Can anyone help me identify this flower. Thank you.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Friday, June 6, 2008
37 Mile Lake 2
continuation June 2 2008
The road is very good for biking. different butterflies are out. Different animal tracks on the road. Bear tracks going in the opposite direction, which is good, because at least we are not following a bear. On several occasions we hear : "quick three beers,quick three beers." Which is the call of a flycatcher. We come to a place where the road is close to the creek. There's a pond close by. We see a few birds, but nothing confirmatory. One probable Sandpiper, it sits so still, I wouldn't have known it was a bird.
After a while we sometimes get a glimpse of a mountain , which should be close to the lake. I like the shape!, I call it a butte. The trail goes uphill for a while and then at we descent, over a few kilometers a few hundred feet, towards the lake. We do wonder if we will have a hard time ascending it on the way back. The end of the road disappears into a swamp. we leave the bikes there and find our way to the lake which is hidden from sight. We come a pond and are greeted by a beautiful Swan. It is calm and quite close to us. We watch it for a while and continue to get closer to the lake. It's beautiful with the Butte right behind it. The one Swan joins another one on the lake. We see a black bird but don't know which one. Mary wonders if it's a Rusty Blackbird. She's been asked to watch out for them , because they might be on the decline. There's no way we can tell if it is. We're listening to the little birds in the thickets. And very much enjoy our lunches. The weather is perfect too.
Soon we have to return again and start our uphill climb. This time we do follow some Bear tracks. One set of bigger ones accompanied by small ones. Erroneously we find that they don't look fresh. But the soft sand fools us. And reminds us to always be alert. Because.... as I round a corner; There is mama Bear and a cub (a yearling) in front of her. Simultaneous as I holler, the cub dashes into the woods to the right. We stop and Mother Bear comes running to us. It displays typical protective behavior. We both shout. Mary holds up her bike and I pull out my can of bear spray, and release the pin. But I don't need to use it. I make my self big.
I think we did the right thing, because the bear stops coming towards us. And after lots of shouting it retreats. Unfortunately it climbs a tree and the tree is on the left side of the road. All we can do is giving it a wide berth and go around it on the left. Lucky for us the woods here are open enough to easily get through and to see some distance.
I tell you we had no problem biking up hill. For me this is an experience that I don't seek out as I think it is potentially dangerous. I would have suggested to go back if this had happened on the way in. It is very much part of life here though and I hope that like today, I am always ready to do the right thing. And really while being out, without the protection of a car, this is only my second encounter in my many years of enjoying the wild.
The remainder of the trip was very pleasant. I made it home by six.Safe and sound. And gratefully so for another amazing day.
The road is very good for biking. different butterflies are out. Different animal tracks on the road. Bear tracks going in the opposite direction, which is good, because at least we are not following a bear. On several occasions we hear : "quick three beers,quick three beers." Which is the call of a flycatcher. We come to a place where the road is close to the creek. There's a pond close by. We see a few birds, but nothing confirmatory. One probable Sandpiper, it sits so still, I wouldn't have known it was a bird.
After a while we sometimes get a glimpse of a mountain , which should be close to the lake. I like the shape!, I call it a butte. The trail goes uphill for a while and then at we descent, over a few kilometers a few hundred feet, towards the lake. We do wonder if we will have a hard time ascending it on the way back. The end of the road disappears into a swamp. we leave the bikes there and find our way to the lake which is hidden from sight. We come a pond and are greeted by a beautiful Swan. It is calm and quite close to us. We watch it for a while and continue to get closer to the lake. It's beautiful with the Butte right behind it. The one Swan joins another one on the lake. We see a black bird but don't know which one. Mary wonders if it's a Rusty Blackbird. She's been asked to watch out for them , because they might be on the decline. There's no way we can tell if it is. We're listening to the little birds in the thickets. And very much enjoy our lunches. The weather is perfect too.
