One of My Last Teton Tours

An Osprey
Fun Fact: It Pooped Right After I Took This Shot. Classy.

So, Marc and I have decided to move back east. Our plans are still under investigation and contemplation, but we have decided that we should check out what other places have in store for us. This is not at all a farewell to the Tetons, as we will be back, but this is just a so long for awhile.

As I have told Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris of my leaving and the next few posts are going to be some of my last wildlife-filled posts for some time until I find more in new places.

Today was one of my last Grand Teton tours - a sunrise and sunset back-to-back. Here are some of the highlights from them today! Enjoy!

TheChristyBel

Bull Elk - Wapiti - White Butt Out in the Sage Flats

Least Chipmunk

Huge Bison Patties - Hungry?

Uinta Ground Squirrel at Mormon Row

Mountain BlueBird, Male

Grand Teton Wildlife of the Day

Some photos of my morning tour in Grand Teton National Park. Enjoy!

Perfect Mirroring at Schwabacher's Landing

Pronglettes!

My First Sora!!!!!! Life-Bird!

Mr. Beaver Amongst the Tall Grasses

A Morning in Grand Teton

Just posting some awesome finds from this morning's Sunrise Grand Teton National Park tour.

Enjoy.

TheChristyBel

Red Fox on the Prowl for a Brunch Meal
Murie Center

American White Pelican
Oxbow Lake

Cow Moose
Moose Overlook, Moose-Wilson Road

American White Pelican
Oxbow Bend

A Morning in the Tetons

Woke up early this morning to catch a sunrise and then give a Sunrise Grand Teton National Park tour. Even though I have not had many days off this summer, it does not get old finding really awesome animals and views here in the parks. I consider myself really lucky to have a job where I get to be in the park everyday and viewing some really unique, special animals. Enjoy some of this morning's finds!

TheChristyBel

Our Country's National Bird
The American Bald Eagle

A Red Fox on the Prowl for Some Grub

Checking Out the Sedimentary Rock and Diabase Dike on Mt. Moran

Wildlife of the Day

I have not had a Full Day Grand Teton Tour since I started working with JHWS. It was great to be back in the Tetons. I mean, do not get me wrong, I love being up in Jellystone, but its nice spicing up the work schedule with a good ol' Teton tour! Plus, I am recovering from a cold (so it was nice finishing up around 3pm and sitting in a hot tub with a long hot shower to soothe whatever is remaining in my system).

But back to the tour. Had a wonderful couple from Seattle today. And today's successful tour was provided by: Pronglettes (aka Baby Pronghorn). I just love this time of year! Not just because it is warm and I can be in shorts, but there are still babies out in the GYE! Got a little snapshot of this little cutie today. It's sibling is hiding behind the sage next to it. Until next time!

TheChristyBel

Bros of Bull Elk

Today's Wildlife of the Day is the Brethren of Bull Elk

They were congregating near the Potholes in Grand Teton National Park.

Pretty cool to see so many males together!

TheChristyBel

Happy 4th of July From the Tetons

Happy 4th of July From the Tetons, the Wildlife, and Jackson Hole!

TheChristyBel

Fireworks Show at Snow King Resort
Photo Credit to @RyanJonSheets Instagram

Bull Moose at Snake River Bridge at Moose Junction

Pronghorn and Babies

Bikini Strings Untied at String Lake

After being separated for three months, my dear friend, Sarah, and I were reunited since she returned home from a three month exploration adventure to Thailand! We celebrated the reunion with some tubes, catching up, sun, and bikinis at String Lake!

Enjoy the photos!

TheChristyBel

Hiding in the Tubes to String Lake

Going Topless at String

Soaking in Some Summer Rays!

Sarah and Christy Reunited
#TheToplessTour #MtnBabes

Amphitheater Lake

Marc, Ben, and I decided to hike up to Amphitheater Lake today. Super gorgeous views and wildlife finds! Check 'em out!

TheChristyBel

Dusky Grouse

Surprise Lake (the Almost Amphitheater Lake)

Surprise! It's Surprise Lake!

Amphitheater Lake - It's July and There is Still Snow!!

#MtnBabes #TheToplessTour at Amphitheater!

Morning Dip in Phelps Lake

If you do not have a morning sunrise tour, go on a hike to Phelps Lake and go swim! Marc and I hiked down to Phelps Lake this morning for a quick dip. It has been really hot the past few days in town, so what better way to get cooled down than swim. And in this case, half-way skinny dip! Don't judge, just do it!

