a Sunbreak

Gray-white skies and falling snowflakes have been what's happening here for the past 10 days.  Yesterday morning blue sky appeared and I took a few photos.  I found a camera-shy Magpie hiding in a Spruce tree.

It finally came out to forage in the old grass and spruce cone bits.












Eagle River is acquiring a frozen top.  Many nights with temperatures in the teens and below make for a frosty river.










start of Bachelor Gulch Road

Snowy CBC

     The snow was forecasted several days ahead.  I was hoping for less than an inch because Christmas Bird Count was Sunday, the 14th.  Sunday morning I swept 5 inches of snow off Silver truck !!   I would meet the group of birders in Eagle, CO about 20 miles to the west.  All went well with the driving and I was assigned to section 2, riding with Bill and Kathy in their Subaru.
     We drove up Valley Rd (Gypsum Canyon Rd or FS 412) into White River National Forest.  The red dirt road goes thru grasslands and pastures, later climbing in elevation to a Pinyon-Juniper forest.  Snow was still falling, temperature was about 35 F.  Birds were doing the smart thing, staying hidden in dense thickets and out of the storm.  For our morning's efforts, 14 species were tallied.  Highlights were a Rough legged Hawk chasing a young Red tailed Hawk, a Dipper standing on a rock in a grey, cold-looking creek.   Photo above:   Not a creature was stirring, not even a Chickadee.

     I had today off as well, so I picked up the snowshoes and boarded the bus up to Beaver Creek Village.  Mountains across the valley were covered in a blanket of snow.  The Nordic Center opened 2 days ago.  My old wooden snowshoes caused quite some excitement when I went in to find a map.  2 men photographed them with smartphones !

Beaver Creek

I arrived in Avon, CO in mid-afternoon under overcast skies.  Immediately after exiting from Hwy 70, each driver is thrown into a series of 4 traffic circles (round-abouts).  I came out of the last one heading uphill, being grateful I had not been hit by the furious pace of the traffic.  Eventually I found the Housing Office and, after much discussion and paperwork, was assigned to an apartment.  By the way, you will need to park  "here"  (at least a mile walking from my housing building.)
     Tarnes at Beaver Creek was built to accommodate visiting skiers.  Later on Vail Corporation bought the 3 Tarnes buildings for employee housing.  Above photo.
     It will be a good place, now that I convinced them to send a maintenance worker up to the apartment.  The oven, stove, and shower did not work when I first came in.  This photo is of a 3rd floor window, similar to mine altho I am on the 2nd floor.

 This is the front of the building, my windows face the back side, uphill.

view from the front of the building to the north, across the valley.
     There was a good snowfall before I arrived resulting in most of the snow in the photo.  Overnight Saturday, and into Sunday there has been a bit more snow.  I can walk to work at the Reception Center which is much easier than going down to the overflow parking where I am told to leave Silver truck.  The town offers free bus service on 2 different routes.  I think Silver truck will have alot of rest this winter.

Avian life does exist here, I have seen 2 Black-billed Magpies, and Mountain Chickadees.

Roadtrip

I departed Grand Tetons on a Friday, and spent 2 nights with my friend, Marianne, in central Wyoming.  Continuing on, I drove east and south across windy Wyoming and into Colorado which was also very windy.  I stayed 2 nights with my friend, Sandy, in central Colorado.  We did a nice hike in Pike National Forest, adding Pygmy Nuthatches to the bird list.  She is very kindly allowing me to store Fuji-bike and Dolphin in her shed.
      I continued south on highway 25, driving across the arid grasslands with an occasional clump of Junipers.  New Mexico had more elevation gain and more trees.  I stayed 2 nights with my friend, Elaine, near Phoenix, AZ.  She has been very kind to let me leave Silver truck in her garage while I flew out NH to visit family.
    Photo of Sandhill Cranes in central New Mexico.

     Dad and I have been birding in several places.  Mom and I have made many good things in the kitchen. My brother came over to visit.  Saturday we drove to Plum Island in coastal Massachusetts to meet my sister and her family for a day of birding.  Hooray for birds !   It has been a good visit.

 Above, a Green Heron at Papago Park near Phoenix.

to the left,  this American Bittern was successful in catching small fish and little crabs in the open marsh.  Its the first time I have seen a Bittern out in the open for such a long time period.  at Plum Island, Newburyport, MA

We walked on boardwalks like this one into a beautiful Oak forest.  such a pretty day.






Afternoon delight:  a Barred Owl was very obliging to conduct its late afternoon hunting (looking for mice) sitting on a branch in the sun.