Soon we have to return again and start our uphill climb. This time we do follow some Bear tracks. One set of bigger ones accompanied by small ones. Erroneously we find that they don't look fresh. But the soft sand fools us. And reminds us to always be alert. Because.... as I round a corner; There is mama Bear and a cub (a yearling) in front of her. Simultaneous as I holler, the cub dashes into the woods to the right. We stop and Mother Bear comes running to us. It displays typical protective behavior. We both shout. Mary holds up her bike and I pull out my can of bear spray, and release the pin. But I don't need to use it. I make my self big.
I think we did the right thing, because the bear stops coming towards us. And after lots of shouting it retreats. Unfortunately it climbs a tree and the tree is on the left side of the road. All we can do is giving it a wide berth and go around it on the left. Lucky for us the woods here are open enough to easily get through and to see some distance.
I tell you we had no problem biking up hill. For me this is an experience that I don't seek out as I think it is potentially dangerous. I would have suggested to go back if this had happened on the way in. It is very much part of life here though and I hope that like today, I am always ready to do the right thing. And really while being out, without the protection of a car, this is only my second encounter in my many years of enjoying the wild.
The remainder of the trip was very pleasant. I made it home by six.Safe and sound. And gratefully so for another amazing day.
Royals and commoners
I was delighted to learn that my beloved Swan is quite famous.The Trumpeter Swan. According to Mike, it is the biggest Swan in the world and not distributed very widely. He was thrilled to see it, partly because he might not ever see one again. I think he will, because he will be traveling here for a while.It was an honor for me to show Mike, who's form Scotland, this Royal bird. Thanks. Since that evening, of June 4, I have learned that indeed The Trumpeter Swan only exist in North America and was almost extinct in the thirties.And what else I didn't know, is that they do congregate around Whitehorse, they apparently don't stay there to nest.Our birds here (100 km. from Whitehorse) appear to sit on a platform, but their behavior doesn't reveal if they are actually nesting.
I did also want to show Mike a nest of another American bird, possible the most common one, the Dark-eyed Junco.(the nest Alexander found) I was equally thrilled, that when we peeked in the nest, there were some black balls in it. Babies. I allow myself to peek in once a day. The parents are no where to be seen, they must know my presence long before I can spot the nest site. Yesterday the tiny birds had some feathers (beginnings of such).And today they looked like baby birds with little yellow beaks. What honor again, to be able to watch this unfold.
I did also want to show Mike a nest of another American bird, possible the most common one, the Dark-eyed Junco.(the nest Alexander found) I was equally thrilled, that when we peeked in the nest, there were some black balls in it. Babies. I allow myself to peek in once a day. The parents are no where to be seen, they must know my presence long before I can spot the nest site. Yesterday the tiny birds had some feathers (beginnings of such).And today they looked like baby birds with little yellow beaks. What honor again, to be able to watch this unfold.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
37 Mile Lake 1
June 2 2008
At 9 am in the morning I was supposed to meet Mary Whitley on the highway where the bush road to the lake starts. We both know you can get there from Blue Kennels, which is on a stretch of old Alaska highway. We both know there's a shortcut. We didn't know there was two. Luckily Mary comes looking for me and 9.30 am we drive our vehicles onto the bush road. Willing to drive as far as our cars can safely handle it. The road is good and we come trough nice open spaces, which seem very dry, only some sparse grass grows, probably more if we would look closely. The road has side roads, we check the maps, to where we're going. We make it easily all the way to where it gets to wet, just before Thirty-seven Mile Creek. That's where we park and unload our bicycles, we both ride a similar 'Giant'. The creek has a little bridge (Thank you! somebody). We still get wet though, because the next puddle was deeper then we anticipated. (see photo, made by Mary). The road is on the right side of the creek, I wouldn't call it a bank. Yes, there was a bank, we climb up it and and are back in the grassy dry lands. Interspersed with Aspen forest. We see a (shore)bird. Mary is happy that I too drop my bike to the ground and grab for the binoculars. I think she knows which bird it was, but I have forgotten . Soon we are back in the forest. To our left we often see the creek valley. which stretches all the way to the Stony Creek Range. Which Jane and I hiked last year parallel to this trail. I enjoy to see it from this angle. I see a steep outcrop, which seems we should have walked by it. But I don't know it. Always another reason to go back. On a trip like this, I always find plenty more I like to investigate. And indeed as we are biking along, we come to a trail that goes east. As Mary locates it on the map, it seems to go directly to a 'grillige' ("Christian,please give me back my Dutch dictionary!!!) peak.
