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posted: July 1st, 2021 |
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This page begins with June 4th - 7th and birds at home. On June 8th we show you some photos from a trip up the Elliott Highway to Milepost 93, where we spent the night in our topper motel. Then on June 9th we continue up the Elliott Highway to the Village of Minto. That is where this page ends, with us on the shore overlooking Minto Flats at Minto Village. Click on any thumbnail to begin.
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| Begin June 4th - 7th |
The first image in this row compares the size of a Hairy Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus) (left) and a Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) (right). The center shot shows the full size photo of the Hairy Woodpecker and the third shot is a male Downy Woodpecker.
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 Jun4_7ATCrop_HairyWoodpecker _Jun03_6ATCrop_RC |
 Jun4_7ATCrop_Hairy Woodpecker_SuetFeeder_RC |
 Jun06_1_Male DownyWoodpecker_RC |
Here are two shots of an American Robin (Turdus migratorius) as it preens after a bath in our homemade bird bath.
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 June7th_012_ Home_Robin_RC |
 June7th_013_ Home_Robin_RC |
These three images are actually only two photos - the first and third images are the actual photos and the center image is a 2-shot panorama of the two photos. These shots were taken looking south from our porch just after working up the garden.
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 Jun07_1_South FromPorch_Garden_RC |
 Jun07_1_2_CylindricalPano_ SouthFromPorch_Garden_RC |
 Jun07_2_South FromPorch_Garden_RC |
| End June 4th - 7th, Begin June 8th |
Let's take a drive up the Elliott Highway. The first two shots were taken in an old burn area (read forest fire) and they show White Cottongrass (Eriophorum scheuchzeri). The third photo shows a Spotted Lady Slipper Orchid (Cypripedium guttatum) at Grapefruit Rocks as it prepares to bloom - this tells us we should return here in a week or so.
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 Jun08_03_Cottongrass _OldBurnArea_RC |
 June8th_004_ElliottHWY_ EriophorumScheuchzeri_RC |
 Jun08_07_Cypripedium Guttatum_Grapefruit_RC |
Here is a patch of Spotted Lady Slipper Orchid (Cypripedium guttatum). In second position is an Arctic bramble or Arctic raspberry (Rubus arcticus), and in third place is a shot of Hare Bells (Campanula lasiocarpa).
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 Jun08_08_Cypripedium Guttatum_Grapefruit_RC |
 Jun08_11_Berry Flower_Grapefruit_RC |
 Jun08_13_HareBells _Grapefruit_RC |
In first and third position you can see the Small-Flower Columbine (Aquilegia brevistyla), while in center position is another shot of Arctic bramble or Arctic raspberry (Rubus arcticus).
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 June8th_020_Grapefruit Rocks_AquilegiaBrevistyla_RC |
 June8th_014_Grapefruit Rocks_RubusArcticus_RC |
 June8th_019_Grapefruit Rocks_AquilegiaBrevistyla_RC |
Now we have moved from Grapefruit Rocks to a gravel pit near Milepost 57 on the Elliott Highway. Can you believe all of the Arctic Lupine (Lupinus arcticus ssp. arcticus) here?
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 Jun08_22_Mile57Elliott Hwy_LupineKazuya_RC |
 Jun08_21_Mile57Elliott Hwy_Lupine_RC |
 Jun08_23_Mile57Elliott Hwy_LupineKazuya_RC |
The first shot shows one more (Lupinus arcticus ssp. arcticus) and that is followed by two shots - plant and also flowers - of the Three-Toothed Saxifrage (Saxifraga tricuspidata).
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 Jun08_24_Mile57Elliott Hwy_Lupine_RC |
 June8th_028_ElliottHWYMP57 _SaxifragaTricuspidata_RC |
 June8th_029_ElliottHWYMP57 _SaxifragaTricuspidata_RC |
Here are two shots of Narrowleaf Arnica (Arnica angustifolia) and then another shot of Arctic Lupine (Lupinus arcticus ssp. arcticus).
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 June8th_033_ElliottHWYMP57 _ArnicaAngustifolia_RC |
 June8th_034_ElliottHWYMP57 _ArnicaAngustifolia_RC |
 June8th_035_ElliottHWYMP57 _LupinusArcticus_RC |
In this row are photos of Narrowleaf Arnica (Arnica angustifolia), Death Camas (Anticlea elegans), and Arctic Lupine (Lupinus arcticus ssp. arcticus).
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 Jun08_30_Mile57Elliott Hwy_Arnica_RC |
 June8th_041_ElliottHWYMP57 _AnticleaElegans_RC |
 Jun08_31_Mile57Elliott Hwy_Lupine_RC |
Here are three shots of Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla patens) Seedheads on the hillside where we got those great Pasque Flower photos last month.
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 June8th_042_ElliottHWYMP57 _PulsatillaPatens_RC |
 Jun08_36_Mile57Elliott Hwy_PasqueFlower_RC |
 Jun08_37_Mile57Elliott Hwy_PasqueFlower_RC |
The Common Juniper (Juniperus communis var. depressa) grows here, and the first shot shows an example with male flowers. The second shot is another of the Three-Toothed Saxifrage (Saxifraga tricuspidata). Much to our surprise we found a few Calypso Orchids (Calypso bulbosa var. americana) here - we never expected to see these here, but one just never knows what one may find.
