This trip was my annual June getaway from Arizona. In addition to escaping the heat, the purpose of the trip was to continue to build my knowledge of the birds of Wyoming. Including this trip, I've now spent time in the state for 10 of the past 14 years starting in 1993 (mostly in June). Apart from an outside chance of Black-billed Cuckoo, I didn't have any target species.

From June 17-28 I drove 4150 miles, about 2000 of which were in Wyoming. This trip marked the first time that I spent more time checking new places than visiting regular haunts. I decided not to visit Yellowstone National Construction Project and the Jackson area at all. I also skipped the south eastern part of the state. I started in Saratoga (1) and worked my way east through Medicine Bow National Forest to Centennial (1). I then spent some time checking the lakes southwest of Laramie and the plains to the northwest. Next, I traveled to the northeast where I birded for a few days in Crook County based out of Sundance (2). I then moved east to Buffalo (2) where I birded on Clear Creek, in the Bighorn Mountains and at Lake De Smet. From Sheridan (1) I traveled west to Red Lodge, MT (2) as a base for birding the Beartooth Highway in northwest Wyoming. From here I worked my way south to Riverton (1) and then to Rock Springs (1). Number of nights in parenthesis.

Compared to previous years, snowmelt was more advanced and some areas seemed drier than normal. However, snow and running water were present in most of the expected places. The weather was pleasant throughout and rarely too warm. Wind was only a factor on one day and rain occurred mostly at night. The conditions were apparently excellent for grassland birds and the westward explosion of Dickcissels certainly reached eastern Wyoming. They were abundant in Crook County and I saw them as far west as Big Horn in Sheridan County. Lark Buntings and Grasshopper Sparrows were also more numerous than I have noted in the past.

I recorded 168 species on the trip including 163 in Wyoming. Since I always visit in June, I was pleasantly surprised to add 8 species to my state list that now stands at 209. All but 4 have been seen in June. Based on the species status defined in the well dated "A Birder's Guide to Wyoming" published in 1993, the following species are noteworthy in terms of season or location:

More details are in the journal. All except Hammond's Flycatcher were photographed.

By visiting the links above, you can find day to day details of the trip (in my journal), see the the overall trip list and view all of the bird photos that I took in the trip photo list.