Birds of the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks

As promised, here is the second installment of birds we saw during our vacation at the beginning of the summer. There will be one more. After leaving the Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge we headed North to Wyoming for four days in the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park.

There are many designated scenic byways in Idaho. We took the Oregon Trail Bear Lake Scenic Byway to the Pioneer Scenic Byway and followed the Snake River on Route 26. Osprey were probably the most common bird that we saw throughout our vacation. Their nests were always easy to spot.

Osprey nest on top of utility pole

We saw lots of wildlife in the parks and even though we focused our attention more on mammals, we did see a few birds such as this Northern Flicker, a bird that is also quite common at home.

Red-shafted Northern Flicker (male)

However, the subspecies that we have in the East is the Yellow-shafted Flicker. West of the Rockies you will find the Red-shafted Flicker. The difference is that the underside of the wings will be yellow in the East and red in the West. The red markings, like a mustache, of the bird above show that it is a male. The female in the East will have a red crescent on the name of its neck. You can see the red crescent in the photo, which I took in May in Vermont, of the female below. You can also see the yellow tones under the wing.

Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker (female)

On our second day in the Grand Tetons, we were looking for a place to hike along Moose Wilson Road and saw this Great Blue Heron. Although, not an uncommon bird, it is still quite impressive and interesting to watch hunt. They can remain almost motionless for extended periods of time while they wait patiently for a meal to approach. Many years ago we saw a Great Blue Heron do just that before  grabbing and flying away with a baby alligator in the Everglades.

Great Blue Heron

After the Grand Tetons we spent two wonderful days in Yellowstone National Park. Although much of the time was spent in the car and making spots to see the numerous thermal features or to observe large mammals, we also saw raptors and water fowl. However, the first bird I photographed was of a tree swallow at a hot spring.I thought this odd since it didn't seem like a very hospitable place for wildlife. We also saw some deer tracks in the mud, but they must know to keep their distance from the boiling water.

Tree Swallow at West Thumb Geyser Basin

There are many lakes throughout Yellowstone so there is also lots of water fowl. The coloring of these Barrow's Goldeneyes reminded me of loons.

Barrows Goldeneye diving for food

At the end of the first day we visited Old Faithful. It wasn't on my "must see" list, but I'm glad that we did. Going at the end of the day meant that the crowds weren't too large. We were lucky in that  we just happened to arrive with about fifteen minutes to spare before the next eruption. 

Old Faithful post-eruption

We had dinner at the pub in the Old Faithful Inn. As we returned to the parking lot, this raven was investigating the contents of the back of a pick-up truck. Ravens are curious and intelligent. If the owner of this car didn't return soon, this bird probably figured a way to open the garbage bags.

Raven

On our way exiting the park we saw one of the most interesting wildlife sights. Off in the distance, were two coyotes stalking a Sandhill Crane. Although the Sandhill Crane could have easily flown away or defended itself, I suspect that it was protecting a nearby nest. The coyotes eventually lost interested and retreated.

Two coyotes circling a Sandhill crane

And our trip to the national parks couldn't be complete without seeing the iconic symbol of America. This bald eagle bid us farewell as the day came to a close and we exited Yellowstone National Park. We will definitely need to return again soon.

Bald Eagle at dusk at Yellowstone National Park

Hiking Mount Abraham

It was great to get back on the trails and to bag another 4000 footer in New England. On Sunday, my friend Sue and I hiked Mount Abraham, in Maine.  Due to a forecast for rain and thunderstorms on Saturday, we used this as a travel day, spending the night at the Herbert Grand Hotel in Kingfield, Maine, a three-story historic inn which provided comfortable rooms at a reasonable price. Unfortunately the restaurant was closed due to renovations and the entire town lost power at night due to the storm. However, that just forced us to go to sleep early and to be rested for the hike the next day. When we awoke Sunday morning, the sun was out and it looked like it was going to be a perfect hiking day.

