I also visited Lamar Valley, another major wildlife-watching area in Yellowstone alongside Hayden Valley. Since there are no convenient places to stay nearby, it takes about an hour to drive there from the Mammoth area. Hoping to encounter wolves, I searched the valley twice, once in the morning and once in the evening, just as I had done at Hayden Valley.
As far as birds were concerned, I did not encounter them very often in Yellowstone. Still, I found a nesting Osprey. It had been one of my favorite subjects to photograph in Japan, but this was my first time seeing one in the United States.A magnificent view of the surrounding mountains.American Black Bear. Fortunately, I was able to see it from the car at a relatively close distance.A bison with Brown-headed Cowbirds gathering on its back.The next morning. Pronghorns locking horns in the grassland.A bison photographed through the windshield. Technically, the photo is almost a failure, but I felt that it captured the atmosphere of the place quite well.There are many Uinta Ground Squirrels in the grasslands of Lamar Valley.Until I actually looked them up, I thought they were American Pikas…By this point in the trip, bison were no longer a rare sight. But getting the chance to observe and photograph them under good conditions is another matter.
Finally, Mammoth Hot Springs. Unfortunately, I never got the chance to see wolves, but within the limited time available, I was able to experience plenty of wildlife and Yellowstone’s dramatic natural landscapes. That concludes my Yellowstone series.
