Animals of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks

We are in the midst of a deep freeze here in New Hampshire, with temperatures well below zero at night. Since very few animals will be leaving their winter shelter to brave the cold, I thought that now would be a good time to look back to this past Spring and all the animals we saw when visiting Wyoming and Idaho.

Grizzly bears, elk and wolves were the three species I was hoping to see when we visited Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and we were fortunate to see two out of three along with many other mammals.

First, small mammals can be just as interesting as large, especially when they are different species than we have back home. To arrive at Grand Teton National Park from our lodging in Alta, Wyoming we had to travel through Victor, Idaho and then over the Teton Pass. Once back on the Wyoming side of the mountains we saw a Short-tailed weasel after stopping at a parking area to admire the view.  

Short-tailed weasel

One evening in Grand Teton National Park we went on a horse-drawn wagon ride and had a barbecue picnic for dinner. Surrounding the picnic tables were small mammals that looked like prairie dogs, but were actually Uinta ground squirrels. They were very amusing to watch as they playfully chased each other.

Uinta Ground Squirrel

The first time I saw a Marmot was last year in the Black Hills of South Dakota. This year we saw them in Yellowstone National Park at Sheepeater Cliff which is known for its Marmot population. This one was resting while we ate our lunch at the base of the basalt columns.

Yellow-bellied Marmot

I was hoping to see elk last year in Custer State Park, but we did not since it was only mid-May when most of the cows were preparing to give birth to their young and are less likely to be seen in open fields. This trip they were abundant and it was very exciting to see the first one shortly after we entered Yellowstone park.

Our first Elk Sighting - next to Yellowstone Lake.

We saw many elk in their natural surroundings - in fields and by streams and lakes - so it was a little odd to see them lying down on the grass in the center of Mammoth Springs, but apparently this is quite common. There was a ranger standing nearby to make sure that tourists kept their distance.

Two elk resting on a lawn in Mammoth Springs

If there are a lot of cars stopped along the side of the road you know that some type of wildlife is nearby. If there are so many cars and people that you can't pass then chances are good that a bear has been sighted. Toward the end of our first day in Yellowstone, we were on our way to see Old Faithful and came across a "bear jam." We couldn't believe our luck. No binoculars were needed as a grizzly bear and two cubs were hanging out just a short distance from the road. We couldn't have asked for a better bear sighting.

A mother grizzly bear with her two cubs in Yellowstone National Park

After seeing the famous geyser erupt we had dinner at the Old Faithful Inn.

Upon exiting the inn, there was a large buffalo (American bison) that had decided to plop down in the middle on the circular driveway. It was impossible to keep the recommended 100 yard distance, but everyone seemed to be respecting its privacy and it seemed totally oblivious to its surroundings. Yellowstone is unique in that it is the only place in the United States where bison have existed since pre-historic times. It is hard to believe that in the mid-nineteenth century approximately 60 million bison once roamed the Great Plains. In the late 1800's the U.S. Army had a campaign to eliminate bison, which they almost did. By 1902 only two dozen bison existed in Yellowstone. Protection efforts were finally initiated at the beginning of the 20th century and now the Yellowstone bison population ranges from 2,300 - 5,500 (nps.gov).

During our second day in Yellowstone, we went on a short hike on the Lost Lake Trail. It was a beautiful area, but a little unnerving to see bison hanging out right next to the trail. They didn't seem to mind us being there, but it still made me nervous knowing that if they wanted they could seriously hurt us.

A handsome bison at rest along the Lost Lake Trail in Yellowstone National Park (above) and several bison at rest (below)

At one of our stops we saw some cool Bighorn sheep with their young. It was amazing to watch them traverse a very steep slope.The babies kept taking off to explore on their own, but would eventually run to catch up with their mothers.

Two female Bighorn sheep with their young

A distant view of the cliff (below) they were descending puts the amazing agility of these creatures in perspective.

We did not see any wolves, but we did come across several coyotes. One time, two were stalking a Sandhill Crane. We watched until the coyotes eventually gave up their quest.

