Return to Mammoth

For many of the treks into the park, we used these restored vintage yellow buses.



On the way back to the hotel, we spotted a relatively rare sighting of a pair of Harlequin ducks. They only nest here for a short time in the spring and the males head to the California coast for the remainder of the year (not sure if females stay in Yellowstone all year or what). As you can see (barely) the male is quite impressive! (click on photo to enlarge)

During another stop on the way back, Tom Murphy pointed out a raven's nest that has been in use for at least 10 years. Just as he was talking about the nest, a raven parent soared and cawed overhead before landing on the nest. Yes, I can tell we are going to get the insider's view of Yellowstone in July! He knows this park incredibly well and has promised to take us off the beaten path to areas in the park that few travel to. I can't wait!