December

December weekends I spent following ebird reports.  Where are birds found in the Winter here ?   One successful trip was to Willow Creek, a small community to the northwest on the Jefferson River.  One house had several feeders in the yard.  I was excited to find American Tree Sparrows, Goldfinches, Pine Siskins, Oregon Juncos, Evening Grosbeaks, and 2 species of Chickadees.  I am still not used to hearing Blue Jays in this country.  They are having a big range expansion.
       Photo to the right of an American Tree Sparrow.
     The 2nd week in December is Bozeman  Ice Festival.  During the day many  "clinics" are held in the canyons south of town to teach people how to ice climb.  In the evenings movies or other presentations are held at different venues.  I attended a few talks on X-C Skiing across Yellowstone in Winter,  climbing 27 peaks in southern Montana in 4 days, making backpacks, and other topics.  Many young strong people.  I think I will not be trying ice climbing in this lifetime.
      Sunrises and sunsets can be brilliant and colorful from the house.

     
                                                     
Fire in the Sky













Bridger Range, Alpine Glow









Bozeman's Audubon group is Sacajawea Audubon, it is quite large.  The December meeting filled to capacity a beautifully restored theater in downtown, even tho the talk was on Wolves and not on Birds. Sacajawea Audubon supports 7 Christmas Bird Counts in the region.  Bozeman count,  Ennis (one hour to the west),  Livingston  (to the east, a very windy area),  north Yellowstone, West Yellowstone  (2 hours drive), Three Forks  (30 mins to the west),  and Ruby Valley  (only a few people birding this area).  
       I joined a CBC group on the 14th, and was assigned to the southwest corner of the count circle.  My team of 3 people found 34 species, only because the section leader knew the area well.  Who would know to look for Wood Ducks in the mostly frozen pond in a mobile home park ?   I was told that some years Bozeman leads the nation in high count of Magpies.  !!!   Temperature started at 16 F and peaked at 27 F.  
      Christmas at the Museum office was fun.  The store's manager saves all the samples he receives during the year.   Monday (16th)  he spread all those items out on tables in a classroom, added items that were not selling well, or were leftover from other events.   Employees drew names for our  "Secret Christmas person"  and we each went  "shopping"  in the classroom. There was no money involved.  
       The Christmas Camel made a brief appearance mid-week.  Picture a (plush toy) Bactrian camel about 3 feet tall wearing Reindeer antlers on its head, a red bow on its nose, and a brightly wrapped gift between its 2 humps.  A very good looking camel.



        This photo taken south of town.
and a Song Sparrow at Story Mill Park.

     

Exploring the area

     Snow was on the ground for my first 2 weeks in Bozeman.  This week temperatures warmed up enough to melt the snow.  I was able to walk around the museum building at lunch time, and walk the  "green spaces"  near the house.  Following the ebird reports I have found city parks and larger ponds to look for birds.

     Photo above is Gallatin River as it flows thru Story Mill Park.  The history of this park is quite interesting.  In the mid-1800's farmers found this area to be good for growing wheat. In 1882, Nelson Story built a water-powered mill along with the largest grain elevator in the state.  More than 100 years later, many organizations and agencies restored the area and created a wonderful park.  A volunteer takes care of a bird-feeding area.  Evening Grosbeaks and House Finches enjoy the seeds.
                                                                                                                                           

A few Oregon Juncos foraged for seeds under the feeder.  (For interested birders, I did an ebird report for this location)

A Song Sparrow foraged in the brush.

Sunsets can be spectacular.  This photo was taken from the house looking east to the Bridger Range.
     Below photo is of the small backyard that is adjacent to a  "green space"  walkway.

During the summers of 2011 and 2012,  I came to Montana (and Bozeman) looking to add Gray Partridge to my bird list.  That did not happen. I finally found this gallinaceous bird in Idaho later in 2012.  Last week 5 Gray Partridges walked thru the hedge into the green space area.  !!






Yesterday I  drove west looking for certain ponds reported to have ducks and geese.  The problem now is that Winter has happened, ponds are frozen, and ducks have migrated south.  I found a huge flock of Canada Geese standing on the ice, a few Chickadees, and Magpies.
     Going thru Bozeman, Interstate 90 is signed for 75 mph with many drivers going 80 mph.     Several miles beyond the city the speed limit is 80 mph.  Way too fast for me !!  Karen and Subaru are meandering along at 65 mph.  I arrived at Three Forks just fine.

