Spring ?

Its been snowing for 2 days now. Roads inside Yellowstone Park have been closed because of snow. In the forest, where the snow had melted, the land is white and wet. Despite this crazy weather, guests are reporting a female Moose near Jackson Lake Lodge with a little calf. Bison are also being seen with little ones. Partway between Jenny Lake and south entrance many cars were parked on the side of the road. A Bear-jam !! A Black bear was traversing the hillside looking for tasty edibles. Fortunately a safe distance away. I guess I have seen all the charismatic mega-fauna in this area, Bison, Elk, Bear, Moose.
Photos later.

This is May ??

Snowstorm began overnight, and by lunchtime everything was covered with 2 inches of snow. Yesterday morning there was no accumulation, now it looks like March in the mountains. One photo of the road to Employee Village, and flowers are blooming despite the weather. This one is Yellowbell, Fritillaria pudica

Weather happenings

Yesterday it snowed most of the day. In the morning the sun was out as much as the snow clouds and I was able to put Fuji bicycle and Dolphin in safer storage places. They each have a tarp to live under.
Today was bright and cloudy. Temperatures overnight were below freezing. Car doors were frozen shut and ice scrapers were borrowed for windshields. The high T today may have reached 48 or 50 F.
The lake near Picnic beach is looking much better, the marina is not. Bureau of Reclamation has drained much of the lake in advance of the spring snow melt. Currently it looks dismal.
This past Winter was the 2nd snowiest in the past 40 years. Usually all the snow is gone by Memorial Day weekend.
Before dinner I drove to a bridge just past Jackson Lake Lodge. There are several trails leading into the brush, toward small lakes. I walked a short distance to a lake ringed with willows and found Ducks !! One pair each of Bufflehead, of Cinnamon Teal, of Gadwall, of Ring necked Ducks, and of Lesser Scaup. One lone Coot. I had to study those Scaup for quite awhile, I was not expecting Scaup in Wyoming. Audubon's Warblers and Robins are also busy setting up house-keeping and raising families.
After dinner I went to the marina to take the photos. 3 California Gulls were flying around the iced docks. Lower photo is the marina, top photo is the outlet to Jackson Lake. You can see the exposed shoreline.

Mountains are really here

By yesterday morning the rain had stopped, clouds came and went during the day. We had a tour of the cabins in the afternoon and actually saw the mountains. I went down to the lake for a look. Mountain Chickadees flitted in a Birch tree, a White-crowned Sparrow looked different. The Taiga / Orianthus race, perhaps. Something flew around me in circles and landed in a tree. A Red-naped Sapsucker returned to land on my pants !!! briefly. He didn't like the feel of the corduroy pants and went off to join the chickadees in the Birches.
After dinner I drove to the Oxbow viewpoint, a favorite for photographers. Western Grebes were doing courtship displays, not dancing yet. I spotted at least one Clark's with a yellow bill. White Pelicans, DC Cormorants, and a Chipping Sparrow finished the bird list that evening. The 4-legged excitement was a Moose across the river contently munching on willow branches.

This morning I woke up to a blue sky, with a few clouds. Quickly scooping up my yogurt, I went down to the lake and took the photo of Grand Teton Mt. Then the clouds came in.
The new work schedule gave me 2 days off, so I headed off on my first hiking adventure, Taggart Lake. The Ranger was correct in that people are using the trail. However, 3/4 of the trail is covered in snow !! When I reached the lake the mountains were covered in clouds. As I started back the wind was carrying snow, snow flurries surrounded me as I returned to the parking lot. A flock of Pink-sided Juncos was taking shelter in the sage brush, and a pair of Mountain Bluebirds was foraging on the ground. The male was brilliant blue.

