Whereas the open slopes of Howe Ridge could be brutally scorching, an overcast day made the journey up and over to Trout Lake in Glacier Nationwide Park an pleasing affair. With ample birds singing, flowers blooming, and sightings of deer, elk, and a snowshoe hare, we had a stunning day regardless of the occasional mild rain showers and moist shrubbery alongside the path.
It’s been awhile since we’ve put out a video recounting our journeys into Glacier Nationwide Park. It’s not that we’re not getting out, it’s simply that we’ve been doing issues that aren’t very “bloggy”. We’ve ridden Going-to-the-Solar Highway on our bikes as much as the loop (which we’ve blogged about quite a few occasions), attended some citizen science coaching on Frequent Loons and Mountain Goats/Bighorn Sheep, and did a Golden Eagle nest search.
Whereas these have been getting out into the park and are cool, they’re not tremendous nice to point out, however within the video, you get to see the results of our nest search (which was profitable not solely to find a nest, however discovering one with a younger chick being fed!)
After a number of rain, we have been scheduled to search for Frequent Loons in Rogers Lake. The objective is to see which of them are nesting and in the event that they efficiently hatch, then elevate the chicks to maturity. Rogers Lake will not be accessible through path, so the plan was to bushwhack over the to lakeshore and see what we might see.
We began out underneath an overcast sky. A soggy Lewis’s Woodpecker clung to a tree as we pulled up and bought able to hike. The sound of quite a few chicken species stuffed the air as we stepped out onto the path and started climbing. It’s a steep climb up and over Howe Ridge, and to have the ability to do it on a cool cloudy morning is a profit. We started seeing a number of the birds we’d heard and loved the flowers as we ascended, crossing seasonal streams and ready for a big Mule Deer buck to get off the path together with his large antlers nonetheless in velvet.
The bugs weren’t too unhealthy, however they have been round and the explanation for all the warblers, flycatchers, and bluebirds, feeding hungry younger all in a rush to develop. We lastly crested the ridge and started dropping.
Rogers Lake got here into view and the plan was to scope it from the ridge to see what it appeared like and if we might spy a nest or any nesting habits. We noticed three Trumpeter Swans on the outlet finish of the lake, seven Elk (largely cows it appeared), and a household of Canada Geese. Resting on the water, nonetheless, was our goal chicken.
Two Frequent Loons have been sleeping on the water, which isn’t a fantastic signal for nesting birds. One would count on at the very least one in every of them to be on the nest. We watched them get up and preen, then start feeding. This all took over an hour and we determined that the bushwhack wouldn’t be warranted as nesting birds wouldn’t be current.
So it was off to Trout Lake. We descended by way of the timber on the plush facet of the ridge the place the birds species modified from the open burn species to the wetter forest species which was enjoyable. We needed to navigate some downfall as we dropped down, however general, journey wasn’t too unhealthy.
We arrived on the lakeshore of Trout Lake close to the log jam. A loon was spied additional up the lake and the tops of the mountains have been coated in clouds slowly lifting, revealing latest snowfall. We checked out an island that’s been a well-liked nesting spot which appeared partially flooded as we walked up the overgrown path that was completely satisfied to drop rainwater throughout our pants as we moved up.
About midway up the lake, we stopped on the Mountain Goat/Bighorn Sheep survey website and did a survey, seeing neither of the species as we swatted at some mosquitos. We ate lunch and tried to seek out the loon once more, however didn’t discover it till we have been getting near the foot of the lake. At that time, it gave the impression to be within the island and was all by itself. We made some notes and went to the foot of the lake.
Simply earlier than we determined to depart, we appeared again on the island and noticed the loon once more with a second one! They began doing a little courtship shows which was enjoyable. We surmised that they’re both nesting elsewhere or about to nest quickly. We completed up the survey and packed up and headed up and over the ridge all filled with a number of nature which had smiled on us.
