Day 8: Grand Teton National Park

Sitting at the airport with another hour till my flight home, this seems like as good as time as any to talk about my day in the Tetons. I'll be able to start this post in Jackson Airport and finish it in Denver. I have a good wait between my connecting flights.

The day started early-- I wanted to be up at sunrise at Oxbow Bend to get shots of Mount Moran reflecting in the water. I wasn't alone, there were at least four others taking landscape shots along with two birders with spotting scopes. The weather was perfect for the reflection.

Another photographer shooting Mount Moran

I think it was worth getting up at 5am for this

I drove the Teton park road once I was done and noticed there was a daytime moon over the mountains. Tried to capture it but I don't think I was able to really capture it.

Daytime Moon over the Mountains

I went back to the cabin and took a nap, by the time I woke up it was overcast and the tops of the mountains were obscured. I decided to go drive Antelope Flats Road and check out Mormon Row. The cloud cover did give good light despite hiding the mountain tops.

Old Barn on Mormon Row

After Mormon Row I kept going on Antelope Flats Road. I noticed a large bunch of sunflowers (I think they're balsamroot, but not sure) and decided to try for a shot with them and the mountains behind it. I took the opportunity to get some better shots of the Larkspur that was growing as well.

Larkspur

Larkspur

I kept going and saw a small group of pronghorns. One male and several females. I was grabbing a few shots of the male when he suddenly started to attack and headbutt a sagebrush bush. I think another male may had left a sent on it or something. But he really was aggressively ramming it.

Mr. Pronghorn did not like this sagebrush!

Male Pronghorn

Mr. Pronghorn's Girls

While I was shooting the pronghorns, I spotted a small bird hovering over the meadow. I knew it was probably a kestrel and got a good look at it and confirmed that. Much to my surprise, he flew closer and wound up hovering right in a straight line of sight for my lens. I got a great shot, a little blown out, but how often do you get a head on shot of a kestrel??

Hello Mr. Kestrel!

I stopped by Mormon Row one more time and noticed a collapsed barn. I took a few shots of it before heading back to the highway. I stopped at blacktail ponds overlook... I took a landscape shots with some sunflowers in the front... and then saw a moose for the first time this trip! A good looking bull.

Blacktail Ponds Overlook

Mr. Moose likes his willows for dinner.

That's the summary of day eight. I did a little shooting before getting on my flight home, but not much, since I already had most of the gear packed. It's been a great trip.