Day 1 in Cabin office

We met at 8:30 am and stood around for awhile. No one has computer log-in codes yet. Couldn't the corporate office have processed that request a month ago ? We did some reading from the manual and discussion of situations. Late morning 1/2 the group went for the employee bus tour. In the afternoon the computers became unhappy. And so things went along.
Its been raining for 24 hours now. The Snake River and a few creeks look alot more flooded today than yesterday during the bus tour. Yesterday the guide told us the Snake is running at 10,000 cfs. The Bureau of Reclamation is allowing a great deal of water out over spillways with the goal of lowering lake levels before the spring snow-melt event. A huge quantity of water from snow-melt is expected this year. Jackson Lake is still partially frozen. The Marina has delayed opening until mid-June. The corrals have taken delivery of 80 horses in the past few days. Trails will not be open for awhile because of deep mud and lingering snow.
After dinner I drove south along the park drive. A Moose foraging 100 ft from the road edge had created a "moose-jam." (many vehicles stopped to photograph said animal) Bear-jams and Bison-jams are also common. I also saw several Elk near the road and Bison further away I have not seen a Bear yet, they are plentiful, the Rangers tell us. Tonight I did see a Sage Grouse walking on the shoulder.

Monday

Orientation was 2 1/2 hours in a meeting room. At North Rim they took 1 1/2 days for orientation. In the afternoon we boarded a bus for a park tour. The Head of Interpretative Services was our guide. He talked for nearly 4 hours, with a few breaks, and it was all very interesting. History, geology, where to go hiking, climbing, fishing, best places for photography or wildflowers, famous visitors, and more.
Dinner was pizza, last night they had meatloaf. There has been a good salad bar both evenings. After dinner I decided to check out the laundry facilities. I thought the washer would burst into pieces during an extended spin cycle, and the dryer wasn't sure it wanted to run or not. I read an entire People magazine on the royal wedding in Britain while I was waiting.
No photos today. The mountains are dramatic when the clouds blow away for a few minutes. Mostly its been overcast and raining. I will save my flash-card space for a sunny day. During the afternoon tour we saw herds of Bison with a few little ones, and herds of Elk with no calves yet.

Wyoming road trip's end

Raining and still very gusty winds as I left Douglas. Black sky to the west,and the sun coming up in the east, made for a dramatic scene. Suddenly a rainbow appeared to the south. A good omen. As I approached Casper, the rain decreased, so I ventured to EK Wilkins State Park. It was a good morning, despite the wind. 4 White-faced Ibis sleeping, 5 White Pelicans flew overhead, and a male Cinnamon Teal came out of the reeds for a minute. very Western birds !! I have moved beyond the Catbirds making odd noises in the bushes, and the Blue Jays calling from the forest.
By late morning the wind speed had increased, so I moved on. Casper provided a bit of indoor entertainment as I walked laps in the big shopping mall. I drove west on Hwy 20. Silver truck does not like this wind. The Snowy Range was visible to the south, rugged and snow-covered. The prairie is mostly dry grasses and sage brush, not much for the cattle to eat.
Closed highways must be a common event. Each major highway I have been on in the past 2 days has a posted sign: 25 (or 20 or 59 or . . . .) Closed when lights are flashing. Return to ______ (town). To be that well prepared for highways being closed speaks volumes about the weather in this area.
overnighted in Riverton. Strong gusty winds continue, altho the temperature was in the low 60's when I arrived.
Sunday morning dawned clear and bright for the last leg of this road trip. Temperature was probably in the low 40's overnight. In one sunny spot, as I was leaving town, a few flowering trees in a yard had started blooming. Old Cottonwood trees along Hwy 26 are not leafing out yet. I was still driving across the open plains, now there are mountains to the left and to the right. The Wind River range is rugged and snow-covered. Birds were buzzing and calling from the dry grasses. Vesper or Brewer's Sparrows, probably, altho I did not see them.

This was an amazing scenic drive: a creek lined with Cottonwood trees with the mountains behind, split rail fences along the road, huge sedimentary hills striped in brown, purple, white and pink. On the west side of the road the cliffs were brick red, like Utah sandstone. Horses have little colts beside them. A Black-billed Magpie flew across the road.
As I climbed up Togwotee Pass (elevation 9650) snow was deeper and deeper. A sign for Falls Campground was nearly buried. Snowstakes were poking out from the snowbanks. Coming down the other side the snow quickly disappeared, leaving a high elevation sage brush community. The important photo was taken.
I arrived at Jackson Lake Lodge late morniing. I now have an ID card, Silver truck has a employee sticker, and I was assigned to room 6 in the "older people" dorm. (Otherwise known as "quiet"). Orientation is Monday, training Tuesday and Wednesday, and Colter Bay area opens on Thursday.
Birds around the Lodge: Pink-sided Juncos, Pine Siskins, Golden-crowned Kinglets, and Yellow-rumped Warblers.
Pictures are not great, camera was having trouble with exposure.

just photos

Home home on the range, where the deer and the antelope play. I saw the Pronghorn Antelope on the grasslands. (not in this photo)
was buying gas in a small town when I noticed the "Patchwork Buffalo."

