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This is Page 2 of 5 - the best of May 2020!
posted: June 3rd, 2020
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This page begins and ends with May 12th.  It covers from the time we got up in the morning at our camping spot, until the end of the day and us back at the same camping spot along the Parks Highway south of the entrance to Denali National Park.  On this date we returned to Denali National Park and drove in to the Savage River Area.  We took an abundance of photos and they are included in the first eleven rows here.  The next twelve rows cover our climb up a trail which begins in Bison Gulch and ends at Mt. Healy.  We did not make it to Mt. Healy, we had not planned to.  We were searching for wildflowers and once we got high enough so that the flowers ended (due to the combination of elevation and temperature), we turned back.  We found two species of wildflowers which were new for us to see, so we were pleased.  The final two rows were taken after we arrived back at our camp spot.  Click on any thumbnail to begin.

Begin May 12th - including Denali N.P.
  The first two shots in this row were taken at our camping spot south of the entrance to Denali National Park. The third shot was taken in Denali N.P. and shows a caribou.
May12th_002_MP213RC
May12th_002_
MP213RC
May12th_010_DenaliRC
May12th_010_
DenaliRC
May12_007_DenaliPark_CaribouRC
May12_007_
DenaliPark_CaribouRC

  In first position is another shot of a Willow Ptarmigan, and in second and third position are scenic shots taken near the Savage River Rest Area.
May12th_014_Denali_PtarmiganRC
May12th_014_
Denali_PtarmiganRC
May12th_025_DenaliRC
May12th_025
_DenaliRC
May12th_030_DenaliRC
May12th_030_
DenaliRC

  Here are three shots of Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus). In third position, the bird on the left is the female of the species. This was the first time we'd ever seen this species.
May12_012_DenaliPark_HarlequinDuckRC
May12_012_Denali
Park_HarlequinDuckRC
May12th_048_Denali_HistrionicusHistrionicusRC
May12th_048_Denali_
HistrionicusHistrionicusRC
May12_019_DenaliPark_HarlequinDuckRC
May12_019_DenaliPark
_HarlequinDuckRC

  Here are three more shots of Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus).
May12th_060_Denali_HistrionicusHistrionicusRC
May12th_060_Denali_
HistrionicusHistrionicusRC
May12_022_DenaliPark_HarlequinDuckRC
May12_022_DenaliPark_
HarlequinDuckRC
May12th_094_Denali_HistrionicusHistrionicusRC
May12th_094_Denali_
HistrionicusHistrionicusRC

  All three of these shots show Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus). The first shot also shows Kazuya and where we were in relation to the ducks.
May12_046_DenaliPark_Kazuya_HarlequinDucksRC
May12_046_DenaliPark_
Kazuya_HarlequinDucksRC
May12_048_DenaliPark_HarlequinDucksRC
May12_048_DenaliPark
_HarlequinDucksRC
May12th_104_Denali_HistrionicusHistrionicusRC
May12th_104_Denali_
HistrionicusHistrionicusRC

  An additional three shots of Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus).
May12_060_DenaliPark_HarlequinDucksRC
May12_060_DenaliPark_
HarlequinDucksRC
May12th_121_Denali_HistrionicusHistrionicusRC
May12th_121_Denali_
HistrionicusHistrionicusRC
May12_070_DenaliPark_HarlequinDucksRC
May12_070_DenaliPark_
HarlequinDucksRC

  Here are the final two shots of Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) and then a shot of three Dall Sheep (Ovis dalli) up high on the mountain which was behind us while we were shooting the photos of the Harlequin Ducks.
May12th_131_Denali_HistrionicusHistrionicusRC
May12th_131_Denali_
HistrionicusHistrionicusRC
May12th_132_Denali_HistrionicusHistrionicusRC
May12th_132_Denali_
HistrionicusHistrionicusRC
May12_077_DenaliPark_DallSheepRC
May12_077_Denali
Park_DallSheepRC

  In first position is a scenery shot, while in second and third position are more shots of Dall Sheep (Ovis dalli).
May12th_143_DenaliRC
May12th_143
_DenaliRC
May12th_146_Denali_DallSheepRC
May12th_146_Denali
_DallSheepRC
May12_079_DenaliPark_DallSheepRC
May12_079_Denali
Park_DallSheepRC

