Vacation Journal
Monday, June 20, 2005
Monday, June 20, 2005
We didn't do much on Sunday. We went to church services at the Madison Amphitheater at Madison Junction in the park. We went to take a hike up the small hill overlooking Grand Prismatic Spring, but the parking lot was full so we went back to West Yellowstone for lunch and laundry. So much for all the excitement on Sunday.
Today we got up earlier than normal and left to take a scenic drive to Cody, Wyoming. Going through the Madison Valley, we saw two of the swans (separately). We saw the two young eagles. We saw a coyote trying to stalk something. Yesterday, I did ask a ranger about the Sandhill Cranes, but he did not know where they had gone. I did learn that a young Sandhill Crane is called a colt (just like the horse).
East of Mammoth we saw a coyote running along side the road going opposite of us. He seemed oblivious to the heavy traffic on the road. A little further along we saw a female elk with calf. We stopped at Roosevelt Lodge for lunch. After eating, we went by the Osprey nest in the tower area. The eggs had hatched since we were last here, and there were two very young Osprey in the nest. One of the adults was at the nest guarding them.
In the Lamar valley, as we headed to the northeast exit from the park, we say yet another coyote not too far off the road. Then we got a good view of a flying Bald Eagle. Further down we saw a male Moose. On down the road we saw a female Moose.
We drove up the Beartooth Highway. This is the one that does hairpin curves up to 10,600 feet and then does hairpins back down on the other side. It is just about the best mountain drive you can take. Unfortunately, we had learned three weeks ago, that the road is not open all the way through right now. The spring runoffs had washed the road out in several locations on the other side. We did get to drive to the hight points. We saw several dozen Marmots. We also got to see a Rocky Mountain Goat. We were excited. While we were up above 10,000 feet we paid careful attention to the few birds in the area. We found what we were looking for - the Black Rosy Finch. This is a bird that lives in a very small range in the rockies and lives in the tundra above the timberline. We got some close views of several of them. Then we found another bird, the Horned Lark. We weren't expecting this one, but we got some excellent views of one pair. We watched for about 15 minutes because they are such interesting birds. On our way back down, we found a third bird that we have yet to identify. We have a long description written down and we will work on trying to figure it out in a few minutes.
We drove through Sunlight Basin, over Sunlight Gorge, on Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, and eventually got to Cody, where we will spend two nights. We didn't get here until past 7:00 pm. It was a long and very enjoyable day. The drives on Beartooth Highway and Chief Joseph Scenic Byway give you continual views of mountains and deep valleys. I strongly recommend that everyone get out here and take these drives. Words can't do them justice.
Today we got up earlier than normal and left to take a scenic drive to Cody, Wyoming. Going through the Madison Valley, we saw two of the swans (separately). We saw the two young eagles. We saw a coyote trying to stalk something. Yesterday, I did ask a ranger about the Sandhill Cranes, but he did not know where they had gone. I did learn that a young Sandhill Crane is called a colt (just like the horse).
East of Mammoth we saw a coyote running along side the road going opposite of us. He seemed oblivious to the heavy traffic on the road. A little further along we saw a female elk with calf. We stopped at Roosevelt Lodge for lunch. After eating, we went by the Osprey nest in the tower area. The eggs had hatched since we were last here, and there were two very young Osprey in the nest. One of the adults was at the nest guarding them.
In the Lamar valley, as we headed to the northeast exit from the park, we say yet another coyote not too far off the road. Then we got a good view of a flying Bald Eagle. Further down we saw a male Moose. On down the road we saw a female Moose.
We drove up the Beartooth Highway. This is the one that does hairpin curves up to 10,600 feet and then does hairpins back down on the other side. It is just about the best mountain drive you can take. Unfortunately, we had learned three weeks ago, that the road is not open all the way through right now. The spring runoffs had washed the road out in several locations on the other side. We did get to drive to the hight points. We saw several dozen Marmots. We also got to see a Rocky Mountain Goat. We were excited. While we were up above 10,000 feet we paid careful attention to the few birds in the area. We found what we were looking for - the Black Rosy Finch. This is a bird that lives in a very small range in the rockies and lives in the tundra above the timberline. We got some close views of several of them. Then we found another bird, the Horned Lark. We weren't expecting this one, but we got some excellent views of one pair. We watched for about 15 minutes because they are such interesting birds. On our way back down, we found a third bird that we have yet to identify. We have a long description written down and we will work on trying to figure it out in a few minutes.
We drove through Sunlight Basin, over Sunlight Gorge, on Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, and eventually got to Cody, where we will spend two nights. We didn't get here until past 7:00 pm. It was a long and very enjoyable day. The drives on Beartooth Highway and Chief Joseph Scenic Byway give you continual views of mountains and deep valleys. I strongly recommend that everyone get out here and take these drives. Words can't do them justice.
Archives
May 2005 June 2005 August 2005 September 2005 August 2006 September 2006