Season's end

     Signal Mountain Lodge stays open late into October, and is the only area of visitor services during much of October.  We finished inventory at the shop, and covered everything with sheets borrowed from Housekeeping, or plastic bags.  Mice and rodents are known to live in the basement during the winter.
     Aspen trees have provided glorious color to the valley this Fall.  When I departed on Friday afternoon, many Aspens had lost their leaves.

Willows turned golden and brown for the Fall. Naked twigs are a dark red-brown.  Elk drink from these ponds in Willow Flats while resting from their rutting behavior.









I hiked Open Canyon in early October.  Despite its name, Open Canyon trail does not lead to a spectacular view.  Mountain Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Gray Jays, and Clark's Nutcrackers were busy feeding and gathering seeds.  Least Chipmunks and Red Squirrels were also busy, scolding me for interrupting their foraging as I walked by.

Back at Signal Mt Lodge 2 young Mule Deer bucks entertained guests and employees alike.  This one crossed the road while I was watching them eat leaves and bushes.

A triumph of Swans

North of Jackson is the Elk Refuge. A viewpoint has been built where Flat Creek flows into the Elk Refuge.  I often stop to watch ducks and blackbirds during the summer.  One July morning Trumpeter Swan parents showed their young cygnets.  I was lucky enough to be there to take a few photos.
     In early October I stopped at the Refuge viewpoint again.  The Trumpeter Swan family was swimming together past the overlook.  So exciting to see the 3 cygnets have survived their first summer.

     








October has brought frosty mornings with grass blades and leaves covered with bits of ice. This is a Buckwheat with frosted red leaves and dried flower stalks.                                                                                             Spruce branches behind.

A foggy morning at Signal Mt Lodge. 

Fall trees ablaze with color

     In between cold fronts I went out Saturday morning to enjoy the bright sunny day and brilliant trees.  Conifers become darker green, and Aspens light up the forest in yellow.  (sometimes orange).  American Goldfinches are migrating in flocks. They are the color of dying Aspen leaves, no longer matching the yellow flickering leaves.
     A week and a half ago I hiked to Taggart and Bradley Lakes.  What a pretty day !  A Belted Kingfisher and 3 Common Mergansers were fishing in the lake. 
     Willow Flats and the meadows are shades of yellow, rusty brown, and orange.  Elk have been bugling their mating calls across the fields at night and early morning.

 This young male Mule Deer stopped to look at me as I walked along a creek.

Grand Teton at sunrise from the balcony of the registration building.

I took the Tram up to Rendezvous Peak, at 10,927 feet, and hiked around below the summit.  Surprisingly a few flowers are still blooming (on the south slope).  Grey Jays and Mountain Bluebirds were fun to watch.

Oh no, Fall

The glorious summer in the mountains is no more.  Wildflowers are mostly faded and gone to seed. Asters, Yarrow, and the little Mountain Sunflower persist.  Nights are much cooler.  I had the window open in the room for nearly 3 months.  Vireos, Tanagers, and most of the Swallows have departed for warmer places and more insects to eat.
    This photo from Lupine Meadows road, an Aspen has turned yellow ahead of the other trees.

Fireweed stalk with red leaves, willows, and alder sapling.

Geranium leaves turn red before other foliage. Trailsides have been so green with abundant plants.
    I carried the 'scope down the trail to Christian Pond to study ducks.  Ugh, all in eclipse plumage.  Coot families were swimming together, a few Wigeons, Gadwalls, and others I did not figure out.

Hiking the Canyons

      Garnet Canyon, Paintbrush Canyon, and Hanging Canyon have all been beautiful in the past few weeks.  The trail up Hanging Canyon is a steep informal trail not listed on the maps at all. It must be a climbers access trail because I found it accidentally while chasing a woodpecker earlier in the season.
     Wild flowers have been spectacular.  Paintbrush in many colors, Bluebells, Sunflowers, Columbine, Penstemon, Monkeyflowers, Buckwheat is still blooming, Asters, Spirea, Red Heather, Monkshood, and more.
      This photo is Middle Teton from Surprise Lake.

Surprise Lake is one of those beautiful alpine lakes at the top of Garnet Canyon.

The trail is pretty also.

Snow melt cascades down each mountainside.

Teewinot and snow fields feeding the waterfalls and cascades.

Paddling around

     Dolphin and I have been out on 5 lakes so far.  Earlier in the season I was seeing female ducks leading broods of ducklings, spooking Great Blue Herons, and watching tiny fish swimming in the clear water. 
    This photo was taken during a short portage between bays.  I paddled south from Colter Bay boat ramp across 3 small bays  and around 2 little islands.  Water levels are dropping in Jackson Lake, as the Idaho potato farmers take their 38 feet of the lake.