  Here are the final two shots of Dall Sheep (Ovis dalli) and then a single shot of a Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus).
May12th_157_Denali_DallSheepRC
May12th_157_Denali
_DallSheepRC
May12_086_DenaliPark_DallSheepRC
May12_086_Denali
Park_DallSheepRC
May12th_166_Denali_WhimbrelRC
May12th_166_Denali
_WhimbrelRC

  These three shots all show the Savage River and the ice which was still there on this date. The yellow outlined area in the first shot, shows the location of the zoomed-in second photo.
May12_089_DenaliPark_SavageRiverRC
May12_089_Denali
Park_SavageRiverRC
May12_090_DenaliPark_SavageRiverRC
May12_090_Denali
Park_SavageRiverRC
May12_091_DenaliPark_SavageRiverRC
May12_091_Denali
Park_SavageRiverRC

  Here is a final shot of the ice along the Savage River and then two final Denali National Park shots which show more caribou.
May12_092_DenaliPark_SavageRiverRC
May12_092_Denali
Park_SavageRiverRC
May12th_172_Denali_CaribouRC
May12th_172_
Denali_CaribouRC
May12th_180_Denali_CaribouRC
May12th_180_
Denali_CaribouRC

End Denali N.P., Begin Bison Gulch Trail
  Now we are outside of Denali N.P. and are climbing up the Bison Gulch Trail towards the summit of Mt. Healy. These three shots all show Arctic-sweet Coltsfoot (Petasites frigidus).
May12_095_BisonGulch_ColtsfootRC
May12_095_Bison
Gulch_ColtsfootRC
May12_096_BisonGulch_ColtsfootRC
May12_096_Bison
Gulch_ColtsfootRC
May12th_183_BisonGulch_PetasitesFrigidusRC
May12th_183_BisonGulch
_PetasitesFrigidusRC

  These three shots all show Arctic Wind-flower (Anemone parviflora).
May12_099_BisonGulch_AnemoneRC
May12_099_Bison
Gulch_AnemoneRC
May12th_185_BisonGulch_AnemoneParvifloraRC
May12th_185_BisonGulch
_AnemoneParvifloraRC
May12th_187_BisonGulch_AnemoneParvifloraRC
May12th_187_BisonGulch
_AnemoneParvifloraRC

  WOW! Here are three shots of a Double-petaled Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla patens). We have seen a lot of Pasque Flowers, but this is the first double-petaled one we have ever seen.
May12th_191_BisonGulch_PulsatillaPatensRC
May12th_191_BisonGulch
_PulsatillaPatensRC
May12th_192_BisonGulch_PulsatillaPatensRC
May12th_192_BisonGulch
_PulsatillaPatensRC
May12th_193_BisonGulch_PulsatillaPatensRC
May12th_193_BisonGulch
_PulsatillaPatensRC

  Here is a final shot of the Double-petaled Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla patens) and then two shots of normal Pasque Flowers.
May12_102_BisonGulch_DoublePetalPasqueFlowerRC
May12_102_BisonGulch
_DoublePetalPasqueFlowerRC
May12th_206_BisonGulch_PulsatillaPatensRC
May12th_206_BisonGulch
_PulsatillaPatensRC
May12th_208_BisonGulch_PulsatillaPatensRC
May12th_208_BisonGulch
_PulsatillaPatensRC

  Here are three cute shots of an Arctic Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus parryii).
May12th_217_BisonGulchRC
May12th_217_
BisonGulchRC
May12_114_BisonGulch_GroundSquirrelRC
May12_114_BisonGulch
_GroundSquirrelRC
May12th_218_BisonGulchRC
May12th_218_
BisonGulchRC

  In this row are three shots of a new flower for our life-list, this is the Gorman's Dwarf Primrose (Douglasia gormanii).
May12_117_BisonGulch_PinkFlowerRC
May12_117_BisonGulch
_PinkFlowerRC
May12th_220_BisonGulch_DouglasiaGormaniRC
May12th_220_BisonGulch_
DouglasiaGormaniRC
May12_120_BisonGulch_PinkFlowerRC
May12_120_BisonGulch
_PinkFlowerRC

