That would be Yellow-headed Blackbird, and not local.

Just returned from a quick trip to visit family in Utah and a long time friend in Jackson WY. Dropped off our 14 yr old at a ranch camp in Cody WY, cowboy-up.

Just a fabulous place to visit !  Touring the west is soooo fun !  such gorgeous scenery.  Mountains w/ snow and green valleys.  Drove through Yellowstone NP. Great wildlife: 2 griz, Pronghorn, Mule deer, Mtn Goats and 3 Big Horn Sheep.  Y-hBl’s like wet areas, w/ cattails…great vocalizations.  The Harlequins were unbelievable….hanging in rapids, feeding. A Dipper did its water feeding while looking at the Harlequins. GcRF’s were way cool !  nice big flock  feeding almost on the snow.  Will look forward to returning.

80 Bird species. Highlights: Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Harlequin Ducks, Gray-crowned Rosy Finches.

In order of appearance:

Black-billed Magpies                                                                                                             

Mourning and Eurasian Collared Doves

Red-shafted Flickers

TuVu, Red-tailed Hawks

Brewer’s Blackbirds, Red-wings too.

Swallows: Violet Green, Cliff, Bank, Barn, No. Roughwing   

Sandhill Cranes w/ young.

Yellow and Audubon’s Warbler

Lazuli Bunting

Black-headed Grosbeak

Western Phoebe

Spotted Sandpiper

Mountain Bluebirds (gorgeous).  Western Bluebirds.

Cassin’s Finch (in mountains)

Golden Eagle (quite close, being chased by ravens)

Chipping, Savannah, and White-cr. Sparrows. Vesper in high country.

Am. Kestrels

Broad-tailed Hummingbirds

Osprey, Bald Eagles. Prairie and Peregrine Falcons.

White Pelicans.

Ring-billed, Franklins and Herring Gulls.

Trumpeter Swans.

Western Meadowlarks.

Gray Jays.

Water Ouzel  (aka Dipper).

Barrow’s Goldeneyes, Am. Widgeons, No.Shovelers, Green-wingTeal, Cinnamon Teal, Common Mergs, Lesser Scaup, Ring-necked Ducks

Sage Thrasher in Yellowstone Park, Lamar Valley. Along w/ 1,000+ Bison.

Swainson’s Thrush and tons of Am. Robins.

Gray-crowned Rosy Finches….maybe 120 up high in northern Wy, road was closed due to snow

Am. Pipit and Vesper Sparrow  near GcRF’s.

Evening Grosbeak, Warbling Vireos.

Western Grebes in Yell. Lake.

Killdeer, Willet, Wilson’s Phalaropes and Caspian Tern in WY near UT border.                     

8-)

Bill Shepard       

Project Coordinator

CT River Birding Trail

2360 Academy Road

Thetford Center, VT  05075

Home: 802 785-2855