Have visited Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge south of Missoula, Montana several times in past years. It has usually been in a drought. Not this year. Above you see snow still on the Bitterroot Mountains. The parking lot for a trail along the Bitterroot River was flooded and water was flowing over the main refuge road.
A bobolink.
Above, an eastern kingbird and a juvenile robin.
A muskrat in a marsh with clouds reflected on it.
Below, wild male turkey’s.
Finally made it to the Bear River Migratory Bird Wildlife Refuge in Brigham City, Utah. They are just completing paving a 12 mile dirt road from their Visitor Center, near the I-15, to their old Visitor Center near a 12-mile unpaved loop around a freshwater impoundment. That makes a 36 mile auto tour route, counting the return trip back over the paved road. It really is an incredible refuge.
Above, a series of pictures of part of the grebe courtship ritual. Grebes carry their young under their back feathers while they swim around.
While some birds are just starting to nest, saw some young American avocets and killdeers.
A huge number of pelicans nest on an island on the Great Salt Lake. They come to the fresh water marshes at the refuge for food and water.
There was intermittent rain, along with snow in the nearby mountains my first few days at the refuge. The swallows (cliff I think) were swarming to get mud and build nests.
The rainy weather alternated with temps in the 70′s, causing concern for flooding from snow melting and adding water to the already saturated ground.
The warm weather also brought lots of bugs. After just driving the paved road during the rain, ventured out on the dirt road loop when it warmed up. Wanted to take a lot of pictures, but my truck was always surrounded by hoards of midges. Locals drove with their windows down and laughed at out-of-towners unnerved by the bugs.
Saw dozens of Western kingbirds. The kingbirds and swallows should have no shortage of food (bugs).
Muskrats are supposed to be a sign of a healthy marsh.
On an off-topic, happened to watch the movie Hereafter. While I didn’t really care for the movie, was surprised when the character played by Matt Damon was shown to like to listen to Charles Dickens’ books. I have just about gone through all of this prolific writer’s books, either listening to a free download read by my Kindle or to an Audible edition on my iPod. A lot of the same themes run through the books and they have happy endings, or at least you are told what happens to all the characters. People in England during this period seem to have drunk a lot of alcohol and eaten a lot of meat.
Took the Thousand Springs Scenic Byway off I-84 to US-30 in south central Idaho, near Twin Falls. It is a beautiful drive and well worth the extra time. Wanted to visit the Thousand Springs Preserve owned by the Nature Conservancy. Found out that they gave the land to Idaho Parks and Recreation in 2006 and the preserve is now part of Thousand Springs State Park. The preserve has the last unaltered canyon wall spring in a system that once stretched for miles*. The spring water comes to the surface through a lava rock wall and flows into the Snake River. The Thousand Springs Hydro Project is right next to it. They provide a day-use picnic area at the entrance to the State Park.
The Thousand Springs State Park is made up of five different sites. You could spend weeks exploring it and the wildlife management areas that are also in the area. There are also a number of fish hatcheries. It was hard to find the preserve, as there were no signs directing me to it. The park doesn’t officially open till Memorial Day, so signs may be put up by then. To get to the former preserve, you drive down a steep, narrow, dirt road which only the smallest rv’s should attempt.
* Idaho Wildlife Viewing Guide, 2003
A muskrat.
Boise, Idaho and its’ suburbs are like any towns you would see in Southern California. Twin Falls, however, is more of a farm town. In the village of Filer, saw the store below for game processing and a mobile butcher. Next to it is a store to process grains.
