a few more adventures

Wednesday I used my day off to go hiking in Cascade Canyon. I hiked here 3 times last year and took alot of photos (last year).  The mountains are still spectacular and melt water from the snowfields is rushing down the mountainsides to tumble into Cascade Creek.  Moose are a staple in this canyon, but I didn't see any that day.  Yellow-bellied Marmots were out sunning on rocks, while Pikas were busy gathering grass and plants to create their "haystacks" for winter food supply.
      I also had Thursday off and took advantage of an employee discount.  The aerial tram to the top of Rendezvous Peak carried visitors to nearly 11000 ft in about 12 minutes.  Last year I photographed many alpine tundra flowers.  This year the flowers are fewer because the earth so dry.  Less winter snow made less snowmelt water to feed the flowers in the Spring.  Warm temperatures have evaporated remaining soil moisture. 
Photo,  looking west from the top.

    Clark's Nutcrackers squawked from the top of spindly Fir trees, and Pink-sided Juncos squeaked from under the broad skirts of Fir branches close to the ground.
    Its been unusually warm, the Park doesn't see temperatures in the 80's until later in July.
I took the kayak to Two Ocean Lake yesterday morning before work.  The winds were calm and the water was smooth.  Two Ocean Lake is ringed with willows and alders in the riparian, with conifers and aspens further back in the forest.  I was in the middle of the lake and put my binoculars on a large brown lump. 
    A female Moose !!  I watched her for a few minutes, and noticed a small rusty brown calf coming out of the willows.  A little Moose calf !!   Watching the little one for a few minutes I realized there was another pair of ears behind it.  2 little Moose babies !!   Twins are unusual in the Moose world.     Mama Moose continued feeding on aquatic plants and decided I was not a threat.   Too far away for photos,  but what an amazing thing to see.

This photo was taken one morning I was out looking for birds when 2 deer came out of the Aspens and walked across the sagebrush.

 The bird list is on ebird, if anyone is interested.
A light haze has come across the mountains today, giving them a misty look.

Wandering around the Park

Employees were offered the chance to go on the Chuckwagon Breakfast Ride for free.  This was a sort of  "shakedown cruise"  for the corral people and the wranglers to have everything right before the event is offered to the guests.  Would I like to ride in the wagon or on a horse ?   On am horse, of course !  The brown horse in the photo is Gopher, who was born into a wild horse band on land managed by the federal government.  Each year the wild horses are rounded up and some are sold at auction. The rest are released back into the wild. 
     Friday morning before work I launched Dolphin into Oxbow Lake. It was a beautiful clear morning and I saw 22 bird species.  I did not bring the camera with me.  Mama Ruddy Duck had 8 ducklings,  Mama Mallard had only 2 little fluffy ones.  The female Bufflehead did not have any ducklings with her, nor did the female Goldeneye.  Swallows swooped, Sparrows sang from the bushes as did Yellow Warblers.  
     Twice I heard a great splashing behind me, turned around, and watched a Moose trotting across a shallow area to another willow clump. 

Bison photo from Kelly Road the morning I was out looking at birds in the sagebrush.
  
  Sunday morning I joined a Ranger-led Bird Walk. She doesn't do this event very often so I was lucky to find out about it.  We walked from Moose Visitor Center past the Murie Cabins to a side-channel of the Snake River.  Birds were good.  While the group was watching a House Wren I turned around and saw a Red Fox not far away.  Everyone had a good look at it.  2 minutes later the group leader spotted baby fox kits near a cabin.  The den was under the old cabin.  We watched (thru the tall grass) as 4 fox kits romped and played in the sun while Mom was hunting for breakfast.  Truly an amazing find.
     Several touring cyclists have come by Cabin Office looking to spend the night.  The first man was from Scotland who had lost his job.  His wife gave permission for him to come to America and ride for 3 months cross-country.  A few nights ago 2 riders from the Great Divide Bike Route or Tour Divide came by asking for a cabin.  The route starts in Banff Park in Alberta and ends at  Antelope Wells, New Mexico. The route avoids all paved roads.
     

Today's hike

more photos:   from the kayak on Monday,  Calypso Orchid,  Phelps Lake with reflections

Beauty all around

Monday I took the kayak out for the first time this year.  The lake is full and the mountains are glowing with their fresh coats of snow.  I saw 3 Spotted Sandpipers in different places along the shore.  A Sandhill Crane had come down for a drink and walked away slowly as I paddled by.