Bozeman

By August my co-workers were being hired at other parks and resorts for the Winter, or making plans to return to their family homes.  I, too, was looking on-line for ideas to answer the question "Where to go at the end of the season?"    One of my many applications was to a temp agency in Bozeman, MT.  They offered an interview in mid-September and I accepted.  It was quite a nice adventure to drive thru Yellowstone, colorful in Fall dress, and north along hwy 191.  
      Photo to right is near south end of Yellowstone Park.   Photo below is of Lewis River.
       Interview completed, I returned by the same route thru Yellowstone.  Mid-October  the agency sent me another email asking for a 2nd interview.   I had 4 interviews in Jackson with no responses, so I agreed to drive north that weekend.  A snowstorm in Idaho Falls had me stay 2 nights waiting for the weather to clear.  
      Tuesday morning's interview was mostly paperwork, photocopy my passport, and  "We have a client who is interested in you."  Later in the afternoon I received another email from them.  The client is Museum of the Rockies,  please be there at 1 pm tomorrow.  By the end of Wednesday I was hired as the Administrative Assistant to the Director and other offices.
      Museum of the Rockies is the natural history museum for this region.  They specialize in dinosaurs and fossils, culture of the Native American tribes, history of Gallatin Valley pioneers, and of course natural history of the area. Education programs for school kids is another focus.  Montana is a good place to look for fossils because the exposed rock is of the right age to find fossils.  The Dinosaur exhibit is not as big as Yale's Hall of Dinosaurs, but it is very well done.

hike near Bridger Bowl.  Forest of Fir and Lodgepole Pine.  Chickadees calling from the trees.  There are Magpies everywhere.

east side of Bridger range after the early Fall  snowstorm.

view of the Bridger range, east of town

October suddenly

Less than a week after the last posting the Aspen trees turned golden, all at the same time, it seemed.  Beautiful Fall days were intermingled with rain and snow showers.  Typical mountain weather.
     I walked to Christian Pond to see if there were any ducks remaining on the pond.  Yes,  a few Mallards, Coots, and American Wigeons.   The Aspens were brilliant in gold.

Color change happened quickly, and faded quickly as a few cold fronts with strong winds blew the leaves around.

Grand Teton at sunrise is magnificent.










                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

I had a lovely hike in Cascade Canyon, with Mt Owen on the left  (photo)  and Mt St John on the right  (no photo here).  

 Elk are putting on a big show during their rutting time.  Bulls with impressive antlers run back and forth, monitoring the females in their harem, and bugling loudly to keep the other males from approaching.

Moose have been equally exciting in Gros Ventre CG in the south end of the park.  2 large males and 3 females walk the CG loops, eating bushes and sniffing the ground.  Males are looking for females in heat,  females seem uninterested in the attention.

Fall is sort of sad

Flowers have all faded except for the purple Asters and Mountain Sunflowers in bright yellow.  Fireweed has lost its magenta flowers and gone to fluffy seeds.  Aspens are still holding their green leaves, for the most part.  Hillsides are not golden, not yet.  This one Aspen tree is cloning itself and its unique genetics, just down the hill from Willow Flats.  

    Birds are mostly migrated away from the Park.  A few Pelicans, and ducks can still be found at Oxbow Lake.  Yellow-rumped warblers are staying longer in the Willows than other little Passerines.   Its so quiet in the forest.   Magpies and Crows will be around all winter.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
    Juncos and Chickadees often visit feeders in Jackson.

Grasses at Schwabacker's Landing are becoming yellow, on this cloudy Fall day. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

 

Leaves on Huckleberry bushes turn red along Taggart Lake trail.  Asters and Aspens are still in summer dress. 

Fireweed's magenta flowers have gone to fluffy seeds, then the leaves become red in September.