South Dakota and beyond

Strong winds from the west really decreased the gas mileage today. Highways in western Iowa and eastern South Dakota are under much re-construction. Bird sightings were sporadic: A Red-tailed Hawk in the top of a young slender tree holding on against the winds, Turkey Vultures nearly blown across the highway, and 3 Great Egrets in a flooded field along hwy 90. Swallows are nesting under the bridges of highway overpasses. I saw 2 Ring-necked Pheasants from Hwy 90, in different places. Again today, many dead raccoons, badgers, and deer along the highways are not being found or eaten by the Turkey Vultures.
Elk Horn, Iowa is a small town proud of its Dutch heritage with a large windmill, a Dutch museum, and many Dutch souvenir shops. Elk Point, SD has a sign remembering the campsite of Lewis and Clark along the Missouri River. Laura Ingalls Wilder's homeplace near DeSmet, SD has a highway sign inviting visitors. World's Only Corn Palace is still attracting tourists in Mitchell, SD. Billboards for Wall Drug start as soon as you cross the state border into SD. A few decades ago the bumper stickers read "Where is Wall Drug?" Today they use a Wild West: theme, "Wall Drug or Bust."
The flat lands of eastern SD are still being planted in crops. After the town of Oacoma hills appeared, and so did the cattle. Several young frisky calves played in the green fields near their Moms. Rain has been heavy at times. The landscape is very green.
I stayed overnight in Murdo, SD. While planning this route I had dreams of Prairie Chickens, Longspurs in breeding plumage, and grassland sparrows doing their song-flights. Prairie Chickens and Grouse are more easily seen earlier in the season, if you go out to their leks. The weather across South Dakota has been such that any grassland bird would take cover.
A nice warm shower, some Internet, and I am ready to drive into the foggy gray morning. Mountain Time Zone, another state split into 2 time zones. Missouri River was running high and muddy from alot of rain and dirt washing into the river. Cheyenne River is running over its banks as well. Geese and Mallards are taking advantage of flooding in low laying fields.
About 2 hours from Rapid City the sky lightened, and the wind blew the clouds out. Blue sky !! To the south the rugged landscape of the Badlands appeared. I remember well our family trip in this area, and camping overnight on the prairie.
Finally past Wall, the advertising billboards were beginning to look like too much clutter on the edge of the highway.
At Rapid City the landscape undergoes a dramatic transition from rolling prairies to western forest. The Black Hills are sort of a "sky island" for forest creatures. I drove into the Black Hills under sunny, altho windy skies. Yesterday and today, I have seen many old old weathered cabins and barns abandoned for decades. Some are still standing, some have collapsed. The gray wood is eroded from years of wind.
BIRD NOTE A birder had reported Juncos at the KOA along Hwy 244 in Black Hills. I was able to find White-winged Juncos among the pine trees. Hooray for Juncos, and for ebird.
also seen: Golden-crowned Kinglets, Audubon's (yellow-rumped) Warbler, Chipping Sparrows, Barn Swallows, and a Yellow-breasted Chat.
I ended the day driving across Thunder Basin Grasslands in Wyoming. The eastern portion is green with grass and bushes. I saw Lark Buntings, Clay-colored Sparrows, Western Meadowlarks, and more Chippings. The western portion is drier. I drove for 30 miles along an open pit coal mine, after that the landscape was dry grasses and sagebrush.

Across Iowa

Birded along Cedar River this morning. No Sedge Wrens, I did find Warblers (Nashville, Yellow-rumped, Yellow, and Redstarts), Vireos (Red-eyed, and Blue-headed), Sparrows (Song, Chipping, and Field) and watched a pair of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks mating. Baltimore Orioles were actively flying and singing. Redstarts must be doing well, I have seen them in many places.

. Iowa, is this the beginning of the “Heartland of America” ? Today I was able to see little green sprouts in rows in the fields. I heard on the radio that 92% of the corn crop has been planted. Small town America still exists in the states I have been driving through. Residential streets have trees, houses have yards and flowers, and the downtown is still alive.