Coyote - Yellowstone National Park

We also saw a handful of deer and plenty of Pronghorn. The Pronghorn were difficult to capture on camera as they never remained still for very long. When running Pronghorn can reach speeds of over fifty miles an hour.

Pronghorn in field off Hwy ID-21 on approach to Stanley

I'll end this blog with a photo of a handsome bull moose. It's always exciting to see these huge creatures back home and spotting three on our trip was totally unexpected. We saw a mother and a very young calf along the banks of the Snake River while on a rafting trip in Grand Teton National Park and this guy in Yellowstone near the Petrified Tree trail.

I am looking forward to our vacation next summer to Glacier National Park and the wildlife that we will see there.

Warm Nut Loaf

Sunrise in December

Although not yet official on the calendar, winter weather has arrived. We received our first significant snowfall this week and temperatures are expected to drop into the single digits tonight. This is a great recipe that is very satisfying and will provide you with extra fuel for winter activities like shoveling  the walkway and driveway.

Ingredients:
1 medium onion chopped
oil for sauteing
2 cups chopped mushrooms of your choice
2 cloves garlic minced 
1/4 cup sherry or broth
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups walnuts chopped fine
1 cup almonds chopped fine
5 eggs beaten
1 cup cottage cheese
8 ounces grated gruyere cheese
4 ounces fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon 
1 teaspoon dried sage

4 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley or 1 teaspoon dried
salt and pepper

Saute onion in oil about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until softened. Add garlic, thyme, tarragon and sage. When mushrooms and onion begin to dry add sherry or broth and cook over low heat about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

In a large bowl, mix rice and nuts together. In a small bowl combine eggs and cottage cheese. Add to nuts and rice then stir in mushroom mixture. Add cheeses and parsley and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Grease a loaf pan and line with parchment paper, overlapping sides. Pat loaf mixture firmly into pan. Place on baking tray and bake at 350 degrees for an hour or longer until set. Cool on rack for ten minutes, then lift out of pan with parchment paper. Serve warm with mushroom gravy.

Mushroom Gravy:
1 cup mushrooms sliced
3 Tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic
1 Tablespoon flour
1/2 cup broth 
1/2 cup cream
 
Saute mushrooms and garlic in 2 Tablespoons butter until soft. Remove pan from heat and set aside. Melt 1 Tablespoon butter over low heat then stir in 1 Tablespoon flour. Cook roux until it begins to thicken, then gradual add liquid ingredients, continuing to stir until heated through and thickened.  Serve immediately over nut loaf. 

A Walk in Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge

 Instead of shopping the day after Thanksgiving, my son, nephew and I drove up to the White Mountains to explore the Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge in Jefferson, New Hampshire. This conservation area is part of the same Silvio O. Conte Wildlife Refuge that is up in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. I had heard of this beautiful piece of property, but had never visited. As has been typical this November, it was a relatively mild day. We all packed boots and winter gear which was good since there was a little bit of snow.

The beginning of the trail out to Cherry Pond

Since I am used to climbing when I hike, this hike was different, following an old railroad line the entire way. This made it no less enjoyable, since we could take our time and just enjoy the peace, quiet and each other's company. I am sure that in the Spring the woods are filled with the sounds of birds, but today, other than an occasional chickadee, there was just the sound of our feet crunching leaves under the snow.

After a mile and a half we turned right at Waumbak Junction, which used to be the site of a railroad station. This path merges onto the Presidential Rail Trail, an 18 mile multi-use trail that runs from Cherry Pond all the way to a parking area in Gorham. This path would be wonderful to take a mountain bike on in the summer, or to cross country ski on when there is more snow. The trail leads you to a viewing platform with a fantastic view of the Presidential Range.

Lee, Wendy and Andrew at the Cherry Pond Platform

We retraced our steps and continued right onto the railroad tracks. After a quarter of a mile, we took the trail to the left to Little Cherry Pond.

Trail to Little Cherry Pond

This is a loop trail that travels through woods and wetlands and consists of a series of bog bridges.

Bog bridges

 

Shoreline of Little Cherry Pond

The trail ends at a viewing platform overlooking Little Cherry Pond. This is another quiet place for reflection.We took the loop back to the railroad tracks and took a short detour onto the Shoreline Path. Here we saw some fresh tracks which looked like they were from a chipmunk.
 

