2016 Vacation photographs
Part 2
For the first part of the vacation photos, click here.
The resident adult Bald Eagle.
Just west of my tent.
These often perched on the hillside to the south of the
lake.
A juvenile Bald eagle.
This juvenile is about to get attacked by an adult.
Initial contact. The adult came from 30 yards behind the
juvenile, rather quickly.
Maybe this was a lesson from a parent.
A Tundra Swan. These would fly around the lake in a
figure 8 before landing, probably checking for predators.
The final approach.
Landed near the northern shore.
An American Widgeon.
Several moms with ducklings took shelter along the
shoreline near the tent.
An American Widgeon landing.
A Short-billed Gull flying by the tent.
Another Short-billed Gull.
They often perched on the lone spruce near the tent. Five
on this day.
A neat duck, a Northern Shoveler. Saw him in the pond
just west of the lake in which a family of Arctic Loons
lived.
The Arctic Loon dad of this pond.
One of the nicer photos I shot on the trip. This Arctic
Loon appeared right by the pier of the float plane at Shell
Lake, Inuvik.
I saw lots of these little guys in the bushes near the tent,
very wary. White-crowned Sparrow.
These were very common. Also seen right by the tent.
Robins were also very common. On the first Monday, I
saw one shriek and then fly toward the bushes, just in
time to escape becoming dinner for a Short Eared Owl!
White Winged Scoters were common the first week.
They flew in a group of four. Disappeared after the Bald
Eagles arrived.
A Short Eared Owl. These made slow flights around the
lake on rainy days. I have seen these on the Dempster
Highway sitting on the road, click here to see a photo.
A Horned Lark. Saw a pair of these on the tundra just
north of the Saddle.
Another juvenile Bald Eagle. Saw these on the last Friday,
a very overcast day.
A pair of Bald Eagles were flying just west of the tent.
These were not fighting.
A White Veined Arctic, Oeneis bore. The only butterfly
photo I shot, near the tent.
A close-up.
This mom and cub were seen on Tuesday, July 5. They
passed just below the rubble hill, see the last photo on this
page. They were much whiter to my eyes than this
photo, but I knew right away they were Grizzlies, not
Polar Bears. Females are often blond in these mountains.
I saw one in 2013, click here. I kept my distance from
this pair.
Now I am on the plateau just past the Saddle, looking
toward Ogilvie and Horn lakes.
Another shot of the route I will take next year to crest
that far ridge, 5000 feet. Ocean Peak is on the left,
cloudy, as usual.
To the left of the above photo.
This is to the west of the above photos. I will hike along
the top on an animal trail, shown below.
The ridge veers south on heads toward a rubble pile,
which is seen on Google earth as a rocky patch. Not that
bad though.
Looking back toward the lakes.
Very nice shot of the route over the ridge. I will hike just
to the left of the upper snow pile, and then veer left.
Two creeks drain from this smaller saddle. I will get
water here next year, as probably none for the next 4-5
miles.
Very nice shot of Mount Dennis.
Looking at the far south ridge.
I just loved this shot!
My favorite!!!
The Caribou use this route, as evident by the trails.
This is the trail along the ridge that I mentioned. Very
nice to hike.
Just looking the south of the above photo.
This male Grizzly passed near the tent on Friday, July 8.
The rain had stopped and the animals were active. I had
just taken down my electric fence and was standing with
the poles in my hand. He is inside the outlet creek, which
is just behind him.
Females of a species are often rounder than males, which
are more muscular and angular. Compare this photo to
the lone female on the first page of these photos.
All told, I saw 5 Grizzlies this trip, more than last year,
probably because I spent more time at higher elevations.
Grizzlies feed on ground squirrels, which are found on the
solid ground up high.
That brush in the foreground is in a slight depression,
whereas the brush behind the bear is the outlet creek,
which is hard to cross. The mouth of the outlet creek is
about 200 yards from the tent.
A few plant photos. Yellow Moosedung Moss, Splachnum luteum. Saw it in the P. eversmanni thor meadow.
Another neat plant, Spiraea beauverdiana, found near the tent.
I saw this plane at 6 pm on Sunday, June 26. Notable
because this is one of the few signs of civilization that I
saw on the trip. The solitude enhances the beauty of the
arctic, and this keeps me coming back year after year.
Maybe I will see this Caribou again next year, when I
conquer this ridge!