After birding I returned to the highway and drove south on Hwy 218. City of Cedar Rapids has many old brick industrial buildings visible from the hwy. Was water power used here ? Milling of corn ? wheat ?

Around 7 pm I stopped in the town of Mt Pleasant for gas, nearly $ 47.00 to fill up the tank !! looked at the map, Woodthrush State Park was 15 miles ahead. I will try it. Exited from hwy 34 and drove several miles on a gravel road, if this place exists there is no public entrance. The GPS found a campground in town, I returned the 15 miles east on hwy 34. It was worth it. A family, with some land, is renovating a small campground. They are very nice people. An orange sunset spread across the open sky. A Common Nighthawk flew over, peeeent, peeeeent.

Robins were awake before 5 am, singing enthusiastically. By 5:30 am the House Wrens had joined in. Janie, the owner, came out to offer me a cup of tea. “I am an outdoor girl, “ she told me, “the farmer of the family.” She grows flowers and produce on a farm in Eldon, to the west. Her parents had started the campground business. Temperatures dipped into the low 40’s overnight, the “new” LLBean sleeping bag is working well.

I continued west on Hwy 34, stopping at Fairfield to walk at a county park. Jefferson County has created a wonderful network of trails. It was a sunny bright morning, pleasantly cool. I will include a bird list here.

Red-winged Blackbirds Robins

House Wrens Rose-breasted Grosbeaks

Sparrows: Field, House, Song, White-crowned, Chipping, a maybe Vesper

Vireos: Red-eyed, Warbling, Philadelphia Ring neck Pheasant

Blue Jays Common Yellowthroats

Indigo Bunting Redstarts

Bobolinks Eastern Kingbirds

Cardinals Tree Swallows

Barn Swallows Crows

Eastern Bluebirds American Goldfinches

Catbirds Sedge Wren (heard only)

Brown Thrashers Eastern Wood Pewee

Canada Geese Killdeer

Eastern Meadowlarks Spotted Sandpiper

Driving on and on. Late afternoon I stopped at a prairie wildlife refuge and education center.

It was a beautiful prairie place. Iowa is not totally agricultural.

I stayed overnight at Thomas Mitchell Park. It wasn’t dark yet so I walked the one trail into the forest and along the edge of a field. Highlights were a Great Crested Flycatcher (took me a minute to recognize it) and the blue-est Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher I have ever seen. A Swainson’s Thrush popped out to look at me and returned to the cover of a bush.

Photos from a campground in Iowa, and Bison at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge.

Wisconsin to Iowa

Friday and Saturday mornings Helen and I spent birding at Pheasant Branch Conservancy, one of the best birding places in Madison (Wisconsin). Birds were exciting, the forest was wet with recent rain. Each morning we needed to go to a nearby coffee shop to wait out another rain shower. Warblers: Black and white, Blackburnian, Chestnut-sided, Yellow-rumped, Blackpoll (many), Wilson’s, Tennessee, Magnolia, Nashville, Bay-breasted, and Redstarts. The Black-throated Green was a “heard-only” ID. Other highlights were Baltimore Orioles, Great-horned Owls nesting in a large hole in an old tree, a singing Indigo Bunting, and 2 Vireos (Blue-headed, and Red-eyed). We were able to see 2 fluffy owlets peeking out of the nest hole.

Backyard birding yielded a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and a Swainson’s Thrush, among others. Saturday evening my aunt, cousins and I went out to a movie, African Cats. Excellent photography. Sunday my cousins came over and we had a wonderful breakfast together, followed by a nice walk in Hoyt Park. I shared a matte with them.

The storm was blowing out, it was a windy, gusty day. I started driving west again, across Wisconsin and into Iowa. I crossed the Mississippi River at Dubuque at mid-afternoon. Open landscape, rolling farmlands, with trees on the edges of the fields.

An hour west of Dubuque I stopped at a state natural area to walk around and met some people mushroom hunting. Now I know something about Morels. Continued west and spent the night with a friend.

Monday dawned bright and sunny. Backbone State Park had a wonderful collection of birds and wildflowers. Limestone cliffs host many plants: ferns, flowers, just leaves, and moss. The forest floor was green with so many little plants growing. Photos of a Columbine on a cliff, and Jack-in-the-Pulpit. It was a fun day to be out hiking with no destination.