This side path provided some of the best views of Cherry Pond and the mountains. and was a great way to cap off the hike before heading back to the parking lot.

Beaver dam on Cherry Pond and snow-capped Presidential range in the background

Now that I have gotten a taste of the area, I will definitely be back in the Spring to witness the abundance of wildlife that seasonally call this place home.

Take-out Tonight

With all the preparations involved with hosting Thanksgiving dinner this week, the last thing I want to think about is preparing dinner ahead of time. Fortunately, we have two take home meal stores in town so I decided this was a great time to try them out.

Local Baskit is located at 10 Ferry Street, Concord. They started out as an online only store, but earlier this year opened a storefront where you can stop in and order or pick up your meal kits. While in the store I noticed that they also have a cooler of craft beers. If you are familiar with on-line meal kits, you know that they provide are all or most of your ingredients, proportionately-sized, along with a recipe card. At Local Baskit you can sign-up for weekly meal subscriptions with a $6 delivery charge, or you can order ahead and pick up at one of their locations across the state. I did not order ahead, but was still able to stop in the store and pickup a Spinach Ravioli kit for two.  This meal was great because the raviolis had already been made, so all I had to prepare was the sauce.

Spinach Ravioli Meal kit from Local Baskit

The kit came almost complete with all the ingredients - all I had to provide were oil, butter, salt and pepper. The recipe card had clear photos and easy to follow instructions.

Preparation was a breeze, and for the cost of not much more than going out for fast food, we had a tasty and healthy meal at home with half the effort. The final result looking almost like the photo on the recipe card, and my husband and I both agreed that it was delicious.

Finished spinach ravioli with pistachio lemon cream sauce

When you don't even have time to prepare a meal from take home ingredients, yet want to eat healthy without dining at a restaurant, Concord has another option - The Clean Take, at Capital Two Plaza, conveniently located next to the Durgin Block parking garage.

The Clean Take's meals are already prepared for you and come in reheat-able containers. Like Local Baskit, Clean Take uses fresh and local ingredients whenever possible. Last night we picked up eggplant "meatballs" over rice with a tossed salad. After just twenty minutes in the oven we had a satisfying vegetarian meal which I would definitely order again.

Eggplant meatballs over a bed of rice with fresh salad greens

The Capital Region is fortunate to have two such high quality take-home meal service locations. Check out their websites and if you live in the area, do not hesitate to stop in and chat with the owners about their philosophies on the importance of healthy eating and how they can make meal preparation both simple and enjoyable.

Beef and Apple Chili

One thing that helps get me through the cold days of fall and winter is cooking warm meals in the crock pot. This recipe adds fruit to a basic chili which results in a unique flavor.

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon oil
1/2 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 14.5 oz can kidney beans or other
beans of your choice
1 cup chopped apples
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup beef or chicken broth
 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Heat oil and saute onion and garlic. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Add all ingredients to slow cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours. Garnish with cheese if desired.
 

Protect Evergreens from Winter Stress

It is now November and although the temperature is supposed to stay in the fifties tonight, the calendar says that freezing temperatures are not far off. This weekend was spent doing fall cleanup, raking leaves, picking up dead branches from the storm Sunday night and spraying our evergreen leaf shrubs with Wilt-Pruf®. I use it on Rhodedendrums, Azaleas, Boxwood and Andromeda. Although these plants are winter hardy, sometimes during severe winters if the leaves are exposed to drying winds and thawing then freezing temperature, this can stress the plant, resulting in brown curled leaves that may not recover in the Spring. Although it may not be needed every winter, to be safe, I apply this spray each year after the temperatures dip below freezing. Since, using it I have not lost any  shrubs due to winter weather. Wilt-Pruf® contains a trademark chemical Pinolene®, a Lewis acid catalyzed polymer of beta-pinene which is derived from the resin of a pine tree. It can be purchased in a spray bottle, or as a concentrate. Also, note that Wilt-Pruf® is not the only brand out there. Bonide sells a Wilt Stop® made from Pinene. Both brands offer a ready-made spray or a concentrate.