String Lake is a narrow lake that empties into Jenny Lake.  I paddled north along its length to the take-out site and dragged Dolphin up the muddy bank.  The trail to Leigh Lake is short and ends at this  "staircase."  I watched a man position his plastic kayak, sit inside it, and slide bump, bump, bump down the ramp to splash into the water.  I did not do that !!

Leigh Lake is larger and has a few boat-in campsites on the shore.  I came around a corner and the wind was suddenly very strong.  I took a quick photo and turned around to return the portage.  String Lake is much more sheltered from the wind.

Oxbow Lake is a wonderful marsh to paddle around in.  Female ducks hide their ducklings in the willows.  I came around a corner and found a much larger youngster,  a baby Moose.  I was quiet and did not disturb mama Moose resting in the willows nearby.  The baby Moose looked at me and sat down in the grass.  It probably thought I was a big blue whale.

Fledglings abound

     Every morning now I take my binoculars with me for the walk to breakfast.  Fledgling birds are hopping about everywhere.  The wooden fence that separates the employee area from the campground is a favorite perching location.  I have a list of 15 species of juveniles seen here in the past 10 days.  Western Tanagers have been successful,  Robins have their spotted breasts, White crowned Sparrow babies flit in the Fir branches, Juncos, Kinglets, a Red-naped Sapsucker young one in an Aspen tree, and a Brewer's Blackbird little one in the parking lot looking lost. It could fly but did not know where to find breakfast.
      The grey and yellow fluffy Tanager juvenile likes the trees near the parking lot.  Twice I have seen mama Tanager feed it Honeysuckle berries.  Dad Tanager, once a brilliant yellow, is molting into a dull yellow with a less bright red head.  They have been singing/ calling all summer.
     Despite the efforts of the Maintenance team, both Barn and Tree Swallows have been successful in raising young.  The swallows had to select odd locations behind the buildings out of sight of park visitors for nesting.  I opened the back door of the store last night and was met with a flurry of chittering and swooping from the Barn Swallow family.
     The Hairy Woodpecker fledgling knew to hit the tree trunk with its bill, but was still following the adult around making little almost-woodpecker sounds.
     I was surprised the Pine Siskins already had their yellow wing edges and tail edges.

     Photos of Common Merganser family I found on String Lake while paddling my kayak.





The same family sitting on a large rock.

I have seen an American Wigeon female with ducklings, Coots with little ones, and the Barrow's Goldeneye photos were included in a previous posting.

Flat Creek runs through the Elk Refuge north of Jackson.  I have stopped at the viewpoint many times to see ducks and other birds.  A week ago the Trumpeter Swans had their family out for all the visitors to see.

Rainbow of Flowers

      While some flowers are at their peak in July, others have faded into mid-summer.  The bright yellow bunches of Arrowleaf Balsamroot have gone to seed and their leaves are drying.  Scarlet Gilia is less abundant  in the lower valley than it was, and Penstemon has also dropped its petals in favor of maturing seeds.  Mountain Hollyhocks bloom in pink on a tall stalk.  Its always a surprise to see them.

    Across the rainbow:

   
Red Paintbrush with Lewis's Monkeyflower near Jenny Lake.









Orange Paintbrush as well:

A bright yellow Dalmation Toadflax growing along the road.

Blue Penstemon has been beautiful.   I hiked Cascade Canyon 2 weeks ago and heard many bird songs.  This is the season for raising nestlings, adults are busy foraging.











Deer will eat the Lupine.  I have seen the older bucks growing magnificent antlers still in velvet,

Celebration of Birds

     Back in May I was happy to see (and photograph) one male Barrow's Goldeneye.  Last month I saw a raft of them in Yellowstone Lake.  Schwabacher's Landing finally opened in early July and I was able to take a morning walk along the back channels of the Snake River.  Barrow's Goldeneye females were leading groups of young ducklings swimming across the channel.
    One afternoon in late June, I was walking along the south end of Jenny Lake listening to birds singing.  Warbling Vireos were adding to the chorus.  I found this female sitting on her nest in an Aspen tree.

   






 Two weeks ago I was wandering in the forest north of Phelps Lake looking for Woodpeckers.  I found this Chickadee nest cavity when a parent Chickadee zipped past my head and into the hole.

     Eastern Kingbirds prefer more open country.  I was outside the Park when I found this good looking bird swooping after insects.

 

   A litter of Coyote pups was born under one of the old buildings in the Mormon Row area. They happened to be out in the sunshine the morning I came by.  Cliff Swallows were nesting on an adjacent building and Vesper Sparrows sang from the sagebrush across the street.