Emergence

I've almost always observed bison to be interesting looking animals, but usually difficult to make interesting in a photograph. I've changed my mind during this trip. (I have in mind a perfect shot for bison, but it would probably be a suicide shot!) I searched for, and found, a cooperative bison a couple of days ago and made a nice photo of that one. But it was pure luck that lead to the making of one of my personal favorite nature shots yesterday. I say, "luck", but there's more to it than that. Ansel Adams stated that you should go where the pictures are. So, here I am. There are also times when we come upon a scene where we have no control over what goes into the photograph other than where we stand - another of Ansel's points. Yesterday, I was driving through Hayden Valley with two of my kids on our way to the North Rim of the Upper Falls. I was watching the scenery pass by and noticed something odd in the Yellowstone River across near the far bank. Something was swimming across the river. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to see that there were several bison crossing the river. I had my camera all ready to go - long lens mounted, exposure set to shutter priority, auto ISO, and exposure upped by 0.7 stops (exposing to the right). We also happened to be next to a pull-off, so I parked the truck, got out, and ran to the bank. We were the first to notice it, so got the best location (and stayed the required distance from the wildlife). I got down as low as I could and started capturing what I could. Someone shouted, "Here comes more"! There was a second set of bison "making haste" towards the river. This is the area where I had seen a grizzly taking apart a bison carcass a couple of years ago, and the rangers told me that there was a bear that frequented this area also. So, I was wondering if the bison - knowing they are sometimes what's on the menu (and for good reason - they are tasty) - wanted to get the young ones out of harms way to the other side of the river where there is a large plain where hundreds of bison congregate. The first group was making its way across the river and I was easily close enough to hear their grunts and labored breathing. The current in the river at this point is powerful, but not overwhelming like it is a mile or so downstream - where the falls are located. It was a powerful show of strength and stamina. By this time the crowd had gathered and the "bison jam" was long. I felt that this was making the bison nervous, but I was at least located upstream from where they landed. When they heaved themselves out of the water they shook themselves dry, tossing gallons of water into the air - making for a spectacular spray with the Sun backlighting the droplets. I was catching the arriving group and the other group on the far side as that group gathered up the gumption to get in the water. Watching the first group swim across the river I got the distinct feeling that they didn't much like the swim - their eyes wider than I've ever seen them. One calf that I watched swim across was prodded along by it's mother, right next to the calf on the downstream side - very watchfully! Eventually the far side group got in the water and began their swim across, arriving at about the same spot. After they gathered their wits back about them they walked across the road, threading between cars whose drivers tried to give them space. The bison seemed a little spooked, but they passed by without incident. One bison, however, was still in the water, downstream. The crowd had started to dissipate, but then reassembled when everyone realized there was a straggler that had gone a little farther downstream and was unable to get up on shore at that spot where the bank was steeper and slipperier. The thought started to dawn on people that this bison was going to tire and drown or be swept over the falls. The bison jam didn't clear up, and there was clear concern for this animal. The bison apparently knew what it had to do: swim upstream to the point where it could climb the banks. To the amazement of those watching, the bison just kept swimming, upstream, and made slow but steady progress over many minutes - it did not tire. To our shared relief, that bison eventually got far enough upstream to climb out of the cold river. There were a couple of hoots for the animal. The two groups joined a very large group on the plains later that day.
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