Yellowstone -first for 2011

Got back last night from a three day trip though Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks with some of our family.  We had a great time and saw a lot of great things including snow and lots of water.  There is still over 400% of snow in the mountains to come down - if it will this year.  Here is part of the Teton Range covered with snow. It will be a month or more before we can hike over these mountains.

On Sylvan Pass there is so much snow that the Big-horned Sheep are feeding along the road.  This ram has an itch he is trying to get some relief from.

Everytime we stopped to have a picnic, birds would try to join us.  Here a Clark's Nutcracker begs for something from the kids.  Illegal to feed her - she had to find someone else or crack open some nuts.

Grizzly and Black bears are abundant this year.  We caught this young grizzly feeding on the millions of midge flies hatching on Yellowstone Lake. 

It was a beautiful three days with lots of sun.  We caught this bull moose resting in the shade of some aspen as the flies bothered him.

But the most enjoyable time was watching some of the grandkids enjoy the hikes, picnics and other outdoor activities.

Though not in the wilds of Idaho - we had a great time enjoying the wildness of the national parks around us.

More Summer Tanager and attack birds.

Here are some of the pictures I took of the rare Summer Tanager that I  got on Friday, June 17, at Market Lake, Idaho.

While looking for the Summer Tanager, I captured a coot feeding her baby.

I also stumbled on a baby sandhill crane who chased me, hissing and snapping its bill.

As soon as I back peddled far enough, it took off for its parents out in the grass field.

What a way to spend the morning of a wild day in the wildness of Idaho - and then I went fishing.

Rare Summer Tanager at Market Lake

Here are some pictures I got last night and will add some that I took this morning later this evening.  Today I got within 15 feet of it as was sallying for bugs in the open field.  It is at the Market Lake Wildlife Management area near Roberts, Idaho.

It is probably a first year male that got lost, but it has been here at least for two days.

Always a great way to spend in the wilds of Idaho - chasing birds.

Washington DC

I spent the last week in Washington DC, Gettysburg, Williamsburg and Mount Vernon.  There were 32 of us that went back for the TAH Grant that I am the coordinator for.  We had a great time and I got some life-birds on the trip.  Our hotel was just a block away from the National Mall so we had opportunities to visit all the sites there.

Here is our high school social studies department where Pickett made his famous charge.  I am the one with my arms folded.

My favorite bird was the Cardinal and we saw a lot of them.  This male tried to join us for lunch.

Every day it was very hot.  Even this Blue Jay is being bothered by the tempertures over 95 degrees.

Here is the whole group of us except our grant directore, Janet, who was taking the picture on Little Round Top at Gettysburg.

We had a great time.  But it was not as wild as in the wilds of Idaho.

Sunset between storms0

 We have had a lot of storms out on the high desert this past two weeks.  This week I was out locating raptor nests for the BLM when I got too late, but caught the sun setting between storms.  The first picture is taken at 200 mm while the second was taken at 70 mm.

A great way to end the day while in the wilds of Idaho.

See other great sky pictures around the world at http://skyley.blogspot.com/.