At 9 am in the morning I was supposed to meet Mary Whitley on the highway where the bush road to the lake starts. We both know you can get there from Blue Kennels, which is on a stretch of old Alaska highway. We both know there's a shortcut. We didn't know there was two. Luckily Mary comes looking for me and 9.30 am we drive our vehicles onto the bush road. Willing to drive as far as our cars can safely handle it. The road is good and we come trough nice open spaces, which seem very dry, only some sparse grass grows, probably more if we would look closely. The road has side roads, we check the maps, to where we're going. We make it easily all the way to where it gets to wet, just before Thirty-seven Mile Creek. That's where we park and unload our bicycles, we both ride a similar 'Giant'. The creek has a little bridge (Thank you! somebody). We still get wet though, because the next puddle was deeper then we anticipated. (see photo, made by Mary). The road is on the right side of the creek, I wouldn't call it a bank. Yes, there was a bank, we climb up it and and are back in the grassy dry lands. Interspersed with Aspen forest. We see a (shore)bird. Mary is happy that I too drop my bike to the ground and grab for the binoculars. I think she knows which bird it was, but I have forgotten . Soon we are back in the forest. To our left we often see the creek valley. which stretches all the way to the Stony Creek Range. Which Jane and I hiked last year parallel to this trail. I enjoy to see it from this angle. I see a steep outcrop, which seems we should have walked by it. But I don't know it. Always another reason to go back. On a trip like this, I always find plenty more I like to investigate. And indeed as we are biking along, we come to a trail that goes east. As Mary locates it on the map, it seems to go directly to a 'grillige' ("Christian,please give me back my Dutch dictionary!!!) peak.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Rejoice
This morning, sitting on the outhouse, there were so many noises around me. I was still a little jumpy from yesterday's event (37 mile lake, I am still working on its story). One of the noises came from the woodpecker tree. As you see, a fledgling is about to come out. On the top right corner of the picture, you see a parent.
I was made aware that the fact that 'Harry's' babies are here so early, could be because I do feed the birds in my garden.
According to Ted Andrews, a writer;" a garden is Nature in miniature and controlled." I readily admit ;not wild.
In my 1 meter garden the High-bush cranberry is blooming and my favorite; the Star flower,Trientalis europa.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Wilderness on our doorstep
I have been so busy trying to get some pictures on this blog (no easy feat for me).And just now I was working in my garden. I step around the house and I disturbed some kind of get together. A Robin hurriedly flew away and a coyote with a dark spot on its tail trotted off. That did it for me I had to write a new post, I am 4 days behind.The Wilderness is so close by.
My young friend Pelly Braun taught me that again on Wednesday the 28th. He and I went to the 911 pond.I was going to bike half way around the pond to see the swan sitting on its nest .Really with binoculars we could already see that quite well. Biking to the marsh grass he asked if he could stop here to look for Bison hair. And sure enough he found a tuft of hair in the grass. After a while we went back to where we came out on the meadow. We found a nice spot to have a snack ,where I could watch all the birds with my binoculars. There is more then one Red-winged Blackbird, as these are new to me, I love them now. Now busy with their nest they make a neat sound. Pelly finds treasures right there on the spot; the grass is also full of spiders.
The next two days I am in Whitehorse. On Thursday Mary Whitley takes me out to paddy's pond,which is right on her doorstep. It's a beautiful spot. And it actually shows how wilderness moves right in if we let it. This pond apparently was a hole dug to build the subdivision some 30 years ago. We walk to a spruce forest, we walk on what was originally a fire break but now there's lovely small spruces growing.Mary recognizes the different birds by song. We come to a stop where the pond is flowing over on the path. That's perfect, the bushes are full of ...warblers. And through the willows we can see the pond. I didn't write it down but I think we saw; a Northern Shoveler pair, two male Mallards, An American Wigean I believe. But definitely we saw a beautiful Grebe.Mary knows which one.
