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This is Page 1 of 4 - the best of June 2020!
posted: June 30th, 2020
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This page begins with May 29th and a short hike on the Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge Trail System, where we found a pair of Horned Grebes which were in the process of changing positions in the 'sitting-on-the-nest' duty - interesting.  The following day, May 30th, we headed for the mountains - Twelvemile and Eagle Summits and found early flowers.  We were also there on May 31st.  The next adventure on this page is a trip to Denali National Park and a hike to the summit of the Savage Alpine Trail.  That's all you'll find on this page.  Click on any thumbnail to begin.

Begin May 29th - 31st
  On May 29th we went to Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge again and in the large pond we spotted a pair of Horned Grebes (Podiceps auritus) nesting. In this series of photos the two parents-to-be are switching positions - time for the other one to come and sit on the eggs while the one which was sitting on the nest swims around finds food for itself. In the first photo you can see both birds - the one on the left is on the nest. The second shot is zoomed-in to the nest. The third shot shows that now they are both at the nest. The changeover has not yet happened.
May29th_007_CreamersField_PodicepsAuritusRC
May29th_007_Creamers
Field_PodicepsAuritusRC
May29_19_CreamersFieldTrail_HornedGrebeNestRC
May29_19_CreamersField
Trail_HornedGrebeNestRC
May29th_019_CreamersField_PodicepsAuritusRC
May29th_019_Creamers
Field_PodicepsAuritusRC

  In the first and second shots in this row the changeover has occurred and the new "sitter" is checking the position of the eggs, or maybe rearranging them. In the third shot, the alternate parent is in position and keeping things warm.
May29th_025_CreamersField_PodicepsAuritusRC
May29th_025_Creamers
Field_PodicepsAuritusRC
May29th_022_CreamersField_PodicepsAuritusRC
May29th_022_Creamers
Field_PodicepsAuritusRC
May29th_030_CreamersField_PodicepsAuritusRC
May29th_030_Creamers
Field_PodicepsAuritusRC

  On May 30th and 31st we visited the Eagle Summit Area for the second time this season. The first photo in this row shows a Woolly Lousewort (Pedicularis lanata), the second photo shows a Blackish Oxytrope (Oxytropis nigrescens var. nigrescens), and the third photo shows a Alaska Blue Anemone (Anemone multiceps aka A. drummondii).
May30th_004_TwelvemileSummit_PedicularisLanataRC
May30th_004_Twelvemile
Summit_PedicularisLanataRC
May30th_005_TwelvemileSummit_OxytropisNigrescensVarNigrescensRC
May30th_005_TwelvemileSummit_
OxytropisNigrescensVarNigrescensRC
May30th_010_EagleSummit_AnemoneMulticepsRC
May30th_010_Eagle
Summit_AnemoneMulticepsRC

  Here are two more shots of Alaska Blue Anemone (Anemone multiceps aka A. drummondii) and sandwiched between them is a two-shot panorama showing Eagle Summit Area scenery. That tiny person you can see is me.
May30_02_EagleSummit_AnemoneMulticepsRC
May30_02_EagleSummit
_AnemoneMulticepsRC
May30th_060_061_ReposPano_EagleSummitRC
May30th_060_061_Repos
Pano_EagleSummitRC
May30th_023_EagleSummit_AnemoneMulticepsRC
May30th_023_EagleSummit
_AnemoneMulticepsRC

  In first position in this row is a photo of Mountain Avens (Dryas octopetala). In second position is another two-shot panorama which shows more Eagle Summit Area scenery, including a deep snowdrift. The third photo shows a Parry's Wallflower (Parrya nudicaulis).
May30th_063_EagleSummit_DryasOctopetalaRC
May30th_063_Eagle
Summit_DryasOctopetalaRC
May30_11_12_AutoPano_EagleSummit_SceneryRC
May30_11_12_AutoPano_
EagleSummit_SceneryRC
May30th_067_EagleSummit_ParryaNudicaulisRC
May30th_067_Eagle
Summit_ParryaNudicaulisRC

  Here is an additional example of Parry's Wallflower (Parrya nudicaulis), then another two-shot panorama of Eagle Summit Area scenery. In third position is another Woolly Lousewort (Pedicularis lanata).
May30th_077_EagleSummit_ParryaNudicaulisRC
May30th_077_Eagle
Summit_ParryaNudicaulisRC
May30_13_14_AutoPano_EagleSummit_SceneryRC
May30_13_14_AutoPano_
EagleSummit_SceneryRC
May30th_082_EagleSummit_PedicularisLanataRC
May30th_082_Eagle
Summit_PedicularisLanataRC

  Here are three scenery photos taken in the Eagle Summit Area. The center shot is a zoomed version of the first photo.
May30_16_EagleSummit_SceneryRC
May30_16_Eagle
Summit_SceneryRC
May30_17_EagleSummit_SceneryRC
May30_17_Eagle
Summit_SceneryRC
May30th_111_EagleSummitRC
May30th_111_
EagleSummitRC