,

Ohio to Wisconsin

Wednesday morning –

Dawn chorus started while the sky was still dark. Black throated Green Warblers and Red breasted Nuthatches added their voices to the early morning avian songs. I wanted to return to Ottawa NWR for early morning birding. Skies were hazy and overcast when I arrived. I think I was the first person on the pond loop trail that morning. A pair of Wood Ducks flew up from a canal to a trailside tree. The male sat down on a big branch in the sun. A 2^nd pair joined them on a nearby branch. Quite a treat.

A Wood Thrush was singing from the deep woods. A hungry Ruby-crowned Kinglet hovered at the end of catkins to snip off the tasty tips, then sat quietly for a minute. Blackburnian Warbler, Least Flycatcher, Indigo Buntings, and Eastern Kingbird. A good start to the day.

My last birding stop in this area was at Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area. The causeway provided marsh species, and a Beaver crossing the road. Lake Erie had that wonderful ocean smell. A small forest at the end of the road is a true migrant trap. Warblers: Canada, Yellow, Magnolia, Black throated Green, Wilson’s, Nashville, and Chestnut-sided. Vireos, and Kinglets, too.

After a stop at the library in Oregon, Ohio, I headed south driving across Ohio and into Indiana. From the cool and windy shores of Lake Erie, I drove into a warm humid Mid-west afternoon. Bank thermometers read 85 and 90 F. The air was dusty and hazy. Maumee River is brown and muddy, and has the flooding receding look. This was a trip past small towns and big farms, beautiful old homes, and a magnificent old church. Fields are not planted yet, the brown earth is just being tilled. The first crop of dandelions has gone to seed leaving their fluffy seed heads to start the next generation of dandelions. Highways 6, 224, and 24.

I arrived in Kentland, Indiana, on the border with Illinois, just as a thunderstorm was breaking over the city. Much rain, thunder-boomers, and a bit of lightning. A good place to stop for the night.

Thursday - Indiana is divided unevenly by the Central Time zone. It seemed like I had an extra hour this morning for birds. Dawn chorus came in waves starting around 5 am. First the blackbirds for 15 mins, they stopped to allow the Robins, Cardinals, and Sparrows to have their say. Crows were last, and had the least amount of time.

72 F at 6 am

North of the small town of Morocco I found an entrance to the Willow Slough Nature Preserve. The forest was damp from last night’s rain, the gravel road was OK, and the mosquitoes were hungry. I walked along an old road bed thru the forest to an open meadow. Common Yellowthroats and Yellow Warblers were singing. 17 species for the morning’s efforts.

Continuing west into Illinois I drove past more fields and farms and small towns. At one intersection, Hwy 52 W was going north, and Hwy 45 S was going west. Illinois has turned the compass around. There seem to be multiple road naming conventions in use. My paper highway maps use the US hwy, state hwy, county hwy system. Road signs at intersections and the GPS use a different system of 4-digit numbers combined with N, S, E, or W.

The biomass of Red-winged Blackbirds is astonishing. They are everywhere !! But where are the Meadowlarks ? Plenty of dead raccoons on the highway edges, Turkey Vultures come and eat.

Following a report (and directions) from ebird, I went looking for county road 7. Drove around quite a bit and finally found road 600 N. Eventually I was on the correct road and found the place where Mackinaw River crosses road 2300 E. And the birding was good, 27 species at mid-day. Eastern Meadowlarks showed up, as did an Indigo Bunting, a Red-headed Woodpecker, and I heard a Summer Tanager. I was impressed with this area.

Its 1 pm, time to head north. I arrived in Madison, WI during the height of evening commuting time. Ugh, traffic.

Helen’s neighborhood is so pretty with all the flowering trees and multi-colored tulips in the front yards.

Starting West

Where to start ? Silver truck was mostly packed up by Saturday evening. Sue and Jorge hosted a nice “Going Away” party for me. Miguel and Alicia came as did 2 Indian friends. Jorge made wonderful shish-kabobs on the grill, in both shrimp and steak versions. Of course, a bottle of red wine.

