Finding Wildlife in Yellowstone - Hayden Valley

We've been very fortunate this trip in seeing wildlife. We've been to Yellowstone before so we already knew some of the good wildlife viewing areas. Any of the overlooks of the Yellowstone River in Hayden Valley is an opportunity. Elk and buffalo are a given. Coyotes are common, often giving you the treat of watching them hunting for the small ground squirrels.



It is fun to watch the buffalo ford the river. They walk in and when it gets over their heads they swim until they can stand up and walk out.

It is also possible to see bear foraging on the slopes in the distance. While they are a small dot on the distant slope, they are still fun to watch. You have to be careful because the buffalo and bear look similar in the distance. Even the winter coat of the buffalo is the same color as a grizzly.

One good strategy is to keep an eye out for those overlooks that have people with scopes. They are likely experienced watchers and are more likely to spot the interesting wildlife. Some of them will let you look through their scopes or will talk you into which spot on the distant slope is the wolf or bear.



This afternoon we saw a muskrat swimming first across the river and then up the bank. He was close enough that I was able to get a pretty good shot handheld shot with my 100-400 lens.

There are numerous flocks of geese along the grassy, sagebrush shores of the Yellowstone River. There are also mallards, buffleheads, American Wigeons, cinnamon teals, lesser scaups, Barrows golden eye. There are bank swallows, bald eagles and ospreys. We saw killdeer with a baby, spotted sandpipers doing their bobbing act, and eagles perched on a fallen log and in the grass overlooking the river. White pelicans often fly in to spend the night on the river. And there is a great blue heron who flies up and down the river. Tonight we watched three sandhill cranes fly up the riverway.

While time of day is somewhat important, there is always something to see in Hayden Valley. We saw the baby killdeer in the bright afternoon sun, when a mother and baby buffalo disturbed the parents. We've had several good coyote sightings.



This afternoon we watched a coyote run along the river area hunting successfully for ground squirrels. One evening we saw a coyote consuming his catch (possibly a goose). Another coyote joined him and they played for awhile.

In the late afternoon you can pick a spot to stake out. Sometimes you will hit the jackpot with a coyote, wolf or bear sighting, Other times you wait quietly hoping something exciting will happen. A few minutes ago I saw an osprey challenge an eagle who had flown into its territory. As sunset nears, the elk start emerging from the forest. The buffalo move around. Even a quiet evening is special in Hayden Valley.