Some Yellowstone Critters..Camera Critters #78

Yellowstone National Park has a lot of critters. Just about anywhere you look you can see some kind of animal. I read that in 1902 the Yellowstone buffalo herd was down to just 23. Now the Yellowstone Buffalo herd has grown to 4000 or more.

 They are amazing to see and when I first saw them I thought of what it would have been like back in the 1800's when there were millions of the free ranging buffalo. Wow, can you imagine seeing that many buffalo.
The first time I drove into Yellowstone and was caught in the middle of a buffalo jam, I thought it was cool.

 The buffalo would walk in the middle of the road and cause a huge traffic jam. It felt safe in the car even though some came close they were snorting and sometimes I thought they made a growling noise. We were in multiple buffalo jams sometimes it was just one Buffalo and sometimes there were larger groups of buffalos in the road. The scenery is wonderful, not like being in a traffic jam on the beltway that's for sure. I didn't mind at all sitting in the car and soaking it all in besides I was on vacation..no worries and no hurries.

Maybe another time I will show the Bear jams and the moose jams. I just love the animals of Yellowstone.
There is a buffalo farm near my house and everytime I ride past this farm I think of the Yellowstone Buffalo. I loved seeing them free in the park.

To enjoy more camera critters, please click on my link. Also thanks for stopping by my blog to see my critters and thanks to Misty Dawn for hosting.

Skywatch Friday

I started a new blog about my travels and for photos of scenery and the wildlife I see. I love to travel and I really love seeing wildlife of any kind.

I am starting this post with a Skywatch Friday entry, it is from the Alaska cruise I took with my family.

For more great Skywatch photos from around the world please click on my link. Thanks for viewing my photos and have a great weekend.

During our cruise to Alaska and the inside passage we had  longer daylight and shorter nights. So the skies would were looking great.

And special thanks to Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Ivar, Fishing Guy and Louise for hosting Skywatch Friday.

Ricketts Glen State Park

 

I feel like I have been enjoying the outdoor world and nature all my life and even more so all my married life. My hubby loves hiking, especially to the highest mountain top if he can and all the waterfalls he can see. So I guess this is our world.

Ricketts Glen State Park is located in Pennslyvania. The closest BIG town I know is Wilkes Barre.

This park is the only park I have been to that has a loop trail that passes 22 named waterfalls. Now that is a lot of water, especially after a rainy season.
I actually think we saw more than 22 if you go off the loop trail for a little bit.
The highest water fall named Ganoga Falls is 94 ft. This info from the PA DCNR "to see most of the waterfalls, a 3.2-mile loop can be taken by going on Highland Trail and the Glen Leigh and Ganoga Glen sides of the trail". I felt like I did 5 miles roundtrip which included the separate side trail to the last waterfall.





The loop trail consists of a lot of steps and they are uneven steps. Sometimes they can be wet steps, most of the waterfalls are close to the steps. So I would say it is some what of a difficult trail. Maybe not for the experience hiker. The rock walls, moss and ferns are out of this world beautiful. You got to go there and see them for yourself and while you are there check out the waterfalls.

I can not go anywhere without checking out the birds. On this hike I heard some Vireo's and I believe there were some Scarlet Tanagers. Being a birder, I have to stop and listen to every bird I hear. So I have to say it takes me awhile to do this whole loop trail. What’s the hurry, anyway! I have been twice with my family and most likely will go back again.


To see more of the That's My World photos and on Wednesday visit the Watery Wednesday photos please click on my links. Thanks for visiting my blog and pictures.
And a big thanks to all the guys and girls who put these memes together.