Moose antlers have lost the nutritious

 "velvet"  covering and are impressive in size.  You know its Fall when male Moose are displaying their antlers, and the Elk are bugling in the forest.

mid August

     Birds are few and far between in the Park, now.  Kinglets are not singing, and Robins are no longer here.  Grackles are still walking around in the big parking lot.  A female Grackle nested in a large Dogwood bush in front of the restaurant / Gift shop building for the 2nd summer.  Her well-defended territory included a Pine tree and the sidewalk between the Registration building and the restaurant.  She would often fly out from the Pine and hassle the guests walking along the sidewalk.   "That bird attacked me, "  was a common complaint from guests walking into the Gift shop.
     My most recent kayaking adventure had me launching into Spaulding Bay and paddling south. I paddled along several coves, past the point, and into Bearpaw Bay.  It was a beautiful calm morning.  Birds were:  a family of Common Mergansers with 12 little merglings,  Spotted Sandpipers, an Eared Grebe in breeding plumage, and a family of Mountain Bluebirds at the edge of a quiet inlet.  A Bald Eagle flew over !   
     Yesterday was the Sunday of my work week, so I went hiking.  Garnet Canyon is between Grand Teton and Cloudveil Dome.  I met several groups of climbers on their way to climb The Grand and Middle Teton, as well.   Below photo is the trail along the edge of the canyon.

Middle Teton at the head of Garnet Canyon.

Western Asters and Yampah flowers along the trail.

Moon over Teewinot Peak.

Mountain Ash turning orange for the Fall.

Yellow Monkeyflowers along a small creek.

a Beartooth adventure

A few weeks ago a co-worker had family visiting.  I gave her my Thursday that I usually have off, and the following week I had an extra day off myself.   I had wanted to see Beartooth highway and the surrounding mountains, now I had the opportunity.  To learn where this place is, look at a map of Yellowstone park and follow the road out to the northeast.  
    I drove north thru Yellowstone park, enjoyed Goldeneyes on the Lake (a type of duck), a Black bear on the side of the road, and many wildflowers.  I turned right at Tower junction and drove thru Lamar Valley, home to a famous wolf pack.  Exiting Yellowstone at the northeast entrance, I drove thru Cooke City and into Shoshone National Forest.  such a beautiful forest.
    Highway 212 in this area is one of the most scenic highways I have driven.  
The following day I drove to the summit again, to enjoy the early morning before the cars and motorcycles starting coming.  I spent the day driving back thru Lamar Valley, along the northern edge of Yellowstone park, and exited at West Yellowstone.  Following a tip from a helpful person, I found a free camping area on the southern edge of Henry's Lake.  
    Next day I drove south on highway 20,  very pretty area, and discovered Mesa Falls Scenic Parkway, an unexpected pleasure.  Then the more familiar highways back to my park.

Photo to the right,  a Black Rosy-finch was a wonderful surprise, and difficult to photograph.

Upper Mesa Falls with a rainbow.







Photo below was also a surprise find,  a group of Mountain Goats with a few little ones.

First hike of 2019

I hiked up Death Canyon.  Despite the ominous sounding name, its a beautiful hike with many birds and flowers starting to bloom.  Last year I did not drive to the official trailhead because the dirt road is rough and I did not want to take Silver truck on that road.  This time Subaru was awesome and did very well on that road.  Aspens are fully leafed out, early flowers like Balsamroot and Shooting Star are past their prime.  Photo to the right is a Leopard Lilly.  I don't find these very often.  
      Warbling Vireos, Green-tailed Towhees, Black-headed Grosbeaks, and Dusky Flycatchers were singing from the trees.  A Ruffed Grouse was drumming from a well-hidden location off the trail.  Chipping Sparrows and Juncos sang their similar songs, while Mountain Chickadees whistled from the taller shrubs.  They sound hoarse compared to the Black-cappeds.

I was lucky to find a cooperative Green-tailed Towhee who sat for many photos like this one.









Melt water from the high peaks is thundering 
down canyon, white and turbulent. Of course the mountains were beautiful.

 This is the trail, as I begin the climb to the top of the canyon.  Meltwater has expanded out of the creekbed and is flowing down the trail.  (photo to the left)








Below photo is where I stopped.  This snowfield covered the trail and I am not walking on that steep angle snow without crampons !!

This morning

Weather has been eratic.  The 2 weeks of gloomy clouds and rain finally moved out.  It was exciting to see the mountains again.  I had 2 good weekends of birding.  It seemed like Migration was dropping all these wonderful birds on the landscape.  More on that later, so many photos on the memory card need to be organized first.

      

 from the boat ramp this morning.

 Subaru is snowed again.

I had the good fortune of learning of a Mama Moose and baby in the southern part of the Park.  I drove down after work that day and joined many visitors admiring the newcomer.








Harlequin Duck was exciting to see in Yellowstone on Wednesday.