Ready made on left and concentrate Wilt Pruf on right.

I prefer the concentrate as it is less expensive and easier to apply with a pump-style sprayer. It is important to apply early in the day as it needs several hours of daylight to properly dry. If you can, it's best to apply on both sides of the leaf surface.

Another way to protect shrubs from winter damage is to wrap them. I do this for our Yew and Arborvitae, but the primary reason is to keep deer from browsing on them. If we get a lot of snow, they will be coming up to the house looking for exposed plants and these two shrubs seem to be their favorite. I use burlap which can be reused for several years. I will do this chore in a couple weeks, after it gets a little colder and before a significant snowfall. I feel a little bad that the shrubs are covered from sunlight for five to six months, but it's better than being eaten.

Our National Parks and Monuments Need Our Attention

"Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit." — Edward Abbey

Bears Ears National Monument Photo: SierraClub.org

The above quote accompanied a recent daily environmental news site. How true this statement is. Its importance rings true particularly in light of Trumps call on Friday to Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah where he told him that he will soon be announcing his plan to reduce the boundaries of Bears Ears national monument which was designated in 2016. This area of over 1.3 million acres contains ancient artifacts and land that is deemed sacred to several American Indian tribes. According to several news reports Trump told Hatch “I’m approving the Bears Ears recommendation for you, Orrin.” A statement such as this is typical of the president, where decisions appear to be made for an individual or particular special interest group instead of looking at issues holistically and how a decision or policy might impact not only people today, but also future generations. 

Last week I attended the Nature Conservancy's last movie in their Future of Nature series. An American Ascent aired at the Red River Theatres, Concord, and was followed by a discussion on inclusion of American Urban minorities in the environmental movement. The movie is a documentary about nine African Americans who together climb Denali, North America's highest peak in Alaska. The movie was made to show that participation in outdoor adventures is open and achievable by all who have the desire. Hopefully a new generation of young people, who may never have visited a national park or wilderness area, will be moved to step outside and experience the wonders that nature has to offer.

The Beauty of Spring in Grand Teton National Park

Whether it be a National Park, National Monument, Wilderness or Conservation area, our nation's public lands need to be protected and need to be a welcoming place for all. Any move by the current Administration to reduce the size or protections of our national monuments will certainly be met with legal challenges.

Further, our national parks are in desperate need of funding to address much needed repairs and improvements. In spite of this, the president's proposed fiscal year 2018 budget includes a 12% cut to the Department of Interior. To address this deficit, the National Park Service is proposing significant increases in entrance fees at seventeen popular parks during peak season. The current recommendation is to increase the vehicle fee to $70, which is more than double the current fee of  $30. There is no question that our public lands need additional funding, but instead of increasing fees investments in these precious resources should be a priority for our government since the payback is more than can ever be counted. Our National Parks instill a sense of awe and wonder and inspire all who visit. It is important that the entrance fees do not impose a barrier to any citizen who may already feel that a trip to a park is out of reach.

So, please contact the president, write your congressional representative, and support environmental organizations that work toward the conservation and management of public lands. Further, write the National Park Service and tell them to keep our parks affordable. See https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/10-24-2017-fee-changes-proposal.htm for how to provide comments on the new fee structure. The deadline for feedback is November 23rd.  

Everything is Confused this Fall

There is a monarch transforming inside

At the very end of September I spotted a monarch chrysalis attached to our bulkhead. I have now seen all three stages of this butterfly in our yard this year, starting with a gorgeous caterpillar

in July (see July 4th post). Then in August an adult was sipping nectar in the garden (see August 29th post.)

I was certainly not expecting to find a chrysalis during this time of year and I was worried that it would freeze before it had a chance to transform. In fact, a few days later it got very dark and I thought that maybe it had died, but it was actually the butterfly developing inside because on October 5th, this is all that was left -

Empty Monarch cocoon

I am happy that the butterfly emerged, but I wonder if it was too late in the year for it to survive the long migration to Mexico. With the frequency and severity of hurricanes this year, perhaps it was a good thing that this butterfly got a late start.

