On to Idaho - Nampa!

Kim's friends Sally & Marve Howe were generous enough to allow us to stay in their guest cottage on their beautiful place just outside of Nampa, a quaint town that is an extension of Boise. The ranch style home sits on seven acres, complete with a barn, mancured lawn and colorful flowers.

The front yard showed the previous owner's love of golf, with a large "green" at it's center!

The cottage opened onto a rear patio with splendid views in virtually every direction....



The highlight of our stay was a day spent at the World Center of Birds of Prey, which is a non-profit group committed to the breeding and release of endangered species.
http://www.peregrinefund.org/default.asp To our surprise, everything here looks so, so green due to the hundreds of miles of superb irrigation canals that weave through the entire valley allowing residents to water daily through the growing season.
In stark comparison to this lush agricultural landscape is the surrounding desert, complete with thousands of prairiedog-like Townsend's Squirrel dens sprawling across the earth in endless profusion! (yes, every one of those light patches is a mound) http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/detail.asp?recnum=MA0128

Unlike their "dog" cousins, these very wary critters pop up only occasionally, and are most often seen at a full run zipping across the country roads. A pair of hawks seemed to have found the ideal nesting spot.....a lofty perch just above one of the most populated areas. Watch out boys, you just might be tonight's supper!

Dedication Point is the favored vantage for birders, offering an I-Max like panoramic view which is the scene of an early volcanic crater....

The wind atop this lofty bluff was fierce, leading to a brief stay but not without an appropriate encounter of the fast & thin kind, Striped Whipsnake. As we drove down the Canyon, one couldn't help but notice Nature's geology lesson, outlined in the walls. Countless cycles of eruptions followed by eons of erosion by the River have left a complete geological profile of the area's history.

Our greatest surprise of the day came on a lunchbreak when we began to notice hundreds of migrant birds in the willows along the streambed. Here's a couple of pix of the Lewis Woodpecker and the Townsends Warbler that were two of several "lifers" earned today!

Willard Bay, Bear River & the Golden Spike

One of the nicest campgrounds we've stayed at in many weeks was on the extreme northeast corner of Salt Lake at Willard Bay. With a beautiful view of the Bay in front, snow-covered peaks in the back and spring bustin' out everywhere, we just "hunked down" for a couple of days and enjoyed the view, breeze & sun.

I spent an afternoon "on the beach" getting a nice sunburn while watching the amusing play of some large carp playing in shallow waters. If I'd been in Louisiana, I'd say they were redfish....??

Nearby Bear River Refuge is a favorite amoung birders, and we were'nt disappointed. Although no "lifers" were seen, we enjoyed the brilliant breeding plumage on the birds.

http://www.fws.gov/bearriver/

The late afternoon sun provided rich enhancement to the entire area....

Getting "clean" shots of the landscapes was difficult though, due to the millions of flying critters towering everywhere in tornado-like swarms. Interestingly, they didn't bother or bite, just made the photography a bit challenging. We were told what they were, but forgot....perhaps one of you could comment on the subject?

Leaving this relaxing area three days later was difficult, but we just had to allow time for a stop at the Golden Spike National Monument. You can find much about the history of America's first continental railroad on the web, http://www.linecamp.com/museums/americanwest/western_clubs/transcontinental_railroad/transcontinental_railroad.html

so I won't bore you here, just leave you with a few pictures.....

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Salt Lake City - Temple Square

No visit to Salt lake City would be complete without seeing the Square, especially this year following al the publicity the Mormon faith has received (probably due to the election focus).

I'm not sure exactly what Joseph Smith had in mind for the center of their heaven on earth, but needless to say, the Square is filled with both beauty & awe!

Sam spent the better part of an hour listening to an artist practice for an upcoming concert on this great instrument!

But, he did take some time to enjoy the wonderful fragrance & colors of these beautiful gardens....

Antelope Island

The diversity represented in the 3-plus hour drive from Moab to the Salt Lake City area is beyond description. Needless to say, I felt like we'd traveled to several planets, each distinctly different from the other, with the final resting spot a serene, eerily quiet, glassy lake dotted lake with adventure-filled islands, backdropped by endless snow-capped mountains......an absolutely stunning change from the searing red desert of hours ago!


As we rounded the long final bend on the "bridge road" to Antelope Island State Park, the view back towards Salt Lake City was shocking. With this huge metropolis only a few miles away, Nature's splendorous painting has completely hidden the commercial jungle.
....................Ah, to live in such a place, if only for a few days, will be a joy!


As the sun set on the trailer shortly after pulling into the campground, the area looked rather desolate & unappealing. A view the next morning from atop the hill behind the campground, shows one just how wrong this conclusion was, and how beautiful the Island truly is.


The Island itself is rich in diversity, much of which is represented by the many animals and birds that seek refuge here. The vast herd of buffalo that originally inhabited the Island now number a few hundred, but seem to thrive on the endless grassy hillsides. Pronghorn antelope are seen here & there, their lightning speed and shy nature making them difficult to photograph.

Although we added several "lifers" to our birding list, the star of the show for this trip had to be these peppy little Eared Grebes...


The only significant dwelling on the Island was the mormon-run Fielding Garr Ranch, which is well-preserved today, serving both as an attraction, and a working ranch for the maintenance of the Island. The Ranch is a brider's treasure, hosting many interesting species, including the Lazuli Bunting, Yellow Warbler & Great Horned Owl.

Kim found this early version travel trailer out back, pointing out the wonderful accomodations and functional kitchen....

Perhaps the most enjoyable part of the visit, was just roaming around the Ranch, and enjoying the beautiful sunshine and nice breeze!

Although every sunset was special, that last evening spent watching the big firey ball as it sank across the lake will be long remembered....