Yellowstone, Day 4, Part 1

In June and July, the native cutthroat trout spawn in the Yellowstone River and the birds and bears have a feast.  This pelican was patiently waiting for a flying trout and I was lucky enough to catch a pic of him.  This was at LeHardy rapids where the big trout lay near the shore after spawning.  I came back several days later and fed them big bugs while others took photos of the big beauties.  What a sight!

I saw buffalo every day and it was always a thrill.  But this first view of a grazing bull will be remembered for a long time.

The canyons in Yellowstone were a surprise for me and a very pleasant one.  While the gorges aren't as deep as the Grand Canyon, the colors can be just as vivid.  When I first looked at this view, it appeared the clouds were pouring themselves into the waterfall somehow. 

On the ride from here, Tower-Roosevelt, to Mammoth Hot Springs, I spotted a huge black among some trees on top of a knoll, too far for a picture but okay for the binoculars.  It was a big one, that's for sure.  Arriving in the little community at the springs, a small herd of elk occupied the town square and seemed perfectly content and at home.  It reminded me of the TV show "Northern Exposure."

The Mammoth Hot Springs are truly indescribable, so I won't even attempt it.  As is so often the case here, the pictures don't do it justice, but they are still pretty.  This killdeer hen and her brood of 4 chicks were eating something from the watery rocks when the chicks became frightened and all hid under her body.  It's hard to see, but there are 10 legs under that bird!

The upload time is so slow that I'm dividing this post in half.  To be continued...