  Here are three more shots of this new species for our life-list - Gorman's Dwarf Primrose (Douglasia gormanii). Note the 10 cent coin for scale.
May12th_228_BisonGulch_DouglasiaGormaniRC
May12th_228_BisonGulch
_DouglasiaGormaniRC
May12_130_BisonGulch_PinkFlowerRC
May12_130_BisonGulch
_PinkFlowerRC
May12th_240_BisonGulch_DouglasiaGormaniRC
May12th_240_BisonGulch
_DouglasiaGormaniRC

  At this point we have stopped to eat the lunch which we brought with us. The first shot shows me, Daniel, and the other two shots show Kazuya. Note that in the third shot Kazuya has also put his jacket on, it's kind of chilly at this elevation (about 3,160 feet = 963 m).
May12th_250_BisonGulchRC
May12th_250_
BisonGulchRC
May12_133_BisonGulch_KazuyaRC
May12_133_Bison
Gulch_KazuyaRC
May12_135_BisonGulch_KazuyaRC
May12_135_Bison
Gulch_KazuyaRC

  Here are two more shots of an Arctic Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus parryii), and then a shot of our second new plant species for the day - the Purple Saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia).
May12th_279_BisonGulchRC
May12th_279_
BisonGulchRC
May12th_285_BisonGulchRC
May12th_285_
BisonGulchRC
May12th_259_BisonGulch_SaxifragaOppositifoliaRC
May12th_259_BisonGulch
_SaxifragaOppositifoliaRC

  Here are three more shots of Purple Saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia), our second new species of plant for today.
May12th_294_BisonGulch_SaxifragaOppositifoliaRC
May12th_294_BisonGulch
_SaxifragaOppositifoliaRC
May12th_297_BisonGulch_SaxifragaOppositifoliaRC
May12th_297_BisonGulch
_SaxifragaOppositifoliaRC
May12th_298_BisonGulch_SaxifragaOppositifoliaRC
May12th_298_BisonGulch
_SaxifragaOppositifoliaRC

  Here are two more photos of Purple Saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia) and then a shot of a Lichenized Fungi (Vulpicida tilesii).
May12_145_BisonGulch_PinkFlowerRC
May12_145_BisonGulch
_PinkFlowerRC
May12th_299_BisonGulch_SaxifragaOppositifoliaRC
May12th_299_BisonGulch
_SaxifragaOppositifoliaRC
May12th_305_BisonGulch_VulpicidaTilesiiRC
May12th_305_BisonGulch
_VulpicidaTilesiiRC

  Here are the two final shots taken while descending the Bison Gulch Trail - the Lichenized Fungi (Vulpicida tilesii). The third shot was taken while we were driving back to our camping spot of the previous night.
May12th_306_BisonGulch_VulpicidaTilesiiRC
May12th_306_BisonGulch
_VulpicidaTilesiiRC
May12th_307_BisonGulch_VulpicidaTilesiiRC
May12th_307_BisonGulch
_VulpicidaTilesiiRC
May12th_344_DenaliRC
May12th_344_
DenaliRC

End Bison Gulch Trail, Back at Camping Spot
  Now we are back at the same place we camped out last night - it was a good spot, so we decided to return here rather than to try and find an equal or better spot.
May12_155_CampingSpotSceneryRC
May12_155_Camping
SpotSceneryRC
May12_156_CampingSpotSceneryRC
May12_156_Camping
SpotSceneryRC
May12_161_CampingSpotSceneryRC
May12_161_Camping
SpotSceneryRC

  While we were eating our supper and talking about our day this Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) decided to give us a treat and show itself for Kazuya's camera.
May12th_361_MP215_CardellinaPusillaRC
May12th_361_MP215
_CardellinaPusillaRC
May12th_361_MP216_CardellinaPusillaRC
May12th_361_MP216
_CardellinaPusillaRC

End May 12th, End Page 2
Thanks so much for taking the time to look at this page. Now, please go on to Page 3 for the continuation of this month's adventures. Go To Page:

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