end to the day :(
The list is short:
Bald Eagle
Raven
Mule Deer
Pronghorn Antelope
Elk
Bison
Canadian Geese
Left Billings near 50 degrees and got to Gardiner around 41. Then things went from rain to sleet to snow over the corse of a few minutes. Driving into the park the snow was too heavy to shoot; but I kept pushing on in hopes that at some point it would let up... Ran into Kevin heading the other way to a bad news report, "snowing this heavy all the way through." We both decided to call it a day early and head back to the hotel, I needed a evening to relax, work has been keeping me very busy as of late.
The roads are filling with sow and the weathermen are predicting 4-7 inches tonight. Tomorrow more snow; but warm again. am hopeful for some breaks in the snow and maybe a wildlife encounter or two :)
The list is short:
Bald Eagle
Raven
Mule Deer
Pronghorn Antelope
Elk
Bison
Canadian Geese
Left Billings near 50 degrees and got to Gardiner around 41. Then things went from rain to sleet to snow over the corse of a few minutes. Driving into the park the snow was too heavy to shoot; but I kept pushing on in hopes that at some point it would let up... Ran into Kevin heading the other way to a bad news report, "snowing this heavy all the way through." We both decided to call it a day early and head back to the hotel, I needed a evening to relax, work has been keeping me very busy as of late.
The roads are filling with sow and the weathermen are predicting 4-7 inches tonight. Tomorrow more snow; but warm again. am hopeful for some breaks in the snow and maybe a wildlife encounter or two :)
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