Sunday morning I packed up the last clothing and food items. Alicia brought clean laundry and a bag of Yerba Mate. Thank you !! I finally started off just before lunch, west on Hwy 84. 2 Canada Geese flew over the highway in CT. Many road killed animals. Where are the hungry Turkey Vultures ?

Waterfalls are still flowing down the sides of steep road-cuts of dark metamorphic rock. Hudson River bridge in 2 hours of driving. Marshes and creeks along Hwy 84 are surrounded by spring green trees just bursting in new baby leaves. Its such a pretty time of year.

First gas stop at a Pilot gas station, horrible noise pollution. Hwy 84 in eastern PA is badly in need of repair. By 3:30 pm I was traveling west on interstate 80, with all the big semi trucks. Sebastian did a good job of cleaning the windshield, the insects kept running into it anyway. Birding at 65 mph: Red-tailed Hawks, Starlings, Crows.

Columbia county’s Hwy 80 rest stop has a forested buffer behind it with a small pond. Birds were singing: Yellow Warblers, Song Sparrows, Chipping Sparrows, Robins, Crows, an Eastern Phoebe, Catbirds, a Baltimore Oriole, a Common Yellowthroat (!!!), Red-winged Blackbirds, a Black and White Warbler, and several Tufted Titmice. A good list for an interstate highway rest stop.

Crossed the Susquehana River a few times. Dinner was a few Spinach-Cheese squares and a (date) goof ball. I explored the possibility of staying at SB Elliot state park. It was closed due to state budget problems. I kept going, eventually staying a few hours at another rest stop in western PA, then driving on another 40 minutes. I didn’t realize I had been only 40 miles from the Ohio border. !!!

I met some helpful KFC employees in Clearfield, PA and in the morning a kind Starbucks employee (somewhere in Ohio) filled my travel mug with hot water for free. Mate with breakfast !! Every rest stop along Ohio’s Hwy 80 is identical, designed exactly the same.

Dawn chorus from a Love’s gas station/ travel plaza: Cardinals, and mixed blackbirds. Fog rose over wetlands and ponds; the early morning sun had the fog glowing orange. At a rest stop along Hwy 80 I heard a Wood Thrush singing from trees behind the building. Crossed over the Cuyahoga Valley on a big bridge. The landscape is beautiful in spring green dress.

I arrived at my destination shortly after 10 am, much earlier than I had anticipated.

Magee Marsh, Crane Creek State Park, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, and Black Swamp Bird Observatory have together preserved a small fragment of the wetlands that used to exist along Lake Erie. Each year migratory birds gather at the edge of Lake Erie to re-fuel and rest before continuing on the last leg of their migration journey. Birding this area in May is simply amazing. Despite my mid-morning arrival, I saw many many warblers, and other migrants. (No I won’t list them all here.) 30 species total in 2 ½ hours, then I went back for lunch. I returned late afternoon for another 10 species. The viewing from the boardwalk is spectacular. Jorge, your camera would use many batteries.

A few highlights: Woodcocks sitting very close to the boardwalk (their feathers have very intricate details), Black-throated Green Warblers so close my camera could have taken a good photo, (I thought that tiny warbler wanted to chase away the humans from his tree.) and the songs. Birds were singing all day ! Forget the play-back device, the birds would drown it out with their own singing.

Dawn chorus at the campground started around 5 am. Cardinals, Robins, Chipping Sparrows, and a House Wren were up singing to the grey skies. A nice warm shower and I am ready to return to the boardwalk. A cool morning, and I was glad to have my green coat available.

Tuesday morning at Magee Marsh boardwalk, and I think I saw more birds on Tuesday morning than I did on Monday. LIFE BIRD: Black-billed Cuckoo !! One of the group tour leaders had found it, and was helping everyone see the bird. Warblers and Vireos and 2 Flycatchers. An embarrassment of riches in every tree.

That afternoon I explored Ottawa NWR. A cold wind came in after I started walking, but it didn't bother the birds. Trumpeter Swans are nesting on one pond, and the male is chasing all other birds away. Many Canada Geese families with little yellow goslings, ranging in size from 2 little ones up to 9. Warblers and Vireos here too.

I spent the 2 nights at Camp Sabroske, a nice campground with RV spaces across the field. An evening walk along one of their riparian trails yielded Great Horned Owl and Eastern Screech Owl just waking up.