Yellowstone: Big and Small

[urbpan]

Before we even left the grounds of our hotel, we encountered this impressive creature. Then we began our second full day exploring Yellowstone.



The landscape continued to be awesome. The white is the travertine stone formations called terraces, formed by the action of hot springs.


More new-to-me lichen species.








In some places in the park, stone columns rise up imposingly.


Other places are flat and placid.


I photographed a number of wild flowers. This is salsify, a large dandelion lookalike.


While driving in a high part of the park, traffic stopped, and the rocky hillside was lost in dust. Apparently some bighorn sheep had scrabbled up the cliff, knocking gravel down toward the road.


We took the opportunity to watch this small herd of mostly young female sheep, at surprisingly close distances.


Surprisingly close.


Wait up for the baby!


Soon the rangers came over to get people back in their cars away from the animals, and directed traffic around the area.

Comments

[jess-d-ripper.livejournal.com]

Beautiful moth! Is that a One-eyed Sphinx?

Beautiful everything else too.

[momomom.livejournal.com]

That's a native silk moth!!! cool, I hand raised one last year.

[belldandychan.livejournal.com]

So pretty!

[kryptyd.livejournal.com]

I have FAKE EYES! Rah!

I like the meanders photo. I always like stuff that reminds me secondary (high) school geography.

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

you got at least 10 different lichens there!

[mandy-moon.livejournal.com]

Polyphemus moth?

[antarcticlust.livejournal.com]

I love how the sheep are able to cling so precariously to these impossibly steep cliff faces!

That's cool that the rangers are so on-the-ball about protecting the animals so quickly.

I'm loving these photos! Thank you for sharing!

[elainetyger.livejournal.com]

The rangers are protecting the people, too!

I took a day tour with a Yellowstone ranger 9 years ago, and every time he would point out wildlife, he would also point out the people standing six feet away from the wildlife.

These posts are bringing back a lot of memories, and adding a lot more.

I can't wait until you get to the sulfur springs and show us the bubbles and steam coming out of the ground.

[leomissus.livejournal.com]

These are wonderful photos--thanks for sharing them!

[bellelvsbeast.livejournal.com]

AW! Those sheepies are SO CUTE!!! :) YEA! :) We get deer close to the road like that all the time. I had a huge herd of them walk in the street in front of my car once...;)
I love all the lichen how neat...:)
That moth is super cool and so huge!

[wulfsbane.livejournal.com]

I love that "flat and placid" picture. Rivers with bends that severe always interest me.

[drocera.livejournal.com]

Oooh! Thanks for these pictures! I love Yellowstone! Waiting patiently for more....

[deathling.livejournal.com]

What kind of moth is that? It's awesome!

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

It's an eyed sphinx Smerinthus cerisyi.