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 June8th_062_ElliottHWYMP57_ JuniperusCommunisVarDepressa_RC |
 June8th_075_ElliottHWYMP57 _SaxifragaTricuspidata_RC |
 June8th_078_ElliottHWYMP57 _CalypsoBulbosa_RC |
Here are two more shots of Calypso Orchids (Calypso bulbosa var. americana) and then another shot of White Cottongrass (Eriophorum scheuchzeri).
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 June8th_079_ElliottHWYMP57 _CalypsoBulbosa_RC |
 June8th_084_ElliottHWYMP57 _CalypsoBulbosa_RC |
 June8th_107_ElliottHWY_ EriophorumScheuchzeri_RC |
Have you ever found a Raven (Corvus corax) nest? The first two shots in this row show one with a Raven sitting in it. Is this a parent or a young one? The third shot shows a beautiful Prickly Wild Rose (Rosa acicularis).
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 June8th_109_ElliottHWY _BabyRaven_RC |
 June8th_110_ElliottHWY _BabyRaven_RC |
 Jun08_53_Elliott HwyWildRose_RC |
Here are two additional shots of Prickly Wild Rose (Rosa acicularis) and sandwiched between them is a scenery photo taken at about Milepost 93 of the Elliott Highway. In the distance is Minto Flats - we will go there tomorrow.
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 Jun08_54_Elliott HwyWildRose_RC |
 Jun08_57_ElliottHwy AroundMile93_RC |
 June8th_116_Elliott HWY_RosaAcicularis_RC |
Here are two more scenic shots in which Minto Flats can be seen. The third shot is a Snow Arnica (Arnica griscomii ssp. frigida).
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 Jun08_58_Elliott HwyAroundMile93_RC |
 Jun08_59_Elliott HwyAroundMile93_RC |
 June8th_136_ElliottHWY _ArnicaGriscomiiSspFrigida_RC |
Here are three scenic shots which were taken near Milepost 93 of the Elliott Highway. In the first shot note how far back from the sides of the road they have cut the brush. We read that the reason for this is due to the fact that this area experiences very strong winds and they have done this in an attempt to remove anything which might cause the snow to drift. In the center shot you start to get a better impression of the size of Minto Flats.
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 Jun08_63_Elliott HwyAroundMile93_RC |
 Jun08_65_Elliott HwyAroundMile93_RC |
 June8th_141_ ElliottHWY_RC |
In first position here is an example of Mountain Avens (Dryas octopetala) and that is followed by two shots of a form of Narcissus-Flowered Anemone (Anemone narcissiflora f. viridis) which displays a greenish color and kind of a mutated blossom shape.
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 June8th_152_Elliott HWY_DryasOctopetala_RC |
 June8th_154_ElliottHWY_Anemone NarcissifloraFViridis_RC |
 Jun08_72_ AnemoneMile93_RC |
Here are two more shots of a form of Narcissus-Flowered Anemone (Anemone narcissiflora f. viridis) and sandwiched between them is a shot of a very small Fragrant Woodfern (Dryopteris fragrans).
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 Jun08_74_ AnemoneMile93_RC |
 June8th_167_ElliottHWY _DryopterisFragrans_RC |
 June8th_165_ElliottHWY_ AnemoneNarcissifloraFViridis_RC |
This is where we spent the night in our pickup truck topper - the Topper Motel is what we call it. This is at Milepost 93 of the Elliott Highway.
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 June8th_169_170ATTopBot_Auto Pano_ElliottHWYMP93_RC |
 June8th_171_ ElliottHWYMP93_RC |
| End June 8th, Begin June 9th |
Now it's a new day, what will it bring? The first thing it brought us was a sundog on the left side of the sun.
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 June9th_002_ ElliottHWY_RC |
 June9th_003_ ElliottHWY_RC |
As we began the continuation of our drive one of the first things we saw was this Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum).
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 June9th_006_ElliottHWY_ ErethizonDorsatum_RC |
 June9th_016_ElliottHWY_ ErethizonDorsatum_RC |
 June9th_020_ElliottHWY_ ErethizonDorsatum_RC |
Here are three scenic shots which we took. The third shot shows that we are getting closer to Minto Flats.
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 Jun09_01_Along ElliottHwyNearMile95_RC |
 Jun09_02_Along ElliottHwyNearMile95_RC |
 Jun09_06_Along ElliottHwyNearMile95_RC |
This flowery vista was along the Minto Road, beautiful, to say the least. The second shot is rather self-explanatory. The third image, a 2-shot panorama, was taken from the Minto Village water access road.
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 June9th_034_Minto_Arnica GriscomiiSspFrigida_RC |
 June9th_038_ Minto_RC |
 Jun09_08_09_ReporPanoSIP_ AtMintoVillage_RC |
Here are three additional shots of Minto Flats. This is a HUGE area where the Tolovana River, the Chatanika River, the Tatalina River, Goldstream Creek and more, all come together and then flow into the Tanana River. This is the Minto Flats State Game Refuge. If you're interested you can search for that name and find a map.
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 June9th_041_ Minto_RC |
 Jun09_13_At MintoVillage_RC |
 Jun09_14_At MintoVillage_RC |
| End Page 1, but June 9th continues on Page 2 |
| Thanks so much for taking the time to look at this page. Now, please go on to Page 2 for the continuation of this adventure at 8:41 AM. |
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