Shalkaho Park, Hamilton, Montana

Along the Bitterroot River lies a delightful City Park. It is named Skalkaho. Its all the normal things in a city park but also a delightful and easy set of trails. These parallel the river and you can encounter many birds, often times a moose, and this year a mountain lion was in the area.

We had a few days left with Jen and Eric. Eric had to work so we decided to stroll along the park’s many trails. The snow is melting, and the river was bank full as we began our stroll. We parked just north of town and at first headed down river. It’s a place where we have seen moose, but not today, The trees were budding, but we picked a bad time as the birds were not in evidence. Sometimes we see pileated woodpeckers and we did head a bird working on a tree, but it wasn’t the deep pecks of a pileated. Instead it was a different woodpecker and we did not spot it. The pileated woodpeckers leave huge holes as they search for grubs. There were quite a few people enjoying the trails. We did see some Canadian geese and a few mallards, but nothing unusual, It was a simple and easy hike made extra enjoyable with Jen and Renita. Again, thanks Jen and Eric for all your guidance. Clear skies and Love

Blodgett Point Hike

We took our first hike at altitude. Jen and Eric are careful to watch us and make sure we were not overdoing it. Their first selection was one we have never been on before. It’s a hike to a place called Blodgett Point and looks down on the Canyon hike we took last year.

This year, due to low snowfall, the hike was dry, and was about one and a half miles long, three miles round trip. The total elevation gain was about three hundred feet, which is about half the height of Devils Tower, which I use to rock climb.

We were passed by many others and on the way down a biker was attempting to ride up the trail. Something I will never try! It was a good pick and we will soon be hiking in Grand Teton National Park. Thanks Jen and Eric! Clear skies

Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge, April 2024

It’s about a five-hour drive to our daughter and son in laws home in Hamilton, Montana and we were warmly greeted with hugs upon our arrival. It rained lightly and a little snow fell but the pass was open and was clear of any ice. The next several days were more snow and light rain so we decided to go to the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge. Jen drove and Eric had the day off. It’s not very far away from their home and upon arrival we were surprised at the number of cars in the parking lot.

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The main attraction is a pair of nesting Great Horned Owls and their brood of owlets. It’s a short hike on a good path to the large cottonwood tree where the owls have their nest. We could see the male owl and female parents both perching in separate trees, (both were sleeping). Their three young were all in the hollowed-out tree and we could just see one of the owlets peeking out, looking for it’s parents. They were fletching and would soon venture out, but they stayed put on the day we were there.

Continuing on Renita took a picture of a Northern Flicker, and I took one of an America Robin sitting on its nest.

Further an osprey sat on the top of a tree overlooking the Bitterroot River. Everyone else watched as a bald eagle soared but it disappeared before we could get a shot, Further along a pair of California Quail nervously watched us.

They were introduced here years ago and do well in the Bitterroot valley. Many of the paths were muddy and so we decided to drive to the Refuge headquarters. There is a large pond awaited with many species of ducks. An osprey stared at the pond and took off while we were taking its picture.

It flew to the pond, dove and grabbed a fish in its talons. It returned to its perch above us for its meal. Nothing like fresh sushi.

Its mate sat on their nest a little further in but this meal was not for sharing. Several mallards fed by dabbling on the underwater vegetation. Besides the plants they also eat the small invertebrates that live in plants, It’s an extremely healthy food source. Ducks don’t have teeth, but they have a serrated bill with edges on their beaks, which helps them to tear off the rooted plants.

A Barrows Golden Eye swam by, you can see why they are so aptly named, and a Cinnamon Teal,(a crummy picture) and a pair of Northern Shovelers were also feeding.

Driving past the headquarters we watched a lone sandhill crane and stopped for pictures of a strutting turkey.

As it displayed its fanned out tail, a hen turkey watched, trying to decide if the tom was a suitable mate.

We also spotted a red tailed hawk, and I did get a picure of it flying overhead.

On the way back Jen and Eric pointed out a male pheasant.

Such a beautiful bird! It was accompanied by a brood of chicks, but they disappeared into the tall grass before I could take their picture. It had been a good outing, a nice day of birding, and it felt good to start our Montana adventure with an easy hike. Thanks Jen and Eric! Clear skies

Day 3 A Great Day with Grizzly 610 and her Subadults

Day 3 we drove to the usual spot and a crowd had already gathered. ^10 and her triplet subadults were coming down the mountain, The bears were already closer than we had ever been to them and now they were heading for the mass of people.