TheChristyBel

White Lined Sphinx Caterpillar (Moth)

Got A Little Bold and Went Topless

Don't Worry No One Was Around

Marc Enjoyed It. Ha!

Snowing in June?

The Cottonwoods are in bloom...well, now they are in seed and are dispersing...EVERYWHERE. Yesterday, on my tour, I was driving on Moose-Wilson Road and it looked like it was SNOWING! The 'cotton' from the cottonwood trees were dispersing their seeds in the wind and it literally looked like little snowflakes were in the air (in June). Super cool.

However, it is not so fun when you have a car underneath these trees. There is a lot of pollen and sap that dripped down all over Little Blue. I had a hard time getting all the sap off her, but luckily it had rained and I was able to get her all clean again!

TheChristyBel

Two Day Tours - GTNP & YNP

Wildlife Moments from some of my tours this week!

My Beautiful Early Morning Sky as I Prep my Van!

Momma Moose and Calf on Moose--Wilson Road

Four Great Blue Heron Fledglings

Grand Teton Wildlife of the Day

Today's Sunrise Tour Theme was brought to you by the Birds in the Grand Teton National Park. On top of seeing the standard bison, elk, and pronghorn, the guests and I today was a lot of birds including:

1) The BroadWinged Hummingbird at the Willow Flats Deck at Jackson Lake Lodge

2) American White Pelicans & Cormorants at the Oxbow Bend

3) Common Mergansers at Cattleman's Bridge

Elk Calves Have Spots

So last night during a scout with Seth and this morning with a Sunrise Tour in Grand Teton National Park to Lupine Meadows. Right now, Lupine Meadows has been frequented by lots of elk herds. Luckily, right now, not only is this area great for viewing elk, but elk babies!

TheChristyBel

Heart is Exploding with Baby Elk!

Looking Good, Teewinot

Cow Elk and Elk Calf

Spot and Enjoy the Flowers

Take A Moment of Pause in a Busy Day

Sometimes you need to just get out of the car, stop, and smell the flowers.

This photo was captured when Marc's family and I were on our way from Mormon Row to Colter Bay in the Grand Teton National Park. We saw how pretty the flowers looked and just had to stop during our journey up to the northern part of the park. Enjoy.

Stop . Breathe . Smile

TheChristyBel

Moose 'Ears' in the Arrowleaf Balsamroot
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

Swarmed by Swallows

Cliff Swallows & Feeding Time

Before Marc, his family, and I headed up to Colter Bay for some kayaking, we stopped at Mormon Row to continue their tour of the Tetons. While Marc and his dad geeked out on photographing the gloriousness and beauty of the Moulton Barns and the Teton Range, I admired all the Cliff Swallows that were constructed with lots of mud along the frames of the infamous Pink House. I did get a little closer than usual to the nests. And when that happened, the swallows started to swarm around me. Marc's mom tried to get a photo of them flying all around me, but it just didn't come out. However, I did get some photos to visually capture how many nests were on this house. There were so many nests with little birds peeking out practically screaming, 'Feed me!' as the adults were flittering in and giving them little snacks of insects. Gross (I know). But it was super cool to get pretty close and observe their feeding session.

TheChristyBel

All Under the Rim of The Pink House

Inspiring Little Naturalists

Remi and I During The Sunset Tour

Working at Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris has been going pretty well so far. We are still picking up with tours and getting busier by the day. What I have noticed is that I am a guide geared towards the children and families groups. I definitely can allow working in environmental education to take responsibility for my good rapport with the younger people. Let me say, I really do still enjoy working and teaching children. This evening, I had a pair of grandparents and their grandson, Remi, on my Sunset Tour. It was super fun. Remi was making a list of all the animals he was seeing during his trip with his grandparents to the Tetons. And I was beyond excited to help him add a few more to his list during the tour. He was super knowledgeable and really into a lot of the natural history we were talking about and seeing. It was really great to see instant engagement and the conversations that were happening with Remi. He is definitely a naturalist in the making! Enjoy some of the photos from today, something I think I am going to call from now on: "Wildlife of the Day." Enjoy!

TheChristyBel

Osprey on the Nest Near Moose-Wilson Road

A Bull Elk Playing Peek-A-Boo