  The first shot in this row shows Snow Buttercup (Ranunculus nivalis), the center shot shows the sky at 11:48 PM and the third shot is one of morning scenery.
May30th_115_EagleSummit_RanunculusNivalisRC
May30th_115_Eagle
Summit_RanunculusNivalisRC
May30th_123_EagleSummitRC
May30th_123_
EagleSummitRC
May31_001_EagleSummit_SceneryRC
May31_001_Eagle
Summit_SceneryRC

  Here are two shots of Lapland Rosebay (Rhododendron lapponicum) and then a shot of Kazuya photographing Snow Buttercup (Ranunculus nivalis).
May31_002_EagleSummit_RhododendronLapponicumRC
May31_002_Eagle
Summit_RhododendronLapponicumRC
May31st_004_EagleSummit_RhododendronLapponicumRC
May31st_004_Eagle
Summit_RhododendronLapponicumRC
May31_008_EagleSummit_RanunculusNivalisRC
May31_008_Eagle
Summit_RanunculusNivalisRC

  Here is closer shot of that Snow Buttercup (Ranunculus nivalis) shown above. In second position is another two-shot scenery panorama and in third position is another scenery shot with Kazuya pointing into the distance.
May31st_006_EagleSummit_RanunculusNivalisRC
May31st_006_Eagle
Summit_RanunculusNivalisRC
May31_024_025_AutoPano_EagleSummit_SceneryRC
May31_024_025_AutoPano
_EagleSummit_SceneryRC
May31_019_EagleSummit_SceneryRC
May31_019_Eagle
Summit_SceneryRC

  Here is a very interesting Circle Lichen in first position. In the center is another two-shot scenery panorama and in third position is a four-photo collage of Male Northern Wheatear birds (Oenanthe oenanthe). What an amazing bird. Check out its migration route HERE. (Map will open in new tab).
May31_028_EagleSummit_CircleLichenRC
May31_028_Eagle
Summit_CircleLichenRC
May31_049_050_ReposPano_EagleSummit_SceneryRC
May31_049_050_ReposPano
_EagleSummit_SceneryRC
May31st_024_023_026_May30th_117_EagleSummit_NorthernWheatearRC
May31st_024_023_026_May30th_117
_EagleSummit_NorthernWheatearRC

  All three shots in this row show Woolly Lousewort (Pedicularis lanata).
May31st_021_EagleSummit_PedicularisLanataRC
May31st_021_EagleSummit
_PedicularisLanataRC
May31_035_EagleSummit_PedicularisLanataRC
May31_035_EagleSummit
_PedicularisLanataRC
May31_039_EagleSummit_PedicularisLanataRC
May31_039_EagleSummit
_PedicularisLanataRC

  In first position you see a specimen of Lapland Rosebay (Rhododendron lapponicum). In the center is another two-shot panorama of Eagle Summit Area scenery and in third position is Narcissus-flowered Anemone (Anemone narcissiflora).
May31_054_EagleSummit_RhododendronLapponicumRC
May31_054_EagleSummit
_RhododendronLapponicumRC
May31_062_063_AutoPano_EagleSummit_SceneryRC
May31_062_063_AutoPano_
EagleSummit_SceneryRC
May31_066_EagleSummit_AnemoneNarcissifloraRC
May31_066_EagleSummit
_AnemoneNarcissifloraRC

  The first shot in this row shows Kjellman's Groundsel (Tephroseris kjellmanii), the center image is a two-shot scenery/snow panorama (one shot above/below the other) and the third shot shows how deep the snowdrifts are in some places along the Steese Highway in the Eagle Summit Area on May 31st, 2020.
May31_068_EagleSummit_TephroserisKjellmaniiRC
May31_068_EagleSummit
_TephroserisKjellmaniiRC
May31_078_078_AutoPano_EagleSummit_SceneryRC
May31_078_078_AutoPano
_EagleSummit_SceneryRC
May31st_066_EagleSummitRC
May31st_066_
EagleSummitRC

End May 29th - 31st, Begin June 8th
  Now we are in Denali National Park and we are hiking/climbing the Savage Alpine Trail. The first shot shows a Lapland Rosebay (Rhododendron lapponicum) and the remaining photos show Lehmann’s rock-jasmine (Androsace chamaejasme ssp. lehmanniana).
June8th_002_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_RhododendronLapponicumRC
June8th_002_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_RhododendronLapponicumRC
June8th_006_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_AndrosaceChamaejasmeRC
June8th_006_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_AndrosaceChamaejasmeRC
June8_002_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_AndrosaceRC
June8_002_DenaliPk_Savage
AlpineTrail_AndrosaceRC

  The first photo in this row is of Lapland Rosebay (Rhododendron lapponicum), the second is Lehmann’s rock-jasmine (Androsace chamaejasme ssp. lehmanniana), and the final one is Frigid Shooting-star (Dodecatheon frigidum). We were amazed at the diversity here.
June8th_021_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_RhododendronLapponicumRC
June8th_021_DenaliSavage
AlpineTrail_RhododendronLapponicumRC
June8th_014_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_AndrosaceChamaejasmeRC
June8th_014_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_AndrosaceChamaejasmeRC
June8th_029_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_DodecatheonFrigidumRC
June8th_029_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_DodecatheonFrigidumRC