Friday I climbed onto the clay cliffs behind a ball diamond? I had to find my son and a friend bike-jumping, in this incredible area. You can definitely see that people 'play' in this place. But there is no garbage laying around. And the wildness is very much there. As this area was shaped by the river. I walk on a bike track that is on a clay ridge, steep on both sides, There's wild Sage growing and an Oxytropis and a Mustard (Draba or Arabis?) are blooming. Close to the city and so.... awesome.
This weekend was spent close to home. With friends we went to the 'horse meadows'. And we did see the horses,They are maybe not wild , but sure look it. With their shinning coats they come running toward us.All this in a totally stunning setting. Meadows interspersed with bushes, clay cliffs, ponds, all surrounded by the white streaked mountains.
To finish of ,wilderness on our doorstep, I like to mention a little garden that I have beside the front entry.It's a square meter. And totally my favorite. Years ago I transplanted a High bush Cranberry here from....?It came with a clump of forest soil. Now it's an astonishing arrangement. (I do pull out things every year that might take over). A head ache is building up. I finish of to say that in this little wild place the Moehringia lateriflora is the first to bloom. She's maybe ordinary and small ,but delicately definitely elegant.
My young friend Pelly Braun taught me that again on Wednesday the 28th. He and I went to the 911 pond.I was going to bike half way around the pond to see the swan sitting on its nest .Really with binoculars we could already see that quite well. Biking to the marsh grass he asked if he could stop here to look for Bison hair. And sure enough he found a tuft of hair in the grass. After a while we went back to where we came out on the meadow. We found a nice spot to have a snack ,where I could watch all the birds with my binoculars. There is more then one Red-winged Blackbird, as these are new to me, I love them now. Now busy with their nest they make a neat sound. Pelly finds treasures right there on the spot; the grass is also full of spiders.
The next two days I am in Whitehorse. On Thursday Mary Whitley takes me out to paddy's pond,which is right on her doorstep. It's a beautiful spot. And it actually shows how wilderness moves right in if we let it. This pond apparently was a hole dug to build the subdivision some 30 years ago. We walk to a spruce forest, we walk on what was originally a fire break but now there's lovely small spruces growing.Mary recognizes the different birds by song. We come to a stop where the pond is flowing over on the path. That's perfect, the bushes are full of ...warblers. And through the willows we can see the pond. I didn't write it down but I think we saw; a Northern Shoveler pair, two male Mallards, An American Wigean I believe. But definitely we saw a beautiful Grebe.Mary knows which one.
Friday I climbed onto the clay cliffs behind a ball diamond? I had to find my son and a friend bike-jumping, in this incredible area. You can definitely see that people 'play' in this place. But there is no garbage laying around. And the wildness is very much there. As this area was shaped by the river. I walk on a bike track that is on a clay ridge, steep on both sides, There's wild Sage growing and an Oxytropis and a Mustard (Draba or Arabis?) are blooming. Close to the city and so.... awesome.
This weekend was spent close to home. With friends we went to the 'horse meadows'. And we did see the horses,They are maybe not wild , but sure look it. With their shinning coats they come running toward us.All this in a totally stunning setting. Meadows interspersed with bushes, clay cliffs, ponds, all surrounded by the white streaked mountains.
To finish of ,wilderness on our doorstep, I like to mention a little garden that I have beside the front entry.It's a square meter. And totally my favorite. Years ago I transplanted a High bush Cranberry here from....?It came with a clump of forest soil. Now it's an astonishing arrangement. (I do pull out things every year that might take over). A head ache is building up. I finish of to say that in this little wild place the Moehringia lateriflora is the first to bloom. She's maybe ordinary and small ,but delicately definitely elegant.
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