still migrating

I had hoped to visit a few people this month, but that did not work out, so I kept going.  I had not seen the northern edge of the Gulf coast so I drove Hwy 10, looking at the landscape. The forest is similar with tall Long-leaf Pines, altho it seemed thin, likely a  "beauty strip"  along the hwy to hide other activities.  Many inlets from the Gulf pass under the hwy, lined with Cypress trees, looked similar to the river I paddled yesterday morning.

     Weather has very warm and humid, with occasional intermittent rain.  It seems that the clouds become so heavy with moisture they can't hold it anymore.  One evening I was driving to a camping site and watched the gloomy darkness surround the landscape.  That night it rained hard.  

     

    Alabama has very little shoreline along the Gulf coast, but they make the most of it at Gulf State Park.  One evening I walked to the boat ramp and could see Orion and other constellations.  Clear skies did not last long.  Next day dense fog lasted half the morning. I waited until the fog cleared and launched Dolphin into the dark brown water.  The water is dark brown with tannins from leaves and branches.  I paddled under a few bike trail bridges over the canal,  and past a few fishing platforms.  

Big Lagoon State Park was another very nice park. Camping facilities looked great, except that I visited at mid-day.  The observation tower had great views of the Gulf.

Hurricane Michael devastated the coastal towns south of Hwy 10 along the Florida panhandle.  Effects on the forest are visible from highway 10.  Trees are blown over,  areas where all the trees were snapped off,  guard rails are damaged by falling trees, highway signs are blown over, and big brush piles have been created as highway workers have cleared debris from the shoulders.  Large trucks collected the piles, maybe for firewood, or wood chips.

Manatee Springs State Park was fun. The springs are a deep blue color, about 25 feet deep. Like most of Florida, this area has Limestone underneath, and the springs bubble up small amounts of water thru the limestone all day.  They estimate it could be as much as 100 gallons/ day for Manatee Springs. 

Further south, a windstorm blew in.  Birds along the shore took shelter in the lee of a low dune.  Willets,  Dowitchers, Plovers:  Snowy,  Piping, and Semi-Palmated.   A few Least Sandpipers flew in.  Laughing Gulls are the standard gull.  A flock of Marbled Godwits landed, and had to share the beach with the Ruddy Turnstones. Terns are mostly Royal Terns, with an occasional Sandwich Tern.   A flock of Black Skimmers rested on the sand waiting for the windstorm to pass.

Ospreys are doing well. I have seen them perched on phone poles eating their freshly caught fish.

In this area the camera stopped working.  It does not want to turn on.  So no more photos.

Migration

I am migrating south.  The Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese in New Mexico were awesome.

Cranes are flying in huge V's and skeins, calling and landing together in a field.  Spectacular. 



                                                                               

                                                                                                                                                                  
                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             








Snow Geese crowd themselves together.      

There are some Blue morph Snow Geese in the photo below.


















and on into Texas where this Snowy Egret shared a branch with a White Ibis.
















This Tri-colored Heron is resting after an active foraging session.  It was very successful catching small fish.











Dolphin on Calcasieu River with Cypress trees along the river.









The bird I wanted to see in Texas was a Masked Booby.  It had been absent for a week when I arrived. I spent 2 days looking for it and then departed.  Of course, it showed up yesterday afternoon, now that I am no longer in the area.

All the leaves have fallen

and the Aspens are naked.  Cottonwood trees still have their yellow leaves for a short time.  Snow on the mountains, and yellow in the trees indicates the end of the season at Signal Mt Lodge.  Gift Shop is closed, inventory and counting is finished.  Everyone says their Good-byes and we all depart for different places.  
     Silver truck and I have been going south.  I exited Wyoming at Cheyenne, and saw a herd of Pronghorns.  
Temperatures are dropping, frost is forming on the leaves.

One last Cinquefoil flower frosted with its leaves.

Lupine leaves after the flowers have faded and seed pods have formed.