  Here is another shot of Frigid Shooting-star (Dodecatheon frigidum) and then two shots of a small fern. For scale note my gloved hand in the center photo.
June8_013_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_ShootingStarRC
June8_013_DenaliPk_SavageAlpine
Trail_ShootingStarRC
June8_019_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_FernRC
June8_019_DenaliPk_Savage
AlpineTrail_FernRC
June8th_034_DenaliSavageAlpineTrailRC
June8th_034_Denali
SavageAlpineTrailRC

  The first photo here shows One-flower Cinquefoil (Potentilla uniflora), the second photo shows examples of Ciliate Saxifrage (Saxifraga eschscholtzii) on the left and Sandwort (Arenaria chamissonis) on the right. The third shot shows only the Ciliate Saxifrage.
June8th_044_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_PotentillaUnifloraRC
June8th_044_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_PotentillaUnifloraRC
June8th_046_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_ArenariaChamissonis_SaxifragaEschscholtziiRC
June8th_046_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_
ArenariaChamissonis_SaxifragaEschscholtziiRC
June8th_047_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_SaxifragaEschscholtziiRC
June8th_047_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_SaxifragaEschscholtziiRC

  In first position in this row is Ledge Stonecrop (Rhodiola integrifolia ssp. integrifolia), while in second and third positions are shots of Few-flowered Corydalis (Corydalis pauciflora).
June8th_042_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_RhodiolaIntegrifoliaSspIntegrifoliaRC
June8th_042_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_
RhodiolaIntegrifoliaSspIntegrifoliaRC
June8th_050_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_CorydalisPaucifloraRC
June8th_050_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_CorydalisPaucifloraRC
June8th_055_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_CorydalisPaucifloraRC
June8th_055_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_CorydalisPaucifloraRC

  Here is an Alaska Spring-beauty (Claytonia sarmentosa) in first position. In the center is a two-shot panorama from the Savage Alpine Trail, and in third position is another shot of Lapland Rosebay (Rhododendron lapponicum).
June8th_058_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_ClaytoniaSarmentosaRC
June8th_058_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_ClaytoniaSarmentosaRC
June8th_060_061_AutoPano_DenaliSavageAlpineTrailRC
June8th_060_061_AutoPano_
DenaliSavageAlpineTrailRC
June8th_062_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_RhododendronLapponicumRC
June8th_062_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_RhododendronLapponicumRC

  The left photo in this row shows a Pincushion plant (Diapensia lapponica var. obovata). The center and right photos show Northern Anemone (Anemone parviflora).
June8th_066_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_DiapensiaLapponicaVarObovataRC
June8th_066_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail
_DiapensiaLapponicaVarObovataRC
June8th_077_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_AnemoneParvifloraRC
June8th_077_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_AnemoneParvifloraRC
June8th_076_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_AnemoneParvifloraRC
June8th_076_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_AnemoneParvifloraRC

  Here is a Mountain Avens (Dryas octopetala) and that is followed by two shots taken along the trail. The third shot shows me hiking.
June8th_084_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_DryasOctopetalaRC
June8th_084_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_DryasOctopetalaRC
June8th_090_DenaliSavageAlpineTrailRC
June8th_090_Denali
SavageAlpineTrailRC
June8th_091_DenaliSavageAlpineTrailRC
June8th_091_Denali
SavageAlpineTrailRC

  All three shots in this row show the very strange Ciliate Saxifrage (Saxifraga eschscholtzii).
June8th_106_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_SaxifragaEschscholtziiRC
June8th_106_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_SaxifragaEschscholtziiRC
June8th_108_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_SaxifragaEschscholtziiRC
June8th_108_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_SaxifragaEschscholtziiRC
June8_052_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_SaxifrageRC
June8_052_DenaliPk_Savage
AlpineTrail_SaxifrageRC

  In this row are photos of Sandwort (Arenaria chamissonis), Moss Campion (Silene acaulis), and Mountain Death-camas (Anticlea elegans).
June8th_092_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_ArenariaChamissonisRC
June8th_092_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_ArenariaChamissonisRC
June8th_121_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_SileneAcaulisRC
June8th_121_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_SileneAcaulisRC
June8_060_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_DeathCamasRC
June8_060_DenaliPk_SavageAlpine
Trail_DeathCamasRC

  Here is one more photo of Mountain Death-camas (Anticlea elegans) and then two photos of Three-toothed Saxifrage (Saxifraga tricuspidata).
June8_062_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_DeathCamasRC
June8_062_DenaliPk_Savage
AlpineTrail_DeathCamasRC
June8th_130_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_SaxifragaTricuspidataRC
June8th_130_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_SaxifragaTricuspidataRC
June8th_131_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_SaxifragaTricuspidataRC
June8th_131_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_SaxifragaTricuspidataRC

End Page 1, but June 8th Continues on Page 2
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