Now, three weeks later, we have yet to experience cool days and cold nights that are typical of Autumn. In fact, this past weekend both days were over seventy degrees. We have only had two mild frosts so far. Both required me to scrape my car windows, but neither killed my tomato or basil plants. This has been a very strange fall indeed. Although the shorter days signal to the plants and animals that summer has ended, at night the crickets are still chirping and the moths are still flying around the outdoor lamps. It definitely feels more like early September than late October.

The plants in the yard are confused too. This is the first year that I remember Lavender plants having a second bloom cycle.

Lavender blooming October 22nd

And even stranger than that are yellow flowers on a Forsythia bush.

The color of the leaves indicate that summer is over, but why is this Forsythia blooming in October?

I don't have to type the words "Climate Change" to make the point that the seasons are not what they used to be. Nature is responding and as pleasant as this warm weather may seem, the long-term consequences may not be. 

EPA Approves Spraying of Dicamba for Another Year

Dicamba Damaged Soybeans (photo: University of Missouri)

This summer farmers filed a record number of complaints to EPA and state agencies related to crop damage suspected from drift as a result of the aerial spraying of weed killers formulated with  dicamba. As a result lawsuits by farmers have been filed against the manufacturers of the chemical,  Monsanto, BASF, Dupont and Pioneer, and the Arkansas State Plant Board voted in September to ban the chemical application on crops from April to November. A public hearing has been set for November. EPA, however, announced on Friday that dicamba formulations designed to be used with specially engineered herbicide resistant soybean and cotton seeds could continue to be sprayed throughout next year's growing season with certain restrictions such as training and certification for applicators, record-keeping, and prohibitions on applying during certain time of the day or when wind speeds exceed 10 miles per hour. 


According to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt "Today's actions are the result of intensive, collaborative efforts, working side by side with the states and university scientists from across the nation who have first-hand knowledge of the problem and workable solutions. Our collective efforts with our state partners ensure we are relying on the best, on-the-ground, information."

 Of course the manufacturers are pleased with the decision, with Monsanto's spokesperson, Scott Partridge, stating that he expects the planting of their dicamba-resistant soybean seeds to double next year to 40 million acres. Farmers who do not want to purchase the specially formulated seeds are not convinced that the new EPA restrictions will be adequate in protecting their own crops against incidental damage and feel that they may be forced to buy the resistant seeds to stay in business. Read NPR story here: http://nhpr.org/post/ok-epa-use-controversial-weedkiller-expected-double#stream/0.

In the meantime, researchers continue to study alternatives to controlling weeds on soybean crops.   North Dakota State University’s Carrington Research Extension Center conducted trials by planting Rye as a companion crop alongside soybeans and found multiple benefits. In addition to the suppression of weeds, the rye helps prevent soil erosion and can also be harvested as forage, providing additional income.

Bees need a variety of flowers to flourish

Do we really want to keep creating herbicide resistant seeds which promote the planting of mono-culture crops and the lose of biodiversity that comes along with it? As we have seen with glyphosate and other weed killers, weeds will eventually become resistant and new stronger chemicals will need to be created.  In addition to herbicide drift, beekeepers have also reported adverse impacts in the production of honey from bees located near dicamba-treated fields. It is suspected that the lose of nectar from the "non-desired weeds" is the cause. To some, weeds are only seen as something to be destroyed. However, in the complexity of nature, destroying one element, will result in some impact(s) to another. The preferred option should always be to try and work with nature and not against it. Unfortunately when profits are at stake it can be difficult to make the right choice when a short-term solution is presented and the potential long-term consequences are hidden or ignored.