Tuesday afternoon Colter Bay had partly cloudy skies when a few strong wind gusts blew through the village.  5 miles to the south an intense thunderstorm cell had produced hail and lightning.  A lightning strike on a few power poles knocked out electricity to all of Teton Valley for 5 or 6 hours.  The important guest revenue areas have emergency generators, the restaurant, the grocery and gift shop, and Cabin Office.  Guests were not happy as electric lights in the cabins did not work.  Around 9 pm the power was restored and the generators were turned off.
     Today was my one day off this week.  I drove to LSR Preserve and hiked up to Phelps Lake.  What a beautiful blue sky day !!  The mountains were shining, birds were singing and I found a little purple Calypso Orchid along the trail.  Exciting birds were Black-headed Grosbeaks, a MacGillivray's Warbler, Warbling Vireos, and Western Tanagers.  Chipping Sparrows were most numerous, while the Golden-crowned Kinglets won for most vocal species. 

    Coming back from grocery shopping I stopped at the Elk Refuge pond.  Redhead ducks and Ring-necks are mated, Yellow-headed Blackbirds were  "singing" and a pair of Trumpeter Swans foraged together across from the viewing platform.  4 species of Swallows zipped around catching insects:  Barn, Tree, Violet-Green, and Cliff.
     Update on the Bear families.  The older female, tagged # 399, is alive and well after an encounter with a male grizzley who tried to kill her yearling cubs.  These 2 yearlings are now on their own and doing OK.  The photo from 2 blogs ago is of a younger female, tagged # 610, and her 3 yearling cubs.  When bears are feeding within sight of the road, park rangers enforce the  "stay 300 ft away" rule.
Photos of a Mama Moose whose week-old calf was sitting in the willows nearby, and a few peaks in the southern Tetons.

Memorial Day snowstorm

Holding well to the pattern, this region had a snowstorm over the holiday weekend.  This was a big storm extending from northern Yellowstone Park to Jackson, WY.  Yellowstone received over a foot of snow in some areas.  Last night the road connecting Grand Tetons Park and Yellowstone was closed.  We were quite busy at Cabin Office renting cabins to guests stranded by the storm.
     I have not been hiking for past few days because the skies have either been dripping rain or blowing snow thru the forest.  I imagine the trails will be muddy for awhile.  I did want to post more photos. Facebook is not quite cooperating.
The lower photo is of the sagebrush area along the trail to the lake.

Starting at the Park

I arrived on Saturday, checked into my room, and unloaded the truck.  Sunday everyone checked in at HR, and went to Orientation.  Monday I started  "training."  Mostly we did setting up the room, and some refreshing on the computer  program.  Tuesday we started training the new people.  One lady quit after one day, another woman did not show up.  We will be working 6 days per week,  until 2 more people are hired for Cabin Office.
     Yesterday a cold front moved in with snow, rain and some gusty winds.  It snowed all night. There was some accumulation, but it melted quickly.  I am waiting for the clouds to blow away from the mountains so I can take some pictures.
     Spring is 3 - 4 weeks more advanced now, than last year at this time.  Last year huge snow piles were everywhere, campgrounds were filled with snow, and the lake was frozen.  All the trees were still in winter dormancy.  Now the Aspens  have already leafed out and small wildflowers are blooming.
Photos of Mom Grizzley Bear with 3 cubs, now yearlings.  The cut-out sculptures are from a town I drove thru on my trip to the Park.

Wyoming

I spent a lovely morning birding along the Platte River at Edness Kimball SP.   Western Kingbirds chittering, brilliant American Goldfinches, Swainson's Thrush, a Black-headed Grosbeak singing, and 2 male Wood Ducks in the river.  Yellow Warblers were singing from territorial perches.
     A detour to the south where I picked up my kayak permit for Wyoming and I continued on to Laramie.  The following morning I visited 2 places that had been on my list last year as possibilities: Hutton Lake NWR and Snowy Range.  Hutton Lake NWR has the grassland sparrows: Vesper, Brewer's, and Lark.  All were singing.  Shorebirds were present as well:  Willets calling, Avocets foraging in the shallows, and more Wilson's Phalaropes.
     Snowy Range Scenic Hwy was delightful. The pass is nearly 11000 ft.  There is still snow in the high country.  I watched American Pipits courting and singing. White-crowned Sparrows were singing from sparse cedar trees, and little tundra flowers are blooming.
     South of Rawlins the landscape reverts to dry dusty sage brush.  I stayed overnight at Sinks Canyon SP near Lander.  Spectacular geology.

 Last summer I met Marianne, another employee at GT Park.  She and a friend own a house in Dubois along hwy 26.  I stayed overnight with her and the dog, Prince.

Photos:  top of the pass at Snowy Range.

Popo Agie River  flowing thru Sinks Canyon SP

Chocolate Lilly,  Fritillaria atropurpurea.    I had not seen this flower before.