Willow Flats

Glorious gold

     Fall is being a very pretty season this year.  Last year we went from summer to snowstorms in mid-September with 3 days of Fall.  Aspens are so beautiful right now, Geranium and Fireweed and Mountain Ash leaves are bright red. Bears are foraging for berries and insects,  Elk are bugling.
     Employee Art Show was held Sept 23 with some very talented employees showing their art work.  Karen's little felt birds made an appearance.  I offered bird adoption (sign up for a bird of your own) because all those on display already had homes.  I had 5 orders during the show, and 4 more during the following week.  Bird factory has been busy.  

  Alas, one employee had to leave early before his bird was finished.  With the help of a Front Desk employee and the Postal Service, he will have his Kestrel.  Later in the week, a cook from the employee cafeteria approached me. He loved the California Quail I made for

the porter, could I make one in blue ?  Hmmm.  A Google search showed there is such a bird in Asia,  Blue Quail.    

Mornings have been clear and beautiful so I have been out and about.  Black bears eating chokecherries in the tree canopy along Moose-Wilson road caused quite a  "bear jam."   I was lucky to see these bears before the rangers arrived.

Some Aspens have a slight genetic difference and turn orange at the top, instead of golden yellow on the entire tree.

What's doing ?

"So what are you doing in the Park now ?",  my friend asked.  The busy tourist season at the Gift shop is over, now its time for the retired people to come.  Campground is still full, cabins are still full, and the retired people tend to stay longer than one or two days.  The store is less busy, they buy less stuff for themselves and a few postcards with postage stamps for their grandchildren.  Labor Day holiday brought some big sales.  One customer bought 4 pieces of Native American jewelry, spending nearly $ 2000.  Those transactions help the monthly sales numbers.
     During my weekends I rarely leave the Park because there is so much available inside the Park. Last weekend, however, I went to Idaho to look for migrating birds.  Camas NWR is north of Idaho Falls, and has a good auto tour route.  I was surprised to see most of the ponds are dried up.  A few ponds still had water, and birds.  I was happy to see a Wilson's Phalarope still present.  That afternoon I drove to Soda Springs.  In the morning I visited Blackfoot Reservoir by driving on a well-maintained gravel road to a location mapped by Ebird.  Western Grebes were calling to each other, and Brewer's Sparrows flitted in the bushes.
     Grays Lake NWR is indicated on the Idaho Birding Trail map as SE 30.  The area is closed with a locked gate.  I hope they are protecting the birds and not the hunters.
     Twice I have taken Dolphin-kayak to Yellowstone.  The first time I launched at Grant Village and paddled past West Thumb.  It was a gray cloudy day, and quite windy on the return trip.  The second time I drove up Yellowstone Lake had serious  "white-caps"  from strong winds.  I did not launch.
     Today I drove to Spaulding Bay at the south end of Jackson Lake and paddled for about 3.5 hours.  Common Mergansers and Canada Geese are still swimming around and foraging.  I found 2 Spotted Sandpipers on a sandy beach, and a family of Bald Eagles. 

 Above photo of Grand Teton and Mt St Johns. 
Photo to the left was taken from Jenny Lake earlier in the season.

Photo to the right was taken by a fellow adventurer.  We sat on a hillside at dawn watching thru my 'scope for a family of Wolves to appear.  No Wolves were seen.

Return of the mountains

For 3 - 4 weeks we had grey smoky skies, the mountains barely visible, and even the trees across the road were gray and hazy.  I did not want to go hiking because the views were obscured.  Monday a strong rainstorm moved in, bringing heavy rains to Tetons Park and snow to Yellowstone and the high country.  Tuesday the mountains returned, and the clouds drifted away.  Bright blue skies were amazing today.
                   Grand Teton is here somewhere.

         Death Canyon is visible thru the smoky haze.
                                                                   
                                                                                                         

Mt Moran's outline can be seen from the Marina.





Last week's Full Moon rising thru the evening smoke.  No filters, no Photoshop, or anything fancy.  Just smoke in the air.

