We have Baby Birds!

We conducted our first monitoring of Bluebird Boxes this year on April 28th, and found that several boxes already had nests and eggs in them.

Western Bluebird Nest

The next week we found even more nests and eggs, but also found that this nest had been destroyed by something small enough to get in and out of the box without widening the hole or damaging the box. What do you think? Perhaps a weasel or another bird?

Damaged Nest

We have learned that the Chickadees bury their early eggs down into the animal fur that lines the nest, so I need to gently feel around to see if there are eggs. Once they finish laying all of the eggs they seem to form a little cup and the eggs are more obvious.

Black-capped Chickadee Nest

This past Monday we found our first hatchlings of the year, including this pair that had just hatched. They look so completely helpless that it is hard to imagine how they survive!

Freshly Hatched

A couple of nests had hatchlings that were a bit older.

Western Bluebirds - About 3 Days Old.

We are looking forward to another banner year for the nesting birds of Farragut State Park.

Mark

The School Trips Have Begun...

The last three weeks of May were some of our busiest last year, as area schools schedule field trips during that period of time. We got a little burned out last year as some schools show up with huge groups (like 150 2nd graders) and no matter how you divide them up that is just too many.

We worked with our Ranger (Errin) last year to draw up guidelines for more manageable group sizes, and we'll see how that works this year.

We had our first school group of this year on Thursday. There were 75 second-graders and things went better than any of the trips last year. They divided into two smaller groups, and the teachers handled one group with activities while we led the other on a nature hike.

Starting the Hike

Our hike is about a mile long, and follows a trail that runs along the edge of the lake. We cover topics like the trees in the park, the lake itself, some park history, and animals that live in the forest. With second graders we don't get into much detail on any of this, but they are very enthusiastic to share all they know about everything!!

Talking About Trees

One neat prop that we have this year is a thin section of an 85-year old pine tree. We use it to talk about tree rings, factors that affect growth, etc. But an odd thing happened. After our first hike we left the section next to the trail to be used on the second hike. But someone came across it and moved it up to the parking lot. we think with the idea of taking it home. We found it in this different spot at the beginning of the second hike. I thought Teri had moved it, and she had no idea what had happened. It wasn't until after the hike that we compared notes and figured out what had happened.

We have six school group coming in the next two weeks, and our "normal" interpretive programs will start next Friday as well. So we hope to get to the end of May with our sanity intact and then transition into our regular routine.

Mark

She's Baaaack!!

Teri and I enjoyed seeing our first ever Flying Squirrel last year as we monitored bird boxes here at the park. We had one occupying Box # 48 for most of last summer and we're pretty sure that she had babies in there.

During our first two weeks of checking boxes number 48 was empty. However, this past Monday I tapped gently on the box before opening it, and out she came!!

Northern Flying Squirrel

We look forward to seeing more of her as the summer progresses, and wonder if she'll rear another brood in "her" box.

The End

Mark

Happy Mother's Day!!!

As we checked bird boxes this past week, we had two different Mountain Bluebird females that refused to leave their nests, even with the box open. The fact that these 1 ounce birds will stare down a 230 pound monster (me) and not flinch is a testament to how seriously moms take the responsibility of protecting and caring for their little ones.

So on Mother's Day, Teri and I want to send our love to our mothers (Dorothy and Keith). We love you both and are thinking about you, even though we are 2000 miles away...

Mom, Dad and the Kids

And a Happy Mother's Day to all of our friends who are moms as well.

Mark & Teri

Sweet New Ride

After driving 3200 miles from Big Pine Key, Florida, we have arrived at Farragut State Park in Idaho.  We are in the same RV spot and will have the same volunteer jobs.

We immediately started one of our jobs - monitoring 50 bluebird houses.  So far, out of 50 houses, we have 28 nests, 10 of the nests have eggs for a total of 41 eggs.  2 houses had a bluebird sitting on a nests and we were not able to count the number of eggs.  2 of the houses had squirrels.  It looks like we are in for a very busy summer!

Mark opening a bluebird house

Since the houses are spread over several miles of roads and trails, we take a Park vehicle.  Last year we had a old, persnickety, Kawasaki Mule that stranded us a few times.

As an incentive to get us to come back this year, we were told we would have a brand new UTV to drive this year. 

Take a look at our sweet new ride: 

Kubota

We’re looking forward to the following 4 months and hope to get out and see some new areas this summer.

Stay tuned.

Teri

National Bison Range

Our last stop before arriving at Farragut State Park is Missoula, Montana. We found that the National Bison Range is nearby, and decided to give it a look.

This 19,000 acre range consists of rolling grasslands surrounded by mountains. The views were amazing.

An interesting exhibit near the entry station was this large pile of elk antlers. We didn't see any elk on our visit, but they must have plenty to accumulate all of these antlers.

Whole Lotta' Elk Antlers

We drove the auto tour road. They don't allow hiking, bike riding, or even getting out of your vehicle while on the range, due to the free-ranging Bison.

The most common sound we heard was Western Meadowlarks singing. They were everywhere!

Western Meadowlark

We also saw Mountain Bluebirds and Tree Swallows claiming various houses along the fenceline.

Tree Swallow

Mountain Bluebird

The Bison themselves were pretty spread out. We saw a few small groups here and there. All of them looked shaggy, as they were losing their thick winter coats.

American Bison

I saw more Pronghorns than Bison. This one was busy scratching a spot on the ground and then "marking" it.

Pronghorn

We saw a pair of Coyote way up on a hillside.

Coyotes

And this bachelor group of Mule Deer were crossing the creek. Each of them had the start on the new season's antlers.

Mule Deer

We also saw a grassland bird that we'd never seen before. 

Gray Partridge

We'll arrive at our summer home tomorrow. After 3200 miles we are looking forward to getting off of the road for a while.

Mark

Bozeman, Montana

We are getting mighty close to our summer home. Today we are in Bozeman, Montana, about 400 miles from our destination.  We decided to take a drive up Hyalite Canyon to visit Palisade Falls, but found the road closed at the mouth of the canyon.

Hyalite Canyon Road

It turns out that the road is closed to vehicles from April 1st thru May 15th to protect it during the spring thaw. The roadbed gets soft during this time and is easily damaged, so the Forest Service closes it for six weeks. This meant that we had a very peaceful hike beyond the closed gate!

It is still cool here and the trees are just beginning to bud out, so there were not a lot of birds to be seen.

We saw a few Townsend's Solitaires, a sure sign that we are in the western mountains.

Townsend's Solitaire

Hyalite Creek was swollen with snow melt and flowing fast. It is wonderful to see and hear these mountain streams once again.

Hyalite Creek

We were surprised to see a pair of Mallards swimming around in the creek. They didn't seem at all bothered by the fast-moving water.

Mallard Female

Mallard Male

As a reminder that we are still early in the Spring season here, many of the shaded areas in the canyon still have snow. Brrrrr.

Snow beside Hyalite Creek

Mark