Bison kick up their heels at Yellowstone, part 2
Yellowstone is the only place in the United States where bison have lived continuously since prehistoric times, the national park service tells us. And in that time, bison have really learned how to play — apparently right from birth!
Calves just wanna have fun
We were in Yellowstone National Park‘s Lamar Valley in mid-May, during our RV trip across the West, and newborn calves with umbilical cords still attached were frolicking.
And gamboling
I took a ton of pictures of calves playing one morning. I hope you enjoy these favorites of the bunch.
That face! The one on the left is having so much fun.
Time to eat
Wallowing
Bison cows were shedding their winter coats and wallowing in the dirt.
Side-eye
As one cow got ready for a good wallow, yellow-headed blackbirds gathered nearby, picking through the prairie grass.
Wallow time
Ahhhhh
All done
Bison traffic jam
Bison took charge of Yellowstone’s roads whenever they wished, creating traffic backups.
Just daring you to make his day
At last they relented and moved uphill.
All except one
Bridge stampede
Another time we watched a herd of bison crossing a bridge over the Yellowstone River. They spooked halfway across and took off running…
…then swerved to cross the road…
…wary of cars…
…and headed uphill to graze.
I enjoyed seeing bison of all age ranges and sizes in this herd.
End of the road
At one overlook, we were admiring a horseshoe bend in the river…
…and odd rock pinnacles…
…when our daughter spotted something below, at the water’s edge.
A bison carcass, the horns and hide still visible. Did the animal fall off the cliff or get washed downstream, we wondered?
Meanwhile, bison remain on the move in Yellowstone, as they’ve done since prehistoric times in this amazing place.
Up next: A bonanza of even more wildlife at Yellowstone, part 3. For a look back at grizzlies and geysers in Yellowstone, part 1, click here.
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Digging Deeper
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Thoroughly enjoyed this Bison report.
Thanks, Karin 🙂
Great pictures. Thanks for sharing them. It’s nice to see a couple of Yellow-headed Blackbirds along with the bison.
It’s my pleasure, Dorothy. Thanks for visiting.
Those little cinnamon babies are SOOOO cute. And the yellow-headed blackbirds are beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
They were so adorable, Paula. Glad you enjoyed them too. 🙂
So fun!!! Those calves look like they’re having a ball, and the adults just keep on eating :-). Nice shots of the Yellow-headed Blackbirds, too.
Thanks, Maggie. There is so much great wildlife watching at Yellowstone!
Very happy baby bisons. Have you ever been to a place where you can touch a bison? I wonder how their summer coat feels. The babies’ appears very soft, but it may be an illusion. I once patted a lion’s cub in South Africa: very coarse coat, not at all what it seems.
Wallowing! It sure looks like fun!
I haven’t, Chavli. Well, I’ve touched a buffalo hide somewhere, but I honestly can’t remember if it was soft or coarse. How interesting to know about the lion cub’s fur.