This morning's photos:  Grand Teton has some fresh snow,  (photo to the right)  as does Mt Moran. (photo below).

A co-worker took this photo yesterday morning (Tuesday).  
After the strong storm on Monday, the mountains have returned.

late Summer

Wildfires are becoming an unfortunate reality of summer in the West.  Smoke from fires in Idaho, California, and other states drifts over the Teton range and obscures the features of each mountain.  Its very sad to hear of the forests burning so hot, and so intensely.  

    July has been hot, with above average temperatures. Summer wildflowers are fading.  Fireweed and Salsify have created fluffy seed heads, Lupine and Coralroot have put their last energy into dangling pods.  Along the lower trails, Asters, Goldenrod, and tiny Sunflowers continue to bloom.  Upper mountain meadows still have bright red Paintbrush,  Sticky Geraniums, and Louseworts.  
    In June, Kinglets, Robins, Thrushes, Western Tanagers, and more were singing in the forest near the Lodge.  Its very quiet now.  I hear an occasional Chickadee or Nuthatch near the dorms.  Juncos flit across the trail to the store.  Yesterday I visited a set of ponds just south of Jackson to watch ducks of several species.  Mallards, Gadwalls, and Coots all had half-grown ducklings swimming with them.  A few Ring-necked Ducks, Lesser Scaup, and Redheads have already started into eclipse plumage.  Below photo of Trumpeter Swans who successfully raised 3 little ones on Flat Creek in the Elk Refuge.  
Photo of Mt Moran at sunset thru the smoke.

I was very happy to find these 2 Moose today. I have not seen one since May.  The male in the background is a young animal with only small knobs for antlers.

The storms

     Mid-June to late June we had a series of cold fronts come over the Park.  Grey and gloomy everyday, (a week and a half to 2 weeks) with strong winds, rain, and 3 impressive hail storms.  The maintenance men came out with snow shovels to clear the sidewalks after the hail storms.  With Dolphin-kayak living under the pine trees covered with tarp for a few weeks, I went looking for indoor activities during those 2 weekends.  

     I visited the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson to see their exhibit on "Invisible Boundaries:  Animal Migrations. " Part of the exhibit was dedicated to the current monitoring researchers are doing with the Elk herds in Yellowstone Park and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem area.  Elk are tagged and followed on maps to learn their habitat needs.  Another portion of the exhibit displayed the art of Thomas Hill, a painter from the Hudson River School era.  He was able to capture in his paintings the great herds of Bison, and other animals, during the mid-1800's before the significant decline of the thundering herds.  

     The following weekend it was STILL cold and windy and gloomy. When it was raining during breakfast I decided to drive east to the Buffalo Bill Museum of the West in Cody.  I enjoyed their exhibits.  The display of Alfred Bierstadt's paintings in "Witness to a Changing West,"  was beautifully done.  Such magnificent paintings he created during that time period. The paintings of Thomas Moran also helped to convince Congress to set aside Yellowstone as a Park.
     I was finally to get out and hike Cascade Canyon last Saturday.  So beautiful, it is truly Heaven on Earth.
Photo to the right and below taken in Cascade Canyon.

Cascade Creek is very clear, and is a good place to see Moose.  I saw a Bear instead !!

     

June events

A local saying is that it usually snows for Memorial Day weekend.  At Grand Tetons Park, we had a few days of rain, very good for the earth and the forest.  It did snow in Yellowstone, which is over 8000 feet in elevation.  The following day I found the Spring wildflowers holding little diamond raindrops.  This is a Shooting Star.

     I have been out in the kayak twice.  This photo below from Jenny Lake.  It was the 2nd paddling trip for Fuji-camera and it did quite well.  I have a double set of waterproof bags for it live in during paddling trips.

Last weekend was a bigger adventure, I drove into Idaho to visit Craters of the Moon National Monument.  It was amazing to see different wildflowers growing on the lava fields.

