I leave Silver Gate at 5:30 in a “normal” 43 degree temp and head straight to Little America where I join friends watching the Peregrine carcass.

Right away I see a black wolf (1479F) feeding on it. Early birds had a grizzly in the dark, and 6 wolves; 5 black and 1 gray. Most of the wolves have already departed.

Various people around me have attached their phones to their scopes, and thus have a greatly enhanced view, almost as bright as day. My own view is still dim, but I can see two wolves on the far side of the pond, heading away.

They follow the usual route towards the southern Round Tree. Celia and I suspect they are the black male and 1386F.

A group of coyotes begins to yip and howl, as if claiming responsibility for the wolves’ departure. Three of them converge on the carcass.

Around 6:30, with no more wolves in view, many of us move to Slough to check on the pups. Dusty arrives first and alerts us that there is, indeed, activity to see.

Once I set up on Dave’s Hill I am treated to a wonderful morning of wolf watching. And it helps that many Junctions remain in view longer than usual, giving Ginny and Celia and me a chance to determine who is who.

In addition to the five pups, we have nine adults – the most I’ve seen in quite a while. I see 907F, the alpha male, 1385F, 1386F, 1478F (making a welcome re-appearance for me), 1479F (crowd favorite), black male, dark gray male, and the uncollared gray female.

They are bedded in three groups: two in the flats and one up in the den meadow. The alphas are in the “older” group of wolves bedded just left of the fallen Stephen King tree. They are very relaxed, enjoying the cool morning and the good fortune of an easy meal nearby.

The group on the right is more playful, which is expected of pups, of course. But it’s not just the pups (the gray and two blacks). Various adults in this group (the two males, plus 1478 and 1479) join in the fun.

The action lasts a wonderfully long time, as they chase each other, crash into each other, flop down, play-bow, ambush and wrestle. 1479 nips the nose of the black male and then dashes away, daring him to chase her.

1385F takes a walkabout for reasons known only to her, up north of the Mixed forest, then back again.

Up in the den area is a third group: the uncollared gray female seems to be babysitting two black pups. These two pups may be slightly less adventurous than the others, but they are no less playful. They tumble and spar with each other, with the gray adult joining in fairly often.

907 howls, getting the attention of the two homebody pups. They lift their heads and howl back but stay where they are. The uncollared gray female, however, answers 907’s summons and trots down the hill to join those in the flats.

While she is coming down, the dark gray male switches from the playful group to the “older” group. I guess the pups wore him out!

The playful group journeys to the “beach” to continue their charming antics in and out of water, skirmishing along the cut banks and flopping down in the sand. The black male seems to be giving a swimming lesson, but the pups are not really paying attention.

Finally, their playful antics slow down and finally cease. Several wolves move slowly towards the southern round tree, while the three worn-out pups take themselves back uphill to the den area.

907 heads north, too, carrying a leg with fur on it. She uses the western route, behind the small diagonal forest.

The three tired pups get as far as the eastern trees when they suddenly realize 907 is at the parrot rock with food. They spin around and race to her, joined by one of the two homebody pups.

The meet-up happens right behind the parrot rock, but when we see 907 again, she no longer has the leg. Mom and pups saunter back towards the Eastern Trees.

Down in the flats, several wolves (alpha male, black male, dark gray male and 1386F) are still moving steadily south, perhaps going back for a second breakfast at the carcass.

We alert our friends still watching the carcass that wolves may be coming their way soon.

I leave around 10:15, elated at such a great morning of wolf watching.

The day is somewhat smoky today but not too bad.

When I get back to Silver Gate, I’m happy to find that the power/water outage I discovered this morning has now resolved back to normal. Yay!

After a nice break, I go back down to the valley around 5PM.

I go straight to Slough and set up on Bob’s Knob. Celia and Dusty are up above Dave’s on Adam’s knob. It’s extremely windy in both places, even more so than two nights ago when the Stephen King tree blew down.

I find a single black in the flats walking through a gap in the willows lining the creek. I lose it and can’t seem to find it again.

The wind starts blowing dust and sand into my face, so I retreat to my car.

I try using my hatchback as a windbreak, but the dust and sand finds me anyway. The area is very dry and bare from the constant human presence.

Celia and Dusty radio that they’ve found two more wolves bedded in the flats below Marge. I sit in my car trying to figure out how to avoid the dirt in my face.

I need to find a place away from the loose dirt and dust, the wind’s effect might be tolerable.

I spy a low hill covered in vegetation just west of the lot and walk to it. This proves fortuitous. Celia joins me and after a bit of looking, we find both blacks from here. Then Celia finds a third wolf, a gray, just to the right of the Marge tree.

Low clouds have been blocking the sun and the constant wind has abated somewhat, although sudden gusts continue. Still, with wolves in view, it’s bearable.

Dusty finds a black pup emerging from the Diagonal Forest. I turn my scope that way and see three black pups together near the “gator” rock. Those three turn into four, then the gray appears for a full count. They all begin to play near the Crescent rock.

We share our scopes with a few intrepid visitors who have been willing to brave the wind. Now the pups begin to romp across the meadow towards the western trees and on to the Parrot Rock.

Alas, the sun finds the bottom of the cloud and makes viewing from this angle impossible. It’s after 7:30, so I call it a night. A good night.

On my way back I enjoy how the setting sun turns the Norris cliffs to gold.

The wind seems to have blown the earlier haze away, at least for a while, allowing a gorgeous sunset.

Today I saw: bison (and calves), coyotes, sandhill cranes, pronghorn, 14 Junction wolves (including 907, alpha male, 1385F, 1386F, 1478F, 1479F, black male, dark gray male, uncollared gray female plus all five pups) and the spirits of Allison, Richard, Jeff and Chloe.