Surner Birding: Jackson Hole/Grand Teton National Park

The Hampshire Bird Club trip to Jackson Hole, Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park was simply AWESOME! The flights to and from Jackson Hole, Wyoming couldn't have been better and the weather was outstanding. A total of 11 birders made the trek from western & central Massachusetts, and the leader was Tom Gagnon. Tom once worked for a few summers in Teton N.P. in the mid sixties and has been back a few times since then-his knowledge of the area was most impressive.

The trip was billed as a birding trip (of course) with an intense focus on Mammals! We came away with 118 species of birds (not bad-could have been a little better) and 23 species of mammals. We did very well with large mammals!! Buffalo, Pronghorn Antelope, Elk, Mule Deer, Moose, Big Horned, Sheep, Black Bear, Grizzly Bear, Coyote and 4 Wolves :)

As I mentioned, the weather was absolutely fantastic. Mornings started out anywhere from 39-48 degrees and climbed to mid 70"s, a couple of days made it to the low 90's. A few passing thunderstorms, (one with hail) and one foggy morning was the extent of the bad weather.

Some of the birding hightlights around Jackson Hole & Teton N.P. .......Trumpeter Swan (4), Dusky Grouse (7), White Pelican (2), Swainson's Hawk (8), Golden Eagle (2), Sora Rail, Sandhill Crane, Great Gray Owl (1), Calliope, Broad-tailed & Rufous Hummingbirds, Williamson's & Red-naped Sapsuckers, Lewis's Woodpecker (1), Dusky Flycatcher, Gray Jay (2), Clark's Nutcracker, Black-billed Magpie, Violet-green Swallows,
Mountain Chickadee, Mountain Bluebird, Sage Thrasher (2), Macgillivray's Warbler (9), Western Tanager, Green-tailed Towhee, Brewer's Sparrow, Lazuli Bunting (2), Western Meadowlark (6), Yellow-headed Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird, Cassin's Finch, Red Crossbill and many Pine siskins. ( To enlarge the photos...just click on photo.)

Early morning view of the Tetons from signal Mt.

Dusky Grouse (female) Signal Mt. Parking lot.

Dusky Grouse (male)

Rainbow on Elk N.W.R. in Jackson Hole. After the roughly (7500) Elk depart the refuge in the spring, the Boy Scouts go out and collect all the Elk Antlers. At some point in time- they hold an auction somewhere around Jackson Hole and sell the Antlers....Last year they took in 98,000.00 of which half is theirs to keep. NOT A BAD FUND RAISER!!!