Herbert Grand Hotel, Kingfield Maine

Before hitting the trail, we enjoyed a hearty breakfast at the Kingfield Woodsman restaurant. The service was fast and the food was good. We both had eggs to fuel us for the trail, and I couldn't pass up the fresh cut home fries. The trailhead, at the end of Rapid Stream Road, was only a few miles from the restaurant. The gravel road to get there could have been in better shape, but we were just happy that the two bridges over the rivers looked like they had been recently repaired so that crossing them was not a problem.

A trail map is not really needed, as there is only one trail to the summit - the Fire Warden's trail. The sign read 4.0 miles, but the Maine Mountain Guide describes at as 4.5 miles one-way. So, we either did 8 or 9 miles round trip. The first half of the hike is relatively flat and easy. There were also several stream crossings, which is one of my least favorite thing to do when hiking. Some would have been difficult in high water, and to be safe, I brought a pair of sandals to change into, but today the crossings were relatively easy and I kept my boots on.

One of many stream crossings.

Over half of the trail was in the woods, and being August, there were lots of fungi to admire.

Above: Artist's Conk (Ganoderma applanatum)

The Artist's Conk is so named because the underside can be used for drawing by using a sharp implement and exposing the permanent brown color underneath.

One of the many types of fungi growing on dead logs - possibly Oyster mushrooms

Orange Mycena

Indian pipe

Reindeer lichen are one of the many types of vegetation which can survive in the open alpine zones

God is an artist that uses nature as His pallet. The patterns in this rock lichen and the Turkey Tails fungus below are unique and beautiful.

Turkey tails with what looks like Bear's Head Tooth (Hericium coralloides)

Small puffball mushrooms, having released their spores (Lycopedon pyriforme)

As we approached the exposed rocks, we finally found something that we could eat without question. The mountain was filled with perfectly ripe blueberries. If it wasn't so cold and windy, I would have stopped and enjoyed more.

Wild Maine Blueberries in Alpine Zone on Mount Abraham

There were other blue berries in the woods, but the blue bead lily (Clinton borealis) below is toxic to humans. They are named for the late summer berry and not the flower which is yellow.

Blue Bead Lily

The clouds that were following us started to clear as we approached the summit. The sun was welcome as the gale-force winds caused the temperature to drop dramatically.

View looking down the Fire Warden Trail

All that remains of the fire tower atop Mount Abraham

Mount Abraham has one of the largest exposed summits in Maine, so one needs to be prepared for all types of conditions.  A couple hikers were only wearing shorts, a serious mistake when hiking any high elevation mountain. As tempting as it is to remove items from your pack when it is warm at the base of the mountain, a hat, gloves and windbreaker are minimum necessities. I was glad that I had several layers to put on once we got above tree-line. We did not stay long, quickly eating our lunch behind a small constructed stone wall. There actually was an shelter on the summit (see below) which is built into the ground for greater protection. During inclement weather I could see where it could be a life-saver. I'm sure it gets used, but it was not very inviting as there was trash scattered about from previous occupants. It is sad to see this when out in the pristine wilderness.

From the minute beauty of the flora, to the vistas from the mountain top, I was reminded why I love hiking in New England. We have only four more peaks to climb to complete the New England 4000 footer list. Three of those are in Baxter State Park, so the most difficult are yet to come.

The Great American Eclipse

Annular Solar Eclipse "Ring of Fire"

Many people will be traveling long distances on August 21st to view the total solar eclipse that will be visible from the United States. We even know someone who is coming over from Europe to see the event. Cities from Salem, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina, and small towns in between have been preparing for over a year for the influx of visitors during this celestial event. Some experts are projecting that the days leading up to August 21 will see more air, train and auto traffic than any other time this year. Although I know that solar eclipse are spectacular events, I wondered what makes this one so special and why some are calling it a once in a lifetime event, since I recalled the occurrence of a solar eclipse visible in New Hampshire during my life-time. Many people I spoke with did not remember this event. However, the website timeanddate.com is great for researching specifics of past and upcoming eclipses. It turns out that on May 10, 1994 there was an annular solar eclipse that was visible across the United States. Although I mistakenly thought that this was a total solar eclipse, it was not, since the moon was too far away to block the sun entirely. An annular eclipse is pretty special in its own right, because from certain locations, while the moon's shadow is covering the center of the sun a "ring of fire" is visible around the shadow. Although the day does not become completely dark during an annular eclipse, seeing the "ring of fire" is pretty cool.

