Western Birds, I

For the past three weeks I have been traveling in the West - western Nebraska, southwestern South Dakato, and Wyoming. My mid-week posts during this time were prepared in advance and were "fillers." I am home now and can share some of the travels.

The trip was not a birding trip, but when the opportunity presented itself, I naturally photographed birds.

Audubon's Warbler tops the "drop-dead gorgeous" category among the birds I photographed in the West. This male cooperated while we wandered the Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone NP ...

Audubon's Warbler (officially still Yellow-rumped Warbler)

If the Lark Sparrow were as common in my neighborhood as it is in the grasslands of the West, it could make my top three list of favorite sparrows, coming just behind the White-throated and Fox Sparrows - beautiful head pattern and lively song ...

Lark Sparrow

In the woodlands around Devil's Tower NM, I added to my life list with the Plumbeous Vireo ...

Plumbeous Warbler

For indefatigable and spirit-lifting song, the Western Meadowlark is without peer ...

Western Meadowlark

Good birding!