Mon 21 - Lake Areas

Our day started well with a sighting of a mama Grizzly bear and her two yearlings (same ones from night before?) crossing the flats of the Madison river. We drove back across the middle of the park then started south along the Hayden valley area looking for waterfowl. We headed out the east entrace road to see the lake and stopped for our picnic at Sylvan Lake. After lunch we came back in to the park and visited the Yellowstone Lake Hotel where I took some photos while Kellie sat and sketched the mountains. We finished the day with a trip to the very busy West Thumb geyser basin, then headed back home around the south side of the park.

**Grizzly family on the Madison Flats 2**

**Grizzly family on the Madison Flats 3**

**Grizzly family on the Madison Flats 4**

**Cliff Swallows digging in the mud**
Others were flying through the culvert under the road

**Warm water helps the grass grow early**

**Bear footprint**
ranger thought it was big enough to be a Grizzly

**Brown-Headed Cowbird**
eating something it pulled out of the mud

**Yellowstone Lake from the north shore**

**Crecelius Cascade**
mostly covered in the late spring snow

**Kellie sketching mountains in front of the Lake Hotel**