Nature Done Wright

If you love Common Ravens (and who doesn't?) Black-billed Magpies, Bald Eagles, Trumpeter Swans and assorted duckage, Yellowstone is the place for you.

Also saw my first-ever Golden Eagle in the wild, hanging out near a couple of Bald Eagles and plenty of ravens at a bison buffet.

(I had four other life birds — a Clark's Nutcracker, an American Dipper, a Mountain Chickadee and the aforementioned Black-billed Magpies. It was my first trip west since I started birding 18 years ago.)

Had even better views of bisons, coyotes, elk, mule deer, typically from the confines of the coach. When the bison were on the roadway, we drove very cautiously and slowly and did our best not to stress any the animals.

Also had saw a Rocky Mountain Shoveler, at right. No, he was not an odd duck. He was our guide, Josh, who was extremely knowledgeable and who cleared the path for us and other groups….

He will enjoy being included in the critter section, I think.

A list of the birds  I saw follows.

Yellowstone NP–Old Faithful area, Teton, Wyoming, US
Feb 27-March 3
Protocol: Traveling
14 species (not a birding-oriented trip

Canada Goose
Trumpeter Swan
Mallard
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Golden Eagle
Bald Eagle
Wilson's Snipe
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
Clark's Nutcracker
Common Raven
Mountain Chickadee
American Dipper