Upper Coffeepot is a nice little campground just outside the western edge of Yellowstone. After spending the day driving through the busy national park, it's a quiet spot to stop. Both times we've been here there have been lots of white pelicans a short walk up the river. The pelicans were on the other side of the river so they were calm about us observing them. Of course, I took a ton of photographs of them.
I assume the pelicans (and the people) are there because of the fish in the river. But later in the day when we saw them they were just relaxing, preening, bathing, and sleeping.
There were enough of them that there were usually a few flying in or out so I got to practice photographing them in flight.
When they land they "ski" in on their feet.
Later in the evening the gulls (Ring-billed?) were skimming the water and grabbing something - I assume small fish.
Some kind of flying insect was hatching in large numbers. I suspect they were the same as this one I found on the ground - some kind of mayfly, maybe a March Brown. Thank goodness they don't bite!
There were so many of them they made photography a challenge at times.
Speaking of insects, this interesting one landed on our picnic table. I think it's a Ribbed Pine Borer, a kind of long-horned beetle, although it doesn't have especially long antennae.
We also had a few chipmunks visit us.
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