                                                                     

 This pink Monkeyflower is about 1/4 " across, while the yellow one is only a few mm in diameter.  I am surprised this photo came out so well.  The photo below is a Phacelia in bloom.   This is an other-worldly landscape, extensive lava flows occurred from volcanic eruptions 15,000 years ago. I found roughly eroded lava along one trail with areas of more rounded lava formations nearby. At an area called Devils's Orchard I walked another the trail.  Pine trees, and other bushes were growing well, looking similar to Sunset Crater National Monument in northern AZ.

      The next morning I stopped at Camas NWR on my way back to the Park, and found nearly 35 species of birds.   Just north of Idaho Falls, this area is a wintering over site for many duck species.  Today I saw Mallards, Gadwalls, and Lesser Scaup males floating and sleeping on a small pond.  Their females may be on nests.  White-faced Ibis were fun to watch.
     Western Kingbirds harassed a Red-tailed Hawk nest their nest, Eastern Kingbirds and Black-headed Grosbeaks, and Yellow Warblers sang from the trees.    

Gift Shop update:   new barcode scanners are working, most of the time.  There is always the occasional item that does not scan.  It is so helpful that we can print our own price stickers now.  Last year it took a week for stickers to be requested and delivered.  Our campground is full, cabins are full,  and trailhead parking needs to be secured early in the day.  Summer is on.  This photo of Grand Teton with Symmetry Spires taken from Jenny Lake boat ramp.
                                                 
                                                                                                                                          

Spring for real

Aspen trees have burst their pointed buds and are growing out tiny little leaves. Willow bushes no longer have naked yellow stalks waiting for Spring.  Yellow Warblers are perching  among the new Willow leaves, singing their territory boundaries.  Dusky Flycatchers have arrived ahead of the Warbling Vireos and Western Wood-Pewees.  I saw both Broad-tailed and Calliope Hummingbirds at Black Tail Ponds the other day.  Black-headed Grosbeaks are singing for a mate.
     Flowers, too, have felt the sunshine and are blooming.  First to flower were the Sage Buttercups and purple Rock Cress.  Recently I have seen Spring Beauty,  Yellow Violets,  deep purple Larkspurs,  and clusters of bright yellow Arrowleaf Balsamroot.  A surprise find 2 days ago:  the photo above is of a Clematis  "Sugar Bowl."    Lupines and Paintbrush are not far behind.

Yellowbells are a delicate meadow flower.

Shooting Stars are not abundant in the sage brush fields.  This cluster was a fun surprise.

Spring green Aspens and Willows along Snake River at Moose (southern end of the Park).

early Spring at Grand Tetons

When I arrived Jackson Lake was frozen.  In the past few days significant melting has taken place.  The lake is not completely ice-free, but the cove at Signal Mountain Lodge has finally melted.  I saw a Common Loon, and a pair of Common Mergansers yesterday in front of the lodge.  Aspen trees are still winter dormant, they don't believe Spring has arrived.  Early blooming Sage Buttercups are flowering at Lupine Meadows.  Spring Beauty flowers are not far behind.
     The celebrity bears are showing at roadside meadows during the day and on some evenings.  Grizzly # 399 raises her cubs in the forest and meadows north of Jackson Lake Lodge.  Tonight they were out foraging for roots and digging for insects.  The 2 cubs are yearlings, having survived their first year in the Park.  Strong backlighting from the sun made focusing a challenge.  This is maximum zoom on the camera.   2 Rangers were present to make sure that everyone stayed a safe distance away from the bears. 



The bears went into the forest leaving the group of photographers and visitors without a subject of interest, until a pair of Mountain Bluebirds came by.  The male perched on top of a pine tree to watch all the people in his territory.

Yesterday morning and this morning the clear lake waters showed spectacular reflections.

Mt Moran is on the right, with Mt. Woodring  and Rockchuck Peak.

Grand Teton is on the left with Symmetry Spires,  Mt St John, and Rockchuck Peak.

2 beautiful mornings in a row.