Archive for the ‘falcon’ Category

Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

Friday, August 21st, 2009

Stayed a few days at Henry’s Lake State Park, a little south of West Yellowstone, just so I could visit the Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. I had put off visiting it before because you have to drive more than 25 miles over a dirt road. Was glad I did not try and drive my trailer over the road. Found it to be a mix of washboard, rock, and potholes…really bad. Making it hard to get to probably is a good thing. It is one of the most beautiful and remote wildlife refuges I’ve been to and being hard to get to probably helps keep it that way.

Picture above: Upper Red Rock Lake. The Centennial Mountains are seen when you look in the other direction.

Passed over Red Rock Pass and into Montana on the way to the refuge from Island Park, Idaho.

Taylor Mountain, around 9,500 feet, near the refuge. There is still some snow on it.

Part of the Upper Lake Campground. I would love to get my trailer here for a few days. You are really in the wilderness without having to backpack into it. Next year I’m going to try going through the west entrance to the refuge to see if that road is any better than the east entrance that I traveled.

Had a staredown with this marmot. Kept thinking it would run away. Finally said, ok, you win, and left. It may have been protecting a nest.

Below: Think these are prairie falcon fledglings, though I’m not good at identifying falcons and hawks. Swainson’s hawks (thanks to John Dahlke)

Posted in falcon, Island Park, marmot, wildlife refuge | 1 Comment »

Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge

Monday, June 15th, 2009

Have been staying at Lake Walcott State Park in south-central Idaho the past few days. The park is unique, in that it is located within the Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge. This allows parts of the refuge to be used by the public for boating, fishing and camping.

The weather has been nice. It usually ranges from the 50′s at night to the 70′s in the day. Clouds and light rain blow through at least once a day, but does not stay long. Have not had any thunder or hail yet.

Above, the old main highway that runs parallel to the Snake River (and the refuge) and the new I-84. Had the good luck to see the hawk while driving the road.

There is a large flock of white pelicans here. The one above is diving for a fish in an area of rapids on the Snake River.

Bullock’s oriole. Have also seen a cedar waxwing.

Eastern kingbird.

Magpie fledgling. There are five of them perched inside a small pine tree near where I am camped.

Robin fledgling following one of it’s parents around.

Think this is an Eastern kingbird fledgling.

The way here: Stayed two days at Bruneau Dunes State Park. It has sand dunes, small lakes, and an observatory. C.J. Strike Wildlife Management Area is also right next to it and has no hookup camping areas. I found some nice areas in the wildlife area, but no place I’d want to take my trailer. Really got my truck muddy driving through parts of it and had to use my 4-wheel drive at one point. Made me thankful to have it.

Western (top) and eastern (bottom) kingbirds seen at Bruneau Dunes State Park.

Posted in falcon, kingbird, magpie, Mountain Home, oriole, pelican, robin, Rupert, State, wildlife refuge | No Comments »

Path to New Mexico

Friday, November 21st, 2008

From San Diego I returned to Rancho Jurupa Park in Riverside for a few days. It turned into a week because of the fierce winds that kicked up and perpetuated the Southern California fires.

Above, an adult night heron on top and a group of egrets and herons seen at Rancho Jurupa.

I finally made my way to Blythe. It was unseasonably hot there, so after two days, I decided to press on to New Mexico. I took the I-10 to Phoenix and then the I-17 to Flagstaff. Northern Arizona was at least 10 degrees cooler than Southern Arizona was my reasoning. I’ve never taken the I-17 before. It was a nice drive, but there is a pretty steep grade.

Below: A falcon seen at Cibola Wildlife Refuge in the Blythe area. There were a hundred or so sandhill cranes there.

On the I-40 in Arizona, I stopped at Homolovi Ruins State Park in Winslow, Arizona. Ended up staying two days because it was so nice. In the past, I’ve always hit severe winds coming through this area. It was calm and peaceful this time, with only a couple of other visitors in the park. It got down to freezing at night, but by mid-day, it warmed up.

My camp site is shown below. There are both pull-throughs and very wide back-ins.

Posted in Blythe, coot, egret, falcon, heron, Riverside, State, wildlife refuge, Winslow | Comments Off

Cibola National Wildlife Refuge

Saturday, November 17th, 2007

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I am in the vacation mecca of Blythe, California to check out Cibola National Wildlife Refuge.

It is amazing how many white trucks similar to mine are both in the park I’m staying at and in Blythe itself. Seems like 95% of the trucks are white. I got a white truck because I was in a hurry to get a tow vehicle and just got a truck that was on display at the dealers.

Sticker shock with diesel gas prices in California. One mile across the river in Arizona at Flying J the price was $3.27; here in Blythe it was $3.79. There was a traffic jam at the Flying J station. Reminded me of gas rationing in the ’70s.

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More sandhill cranes! Cibola is doing a lot of the same things Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge is doing…planting crops for the birds and flooding fields. There is also an auto tour route at Cibola.

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Another prairie falcon (or American kestral).

Posted in Airstream, Blythe, County, falcon, sandhill crane, sunset, wildlife refuge | Comments Off

Elephant Butte State Park, New Mexico

Saturday, November 10th, 2007

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Stayed several days at Elephant Butte State Park in New Mexico. I’m guessing that the rock a little left of center is where the name came from. Boating, fishing, and cycling are the main activities. Also, walking of course. It is right next to the town of Truth or Consequences (T or C), which is a nice town, supposed to be a good town to retire to.

I moved 20 miles south, to Percha Dam State Park. Caballo Lake State Park is right next to it. I chose Percha Dam because it is supposed to be a good birding site, but, so far, I have not had much luck. The water level at the dam is low, just as it was at Elephant Butte, basically just a creek.

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Thousands of sandhill cranes have been passing overhead, heading NORTH, towards Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge (around 60 miles from here).

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Did get a picture of this guy on a telephone pole next to a farm field. Think it is a prairie falcon.

With the increasing price of gasoline, I really need to slow down on my traveling. Which is really a good thing. I went down the coast of Washington and Oregon in four days, which is ridiculous. Had to back track up the coast to see more of it. Probably living in Southern California for 30 years has something to do with it, a freeway state of mind.

Posted in Elephant Butte, falcon, Percha Dam, sandhill crane, State | Comments Off