Santa Ynez Valley

Santa Ynez Valley
Our Backyard

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Yellowstone 2021 - Part 2

Another day we stopped at the Sheepeater Cliffs to look for Pikas.  We did not see any Pikas, but we spotted four Yellow-bellied Marmots, which is an animal we had not seen at this location before.


Back in the Lamar Valley, we spotted these coyotes feeding on a carcass which was hidden in the sagebrush.


Heading back towards Gardiner, we found many cars parked and people out watching something.  It turned out to be a carcass on the hillside that various animals had been feeding on.  We were told that wolves had been seen earlier, but when we arrived, a Black Bear was feeding there while ravens waited for a chance.


The bear soon left and the rangers stopped traffic as it wanted to cross the road.


After the bear left, a group of coyotes came to claim their turn.


A Mountain Bluebird (very distant)


As we drove around the park, we saw increasing numbers of recently born bison calves, which are nicknamed "Red Dogs".



A Mule Deer used to traffic along the road


Back at the carcass hidden in the sagebrush, there were a few wolves that had been feeding there.  They were very wary of the people watching from along the road that they wanted to cross.



Lamar Valley panorama



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