Part 2
For the first part of the vacation photos, click here.
The resident adult Bald Eagle.
Just west of my tent.
These often perched on the hillside to the south of the
lake.
A juvenile Bald eagle.
This juvenile is about to get attacked by an adult.
Initial contact. The adult came from 30 yards behind the
juvenile, rather quickly.
Maybe this was a lesson from a parent.
A Tundra Swan. These would fly around the lake in a
figure 8 before landing, probably checking for predators.
The final approach.
Landed near the northern shore.
An American Widgeon.
Several moms with ducklings took shelter along the
shoreline near the tent.
An American Widgeon landing.
A Short-billed Gull flying by the tent.
Another Short-billed Gull.
They often perched on the lone spruce near the tent. Five
on this day.
A neat duck, a Northern Shoveler. Saw him in the pond
just west of the lake in which a family of Arctic Loons
lived.
The Arctic Loon dad of this pond.
One of the nicer photos I shot on the trip. This Arctic
Loon appeared right by the pier of the float plane at Shell
Lake, Inuvik.
I saw lots of these little guys in the bushes near the tent,
very wary. White-crowned Sparrow.
These were very common. Also seen right by the tent.
Robins were also very common. On the first Monday, I
saw one shriek and then fly toward the bushes, just in
time to escape becoming dinner for a Short Eared Owl!
White Winged Scoters were common the first week.
They flew in a group of four. Disappeared after the Bald
Eagles arrived.
A Short Eared Owl. These made slow flights around the
lake on rainy days. I have seen these on the Dempster
Highway sitting on the road, click here to see a photo.
A Horned Lark. Saw a pair of these on the tundra just
north of the Saddle.
Another juvenile Bald Eagle. Saw these on the last Friday,
a very overcast day.
A pair of Bald Eagles were flying just west of the tent.
These were not fighting.
A White Veined Arctic, Oeneis bore. The only butterfly
photo I shot, near the tent.
A close-up.
This mom and cub were seen on Tuesday, July 5. They
passed just below the rubble hill, see the last photo on this
page. They were much whiter to my eyes than this
photo, but I knew right away they were Grizzlies, not
Polar Bears. Females are often blond in these mountains.
I saw one in 2013, click here. I kept my distance from
this pair.
Now I am on the plateau just past the Saddle, looking
toward Ogilvie and Horn lakes.
Another shot of the route I will take next year to crest
that far ridge, 5000 feet. Ocean Peak is on the left,
cloudy, as usual.
To the left of the above photo.
This is to the west of the above photos. I will hike along
the top on an animal trail, shown below.
The ridge veers south on heads toward a rubble pile,
which is seen on Google earth as a rocky patch. Not that
bad though.
Looking back toward the lakes.
Very nice shot of the route over the ridge. I will hike just
to the left of the upper snow pile, and then veer left.
Two creeks drain from this smaller saddle. I will get
water here next year, as probably none for the next 4-5
miles.
Very nice shot of Mount Dennis.
Looking at the far south ridge.
I just loved this shot!
My favorite!!!
The Caribou use this route, as evident by the trails.
This is the trail along the ridge that I mentioned. Very
nice to hike.
Just looking the south of the above photo.
This male Grizzly passed near the tent on Friday, July 8.
The rain had stopped and the animals were active. I had
just taken down my electric fence and was standing with
the poles in my hand. He is inside the outlet creek, which
is just behind him.
Females of a species are often rounder than males, which
are more muscular and angular. Compare this photo to
the lone female on the first page of these photos.
All told, I saw 5 Grizzlies this trip, more than last year,
probably because I spent more time at higher elevations.
Grizzlies feed on ground squirrels, which are found on the
solid ground up high.
That brush in the foreground is in a slight depression,
whereas the brush behind the bear is the outlet creek,
which is hard to cross. The mouth of the outlet creek is
about 200 yards from the tent.
A few plant photos. Yellow Moosedung Moss, Splachnum luteum. Saw it in the P. eversmanni thor meadow.
Another neat plant, Spiraea beauverdiana, found near the tent.
I saw this plane at 6 pm on Sunday, June 26. Notable
because this is one of the few signs of civilization that I
saw on the trip. The solitude enhances the beauty of the
arctic, and this keeps me coming back year after year.
Maybe I will see this Caribou again next year, when I
conquer this ridge!