As they reached the stand of trees at the bottom 610 turned and her family followed her. Many people jumped into their cars and drove further south. I walked fast along the road being careful to stay outside the white line, (the ditch), and moved to the other side so I could watch the traffic as it approached. Renita stayed where she was with her camera, so we would cover two possible crossings. The bears kept moving parallel to the road and I called her to bring the car down as they were getting closer. I called her and by the time she arrived the bears had passed my spot and so we drove to a large meadow.

Parking, we waited and hoped it wouldn’t be long before they appeared. At one spot they huddled together. An elk carcass was there, or should I say a skeleton and one of the subadults was picking it up and chewing on a spinal column. Talk about a chew toy! This went on for a while and 610 started to move again.

Two of the subadults got in a fight. They would wrestle and then move and wrestle and move further. The sow started to walk directly toward us, and the third one joined her. She kept walking but the third heard the two fighting and turned towards its siblings and joined them. Meanwhile the sow got closer to us and as she neared the one-hundred-yard distance the Bear Management leader yelled that we should all get in our cars.

About then she turned around and saw that her triplets were not with her and so she turned back and rejoined them.By that time, we had arrived at the Pacific Creek Road.

Many of the cars and trucks had turned down it to head them off. Driving past them we couldn’t find a place to park as the ditch was very narrow, (you must park outside the white line). We moved further down to where a lot parking area was and waited for the bears. Some of the cars drove past us and a bear management team member stopped and told us the four grizzlies had crossed the road. Driving back, we saw they had crossed at a spot where we had parked and so we took pictures of their tracks.

Next we headed towards the dam but before we got there we saw vehicles parked and so we pulled over. There were two sets of grizzly tracks that had crossed the road the night before. The tracks were from 399 and her yearling called Spirit. You can see the difference in size.

They had appeared the evening before and escorted by the bear team crossed the road and river before continuing. They left the park boundaries and walked all the way to Wilson. We decided to call it a day and so returned to Jackson. Clear skies The next day we returned to the park. We did not see bears but just past the Lodge turnoff a wolf ran across the road. I could not get a picture, but later we were able to take pictures of the tracks. And yes we know the differenc ebetweena wolf an da coyote. It is only the second time we have seen a wolf in Grand Teton National Park and it made our day!

My hand is the same size as the track.

Grand Teton National Park Day 2

We arrived in the park later than we planned. A traffic jam was at the same place as yesterday and we hoped to see the bears, but not that morning. The bears had been out all morning but they disappeared over the ridge just as we arrived. We waited around in the hopes they would come back but almost everyone left and so we headed to another spot. It was a sunny day and we arrived at the oxbow at the perfect time. Three otters were swimming in the open water before diving under the ice shelf but soon returned, (freshwater otters can hold their breath for up to eight minutes). They all shot from the water onto another ice shelf and huddled together as if they were discussing the fishing. The sun was perfect, and their coats glistened from the water. It was the perfect shot. The best picture I have ever taken of otters. They returned to the water and swam away so we left looking for bear 399 and her cub, but they had not yet made an appearance. Our next stop was at Pilgrim Creek, and then Leeks Marina, From there we drove north to Yellowstone Park but the road was closed at Flagg Ranch.

Turning around we stopped as a fox was in the middle of the road. It was begging for food from a truck and ran to our truck hoping for a handout. People don’t realize that a human fed animal is a dead animal. The wild animals get used to eating human food, they become pests, are captured and then euthanized.

Near the entrance at Moran Junction, another traffic jam had formed. The bears had returned to the place they had been for the last four days but still stayed far away, almost four hundred yards. After a while they headed back over the ridge and so we decided to head to a pond, near Moose Junction.

On the way there, a car had stopped, and a photographer was taking pictures of a fox. The fox was mousing, and we watched as it located the mouse, by hearing, then leapt into the air and made a one-point landing on its mouth as it attempted to grab the small rodent.

It missed and so we drove on. We had watched fox and coyotes exhibiting the same behavior. Talk about acute hearing!

Nothing was at the pond, and we ate lunch there. Two years before we had watched as 399 and her four subadults walk out from the trees. That was an incredible experience as we watched alone for about twenty-five minutes before we were deluged with cars and photographers. (That was when we took the picture on our 2022 Christmas/Holiday Card.

We had a list of things to do in Jackson, so we called it a day. It had been a great day with otters, fox and even far away grizzly bears. On the way back to town we were wondering where the moose were and sure enough, they were just south of Moose Junction, (I wonder how it got its name)?

The moose are shaggy this time of year as they are shedding their winter coats. They have already lost their antlers. As I said before it had been a great day! Clear skies