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.
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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.
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May29th_007_Creamers Field_PodicepsAuritusRC |
May29_19_CreamersField Trail_HornedGrebeNestRC |
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_Creamers Field_PodicepsAuritusRC |
May29th_022_Creamers Field_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_Twelvemile Summit_PedicularisLanataRC |
May30th_005_TwelvemileSummit_ OxytropisNigrescensVarNigrescensRC |
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 |
May30th_060_061_Repos Pano_EagleSummitRC |
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_Eagle Summit_DryasOctopetalaRC |
May30_11_12_AutoPano_ EagleSummit_SceneryRC |
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_Eagle Summit_ParryaNudicaulisRC |
May30_13_14_AutoPano_ EagleSummit_SceneryRC |
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_Eagle Summit_SceneryRC |
May30_17_Eagle Summit_SceneryRC |
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_Eagle Summit_RanunculusNivalisRC |
May30th_123_ EagleSummitRC |
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_Eagle Summit_RhododendronLapponicumRC |
May31st_004_Eagle Summit_RhododendronLapponicumRC |
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_Eagle Summit_RanunculusNivalisRC |
May31_024_025_AutoPano _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_Eagle Summit_CircleLichenRC |
May31_049_050_ReposPano _EagleSummit_SceneryRC |
May31st_024_023_026_May30th_117 _EagleSummit_NorthernWheatearRC |
  All three shots in this row show Woolly Lousewort (Pedicularis lanata). |
May31st_021_EagleSummit _PedicularisLanataRC |
May31_035_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_062_063_AutoPano_ EagleSummit_SceneryRC |
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_078_078_AutoPano _EagleSummit_SceneryRC |
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_DenaliSavageAlpine Trail_RhododendronLapponicumRC |
June8th_006_DenaliSavageAlpine Trail_AndrosaceChamaejasmeRC |
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_DenaliSavage AlpineTrail_RhododendronLapponicumRC |
June8th_014_DenaliSavageAlpine Trail_AndrosaceChamaejasmeRC |
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_SavageAlpine Trail_ShootingStarRC |
June8_019_DenaliPk_Savage AlpineTrail_FernRC |
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_DenaliSavageAlpine Trail_PotentillaUnifloraRC |
June8th_046_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_ ArenariaChamissonis_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_050_DenaliSavageAlpine Trail_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_DenaliSavageAlpine Trail_ClaytoniaSarmentosaRC |
June8th_060_061_AutoPano_ DenaliSavageAlpineTrailRC |
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_077_DenaliSavageAlpine Trail_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_DenaliSavageAlpine Trail_DryasOctopetalaRC |
June8th_090_Denali SavageAlpineTrailRC |
June8th_091_Denali SavageAlpineTrailRC |
  All three shots in this row show the very strange Ciliate Saxifrage (Saxifraga eschscholtzii). |
June8th_106_DenaliSavageAlpine Trail_SaxifragaEschscholtziiRC |
June8th_108_DenaliSavageAlpine Trail_SaxifragaEschscholtziiRC |
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_DenaliSavageAlpine Trail_ArenariaChamissonisRC |
June8th_121_DenaliSavageAlpine Trail_SileneAcaulisRC |
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_Savage AlpineTrail_DeathCamasRC |
June8th_130_DenaliSavageAlpine Trail_SaxifragaTricuspidataRC |
June8th_131_DenaliSavageAlpine Trail_SaxifragaTricuspidataRC |
End Page 1, but June 8th 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 month's adventures. |
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