October Hike Spaulding Mountain

Sunday my friend Sue and I completed our last 4000 hike for the season - Spaulding Moutain in the Carrabessett Valley of Maine. This was our fourth time, parking at the end of the Caribou Valley Road, with it's potholes and precarious stream crossings. Actually, since our first trip to hike the Crockers in 2014, significant repairs to the road have been made, so that the drive was not as bad as expected. In the past, we have driven the four hours to this area and completed our hike all in one day. But, we have learned that this resulted in a late morning start, and a drive back through moose country at dusk. This resulted in a long journey with white-knuckled driving as moose would walk, and sometimes run directly in front of our car. To avoid dealing with these near misses, for the past two trips we have driven up the day before and spent the night at a nearby hotel. In August we stayed at the Herbert Grand in Kingfield Maine before hiking Mount Abram. For this trip, the Herbert Grand was full, so we stayed in Rangeley at the Saddleback Inn, a basic two story motel that offers a fantastic view of the lake. The accomodations were adequate, however the Pop-Tarts and bagels, do not count as breakfast in my book, so we had eggs down the hill at Rangeley's Moose Loop Cafe.

Sunset on Rangeley Lake

This plank takes the guess work out of where to cross

I did not sleep well Saturday night and woke up feeling under the weather. I was not sure that I would even be able to start the hike, let alone finish it. But it would have been hard to have come all that way and then to turn around. I am glad that I persisted, but it was slow going. We completed the nine-plus mile round-trip hike in eight hours which is almost two hours over book time. This hike is completely on the Appalachian Trail (AT) and is not one to be taken lightly. The crossing on the South Branch of the Carrabassett River was easy since the water was low and someone had installed a single plank between two large boulders. Immediately after crossing the river the trail climbed moderately and then steeply. There was little opportunity for a cardio warmup.

The climb up was grueling and great caution needed to be taken on the descent.

The first 2.3 miles we had done before two years earlier when we had hiked Sugarloaf. In retrospect, it is best to do these two mountains together and only do this stretch once. If you are in shape and can spot a car, you could add Mount Abram as part of a traverse. Another option to consider is to hike over Sugarloaf using one of the ski trails and then continue on the AT toward Spaulding.

Surprisingly, few trees had changed color. It has been unseasonably warm, and although there was frost on our windshield in the morning, there have been few nights below freezing. So, even though the days are getting shorter, the temperature is not signaling the leaves to stop their production of chlorophyll. It was a perfect day for hiking though - comfortably cool and clear.

There are some beautiful views on this stretch of the AT

Although there were no red leaves, the crimson berries of Mountain Laurel and Mountain Ash provided plenty of color.

Mountain Laurel (left) and Mountain Ash berries

After reaching the junction for the Sugarloaf summit spur, we beared right to stay on the AT. Although the section to Spaulding involves a descent and then a climb, it was not difficult. What is disappointing is the sign at the top of the mountain that reads the height as 3988 feet. According to one blogger, this peak was added to the AMCs New England 4000 footer list in 1998. Apparently recalculated USGS measurements have it at 4010 feet, which is what is shown in the Maine Mountain Guide. It would be nice for us peak baggers if the Maine Appalachian Trail Club agreed and replaced their sign. 

From a stamina perspective, I was happy when we started heading down. My knees on the other hand felt differently. We took it easy, but were still surprised that it only took us a half hour less to descend than to climb. We are happy to be done and to say goodbye to the Carrabassett Valley. If all goes well next year we will tackle the mountains of Baxter State Park!

Birds in Idaho - Part 2

Western Tanager near the Greenhorn Trail, in Hailey, Idaho

 This is my third post of the interesting birds we observed on our vacation to Utah, Wyoming and Idaho this summer, and the second post that focuses on the birds of Idaho. After traveling through the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks, we spent the second half of our vacation in Idaho. From the barren land of Craters of the Moon National Monument, to the beautiful Sawtooth Mountains, and then the cliffs of the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation area we saw some interesting and unique birds.

Idaho has an abundance of rivers, in fact it has the most river miles of any state in the country.  It is revered by fisherman and provides great habitat for birds and other wildlife..

Osprey definitely find ample opportunity to fish. On our way to Craters of the Moon, we took the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway. Our first stop was at Upper Mesa Falls located at Henry's Fork of the Snake River. This pair of osprey found a perfect perch to build a nest.
A well maintained boardwalk provides access to a closeup look at the falls that drop 114 feet.

The next day we spent the morning at Craters of the Moon, one of the national monuments that was on President Trump's list for reevaluation. Fortunately, no changes to its designation were recommended by Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke. We were warned that the temperature can sometimes be unbearably hot, so I put on my shorts, but it was definitely a hat and gloves day, being both cold and windy!