There are several things that make the August 21st eclipse eventful. First, if you are an American, it is a very unique event in that not only will this eclipse be visible in totality from the west to the east coast, the first time this has occurred since 1918, it will only be visible in totality from within the United States, thus the reason it is being called the "Great American Eclipse." Many of our Nation's public lands, including 20 national parks, will fall within the path of the eclipse, providing other sightseeing opportunities for visitors traveling to view the eclipse. When we were in the Grand Tetons National Park, the visitor center's gift shop had its own section devoted to 2017 eclipse paraphernalia. In this Washington Post report locations are highlighted that offer special viewing opportunities across the country. If you do plan on viewing the solar eclipse in totality, space.com offers an excellent page on safety precautions and eclipse lingo you may hear such as "Bailey's beads" and "Diamond ring."    

It is also exciting to know that everyone in the United States has the possibility of seeing at least a partial eclipse. In New England we will only be experiencing a partial eclipse and do not plan on traveling that day. However, if you are one of the several million people who plan to travel to view this event, you better have already booked your lodging and mapped in advance your viewing location(s). And, if you happen to live along the path of the eclipse, it wouldn't hurt to fill up your car with gas and have your cupboards stocked with extra food and beverages, in anticipation of these items selling out at the stores. For all the hype, let's hope that it is a clear day for everyone coming out to view this spectacular event in person.

Birds in Idaho - Part I

Mountain view from Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Idaho

 In the beginning of June, Dave and I took a two-week vacation out West. We flew into Salt Lake City where we rented a car which carried us approximately 2,000 miles through northeastern Utah, western Wyoming and Southern Idaho. I hope to post a few blogs that will highlight some of the wildlife we saw. I was going to post one blog on birds, but we saw so many that I will divide it into two posts. This post will focus on bird sightings in Utah and at the Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR.) Traveling at the beginning of June was a perfect time to see a lot of different birds that were either migrating or, having reached their summer destination, were staying put to breed. I have realized that after our trip to South Dakota last year, and now this trip that I need to acquire a North American Western Region field guide as many of the birds we saw would never be found in New England.  

We were only in Utah for a little over a day, but I was still able to check off two new bird species. The first was an American Dipper, spotted along the Logan Canyon Byway. We stopped to walk along a path by the river and saw the Dipper within a few minutes. I knew right away what it was since we met a birdwatcher last year who was looking for them in Spearfish Canyon, South Dakota. This river and canyon here were very similar to Spearfish.

American Dipper (at left) dipping into the water in search of food

The American dipper is a songbird, but is unique in that it catches most of its food in fast moving streams by walking or diving underwater. He was fascinating to watch.

The second species we saw was the White Pelican. I have always associated pelicans with the ocean, but they actually spend summers on inland waters. We saw these birds on Bear Lake, which is located in both the Utah and Idaho. We spent the night on the lake in Garden City, Utah and then drove north the next morning to the Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) just north of the lake in Idaho.We saw the pelicans in both states.

White Pelicans with Canada Geese at Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Idaho

White Pelicans are one of the largest birds in North America, with wing-spans up to nine-feet! Their large size is apparent in the photo above as the Canada Geese are dwarfed by them.

Idaho Birding Trail SE33 Bear Lake NWR

Idaho has mapped birding trails of the entire state. They also classify certain sites as "blue ribbon" sites. We were fortunate that unintentionally our travels took us by several "blue ribbon locations." The Bear Lake NWR is one of the ribbon locations site and it did not disappoint. Even before we turned onto the Refuge Entrance Road, there were different species of birds everywhere.   

This long beaked bird below appears to be a Wilson's Snipe. The Cornell Lab's website states that they like to stand on fence posts which is what this one was doing.

Wilson's Snipe

It was impossible to miss the bold color of the Yellow-Headed Blackbirds which were perched along the fences. They nest in the same habitat as red-winged blackbirds, but are larger and more dominant. Fossils of this bird have been found which date back 100,000 years.

