Our first Black Bear of 2024, at Grand Teton National Park

We had just arrived at Grand Teton National Park, and almost immediately we encountered a bear jam. Seems 399 and her cub Spirit had put on quite a show but as we arrived but most of the people were picking up their tripods and cameras. That’s never a good sign.

Still, we drove further and did see people pointing at a grizzly bear, or at least the top of its back. The bear was heading in the direction where we had seen her last year and so we drove further and parked. Now you never know where a bear will go but we were so certain that we spent four hours in one spot. Others started to leave when Renita heard the scanner in the car next to us say that a black bear had appeared alongside a road.

Heading there, we saw the bear jam and a small black bear grazing alongside the road. We watched as the bear resembled a lawn mower. It was sweeping its head back and forth eating grass,(not everyone realizes that bears are omnivores and will eat almost anything). After seeing the black bear, it was the first of the season for us,we decided to head to another spot hoping to see a moose. On the way there we passed an elk nicknamed Hollywood. He has that name because the bull elk feeds in the same spot right along the highway. He spends the whole summer there as his antlers grow and so is perhaps one of the most photographed park’s elk.

No moose was there but there were some yellow warblers and a yellow rumped warbler . Numerous tree swallows were feeding along with a common golden eye, a blue winged teal and of course several mallards. It was a good day at the park! Our first of the year black bear and 399. Maybe next time will be better. Clear skies