Standing in front of lava formations at Craters of the Moon National Monument

In spite of the seemingly inhospitable environment here, over 200 species of birds have been identified. During the short time we were there, I only saw a handful of different species and I am thinking that the wind was a factor.

A colorful Mountain Bluebird at Craters

The Clark's Nutcracker is the size of a jay and is grey with black wings. This one was hiding in the thicket

Another interesting birding area we visited was less than an hour drive from Boise - the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, where more than 700 pairs of raptors nest each spring along the Snake River Canyon.

Snake River Canyon

Although we didn't see many raptors it was still an amazing place to visit. The first birds that we saw were ravens, although they are not technically birds of prey, this area provided a perfect habitat for them. Down by the river we saw dozens flying around the cliffs.  Based on their size and the apparent coaxing of their parents, I suspected that these nesting Ravens were ready to take flight within hours. I have written previously about the intelligence of these birds so it was disheartening to learn that in 2014 the State of Idaho was granted a permit by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to kill 4000 Ravens in an attempt to reverse the decline of Sage-Grouse. I am not sure if the plan was ever implemented.

Parent and "baby" Raven

In addition to birds, the conservation area is home to many mammals and herps (e.g. reptiles and snakes.) The Lizard below crossed our path. It had beautiful blue dots on its back.

Common Side-blotched Lizard

We followed the road down the canyon to a dam and the Swan Falls Picnic area where we ate our lunch. This is the site of the Swan Falls Hydroelectric Dam operated by Idaho Power.

The Swan Falls Dam hydroelectric plant was built in 1901 and is now a museum

It was a beautiful spot for a picnic and there were several female Barrow's Goldeneyes swimming on the river.  

This Barrow's Goldeneye has a quizzical look

After we finished our sandwiches, we continued on the road along the river. The road turns to dirt and becomes narrow, but is still easily passable. Not surprisingly, we saw another osprey and nest.

The rope adds some color to the nest, but I wonder if it's a safety hazard to birds that may get caught up in it.

The topography at the end of the road was very interesting and another reminder of how varied the landscape is in Idaho. The road finally ended, so we turned around and continued on to our next destination, Celebration Park.

These rock formations looked like giant's feet

Dirt road along the Snake River

On the drive we saw a Long-billed Curlew, a species of concern in Idaho.

Long-billed Curlew

Celebration Park

Celebration Park is an archeological site, with a 10,000 year old history of nomadic tribes living in the area. It is also on the Idaho Birding Trail.
There is a museum on the premises and a visitor center where there are maps, but it was closed when we arrived. Because of this, we did not know exactly how to get to the rocks with the petroglyphs, for which the park is most known. Instead, I took a random walk toward the cliffs to see what I could find. Immediately, I saw a Peregrine falcon, but it flew either into one of the many rock crevices, or around the side before I could capture a photo. The rock formations themselves were very interesting and there were lots of cliff swallows flying around and as I got closer, I could see the colony of nests.

A colony of Cliff swallows

I was so preoccupied watching the birds, that I did not notice the snake coiled on a rock slab to the right of the nests until I started gathering photos for this blog.

Snake at Celebration Park. 

You can not see its entire body, but it was either very long, or there was a second snake behind it. Also I am not sure if it was a Gopher snake or a Rattlesnake since they are both known to inhabit the area. I am just glad that it was a distance away.

It was late afternoon by the time we left the park to return to Boise. We decided to make one last birding stop at the Deer Flat Wildlife Refuge. Our timing was not good again, as the visitors center was closing just as we pulled into the parking lot. Because of this, we only stayed briefly and did not observe the many water birds for which the refuge is know. We did see several Magpies, and even though it's a common bird in the West, they are beautiful and entertaining to watch.

Black-billed Magpie

I realize now that this blog could have probably been divided into two. We also visited the Sun Valley/Ketchum area where we went on a three mile hike in Hailey. The photo at the beginning of this blog was taken from that trip. Idaho is a beautiful state and the birds that can be found their reflect that beauty.