Yellow-headed Blackbirds were common

We had still not even arrived at the refuge entrance when we saw an eagle in a farm field. It was a juvenile bald eagle, perhaps in its second year.

Juvenile bald eagle with Magpies

Later, while leaving the refuge and at approximately the same location, we thought we saw another  eagle...

However, when it turned its head we could see that it was a turkey vulture. I'm not sure why a bald eagle brings a feeling of awe, but for many a turkey vulture brings a feeling of disgust. I personally think that they are attractive in their own right.

Turkey vultures have a bald red head

Once we actually entered the refuge we started to see lots of waterbirds. Most were first time sightings for me. Below is what I believe to be a male and female Lesser Scaup. The colorings are a little different than what I have seen on-line, but the shape and description seem to match. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Lesser Scaup pair?

The American coot, although resembling a duck when swimming, does not have webbed feet and needs to "run" across water before taking flight.  Its white bill is unmistakable.

American Coot

Western Grebe

The Western Grebe was one of the first birds we saw in the refuge and they were common throughout. Their long neck and flattish topped head, reminded me of a serpent. They have a very elaborate courting dance which  we did not get to witness.

As you can tell, many of the birds we saw were at a distance, so it was difficult to get a good picture, but due to the unique color of a particular breed, identification was not difficult - like with the Cinnamon Teal below.

Stunning Orange Teal

Rudy Duck

Although it is difficult to see in my photo on the left, the blue beak of the Ruddy duck made it easy to identify. Another distinguishing feature of this bird is how its tail sticks straight up in the air.

One particular wetland area was filled with hundreds of birds - most we could not identify, but these  Black-necked Stilts were easy to recognize with their red legs and a white crescent over their eye.

Black-necked Stilts in wetlands

Note: smaller photos copied from Allaboutbirds.org

I need help with the identification of this bird?

I could have stayed in the NWR all day, but alas, we needed to continue on our journey north to Wyoming and the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks. As we exited the refuge, the bird sightings were topped off with a close-up look at an inquisitive badger.

This Badger came out from hiding to check out our car.

It's a Monarch Caterpillar!

After years of letting milkweed plants propagate in our yard I finally found a caterpillar. It was hiding underneath a milkweed leaf and I barely saw it out of the corner of my eye. I only found one larvae which is pretty big already. I will continue to keep on eye on the area to see if I can discover where it decides to pupate.

In addition to the caterpillar, the milkweed plants were also hosting lots of beetles and honey bees.

Have a Happy Fourth of July and in addition to fireworks, don't forget to enjoy some of the inconspicuous displays of color in the garden.

Save the Milkweed, Save the Monarchs

Common Milkweed in Bloom

A study just published in June that was supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and conducted by the Monarch Conservation Science Partnership, re-confirms the importance of increasing milkweed in the landscape to restore monarch populations which have declined by over 80 percent in twenty years. 

An earlier report (April, 2017) by the U.S. Geological Survey estimated that up to 1.8 billion new milkweed plants may be needed in North America for monarch populations to recover. 

Although the June study stresses that this goal cannot be accomplished without incorporating milkweed into agriculture lands, it recognizes that participation from all sectors of society are needed. That means that we all can contribute. Although you can now purchase milkweed seeds from a variety of sources, all that is needed in many cases is to leave portions of the landscape undisturbed. On our property, milkweed plants have come back on their own and are found scattered throughout our yard. We do manage it, as it would easily take over in the garden or other areas that would be detrimental. One area that we have let it run wild is next to our compost bin. For the most part I don't have to worry about it, and strays can be easily removed before they get too large.

Milkweed, when left alone will spread readily

Although I have not discovered any monarch larvae on these milkweed plants, every year I am hopeful. Now is the time that milkweed start to bloom and will attract butterflies and other pollinators such as this bumble bee (right) this morning. 

If you do not want milkweed in your yard, the study also mentions the importance of planting a variety of native flowering plants since adult monarchs do not feed on milkweed exclusively. This will not only be good for the monarchs, but will benefit other species as well.