Rocky Gap State Park, Flintstone Maryland

I can not imagine how I got as old as I am and never been canoeing. Not that I am saying I am old because I am NOT. Maybe, because I was scared silly about the canoe overturning? Well, today I canoed for the first time at Rocky Gap State Park in Maryland. At the boat rental building you had your choice of a canoe, one person kayak, two person kayak and a paddle boat. They also had a pontoon boat ride. We rented the canoe for an hour and we like it so much we stayed out for two hours. We canoed our way around much of the lake and into some coves. There was one time my hubby wanted to hand me the binoc's and I got a little over excited about the canoe rocking but all went well and we didn't take a dip in the lake. Big sigh of relief!

I was hoping to see birds around the shoreline but all we saw were some Mallard ducks. I could hear some Chickadees, Catbirds and some Nuthatches in the woods along the shore. No matter where I am I can always see some Turkey Vultures flying in the skies above.

We must have seen 30-40 mallard ducks along the lake shore.



We were not the only people with the idea of going to Rocky Gap State park. I think with it being Labor Day weekend a lot of people had the same idea of enjoying the park, lake, cookouts and the good weather. After canoeing we walked part of the lake loop trail and we could see good views of the beach and scenery around the resort.









Along the lake loop they had an aviary and being a birder I had to stop and check it out. They had a lack Vulture, two Red Tailed Hawks, Two Barred Owls, Two Barn Owls, a Screech Owl and a Great Horned Owl. I wanted to take pic's but the wired cages made it difficult. I did try a shot of the Barn Owls only because I just love Owls.





The resort had a very nice garden for the birds and butterflies. I noticed many berry bushes and butterfly bushes planted and a pond. There were hummingbird feeders and regular bird feeders. I thought it was cool that the resort had such a nice wildlife garden.

Now, that I have been canoeing and can feel safe, I'm sure hubby and I will be back to Rocky Gap.

More scenery pic's from Rocky gap

Thanks for visiting, have a happy day!

Idaho Falls, Idaho

 Hello,

Hubby and I enjoy visiting the national parks in our country. In 2005 we flew into Salt Lake City and did a huge loop, starting with the Tetons, Yellowstone, Glacier, Idaho Falls and on to Arches NP.

Our hotel was close-by the waterfalls below and they had bikes you could use to ride along the trail and river.  We had a nice dinner at a local brewery. 

The Snake River channels over the man made dams create a urban waterfall. 

Below are images from our visit to the Craters of the Moon National Park. Caves and lava tubes can be explored. 

" We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone." unknown

I hope you enjoyed! Thanks for stopping by, enjoy your day!  

Bear Lake Refuge, Utah 2005

My post is on Bear Lake Refuge but in the latest news the Oregon Malheur Wildlife Refuge  (Malheur was established in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt) was taken over or held hostage by some local ranchers. I did not follow the whole ordeal, but I heard it ended in a gun battle with the government. I am glad the take over has ended, just a shame one person died. I feel these wildlife refuges and the national parks are for all Americans not just for a select few. Malheur has 320 bird species and is a mecca for birdwatchers. I hope Malheur will soon be safe for the bird watchers to return.

Going back in time with this post is a throwback visit to the Bear Lake Wildlife Refuge located in Utah. On the way to Yellowstone National Park we stopped at this wildlife refuge. The view of Bear Lake, the lake borders Utah and Idaho.  I am posting only a few photos I took from that visit, only so I can document our stop there. To check out more of my wildlife refuge visits just click on the NWR label on my side bar.

This wildlife refuge was where I saw my lifer the White-faced Ibis. There are 160 bird species seen at Bear Lake Wildlife Refuge.

Some of the refuge birds seen where the Black-necked Stilt, Tree Swallows, Mountain Bluebird, White-faced Ibis, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Western Meadowlark.

The water color is so pretty, a gorgeous blue.  I think often of all my visits to various wildlife refuges to see the birds and animals. These wildlife refuges were created to protect and manage wildlife habitat for the waterfowl and migratory birds. Have you visited one of our nation's wildlife refuges? If not I hope you find a wildlife refuge close by where you live and check it out. You can find one near you on the link above, just click on your state.


Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate your visits and nice comments. Have a happy day and new week ahead!