Tag: environment

A Pikas Song

On By Mike and Christy18 Comments

One of my favorite animals to inhabit the alpine tundra and one I always think of as summer turns to fall is the American Pika. Scurrying about above the tree-line diligently gathering vegetation to stock their winter larder. The Pika is adapted to live year-round in the harsh alpine environment. However tough they may be climate change poses a significant danger to the continued existence of the Pika and in the lower regions of North America have already lost up to 1/3 of their previous habitat to climate change.

It would be a sad day indeed if a hike through the alpine tundra was devoid of a pikas song.

More Flycatching

On By Mike and Christy8 Comments

When I think of an American Robin foraging the picture that comes to mind is a Robin   head down focused and ready to pull a wiggling worm form the grass.

This day flies were buzzing about above the river and the Robin was keen to get into the act of flycatchin’.

He would swoop down out of a tree across the the river and grab flies landing either back on a branch or in this case a log along the river back. He looked quite skilled at catching his prey and I will forever have a changed picture of a Robins foraging habits.

On a single thistle

On By Mike and Christy8 Comments

With all the other wildflowers long gone to seed a single thistle along the side of the road reminded me of one of those photos of the lone remaining watering hole in the Serengeti attracting animals from near and far for a nice cool drink. Only this thistle attracted the remaining nectar and pollen lovers in the area including skippers galore, whites and several alpine butterflies which all gathered to get that one last sip of nectar before summer slips away.

In The Willows

On By Mike and Christy13 Comments

BUll_moose_7

You never know what you will find hidden in the willows is what this guy was probably thinking when he noticed we were peeking in from the edge of his terrain. It always amazes me just how easy a creature the size of the moose can disappear from your sight with a simple step or two into the willows. Photographed near Cottonwood pass in Colorado.

A dragonflies flight

On By Mike and Christy17 Comments

Relentlessly buzzing and zooming while patrolling his small pond a dragonflies flight is something to behold.

This patch of pond must have been a treasure worth holding onto as anyone who dare flew into his view was quickly escorted away with a swift deliberate attack. As he flew head on into the camera we got a quick a cursory glance then he was gone.

 

Woodland Pinedrops: Pterospora andromedea

On By Mike and Christy12 Comments

Earlier this summer we ran across a peculiar plant making its way up through the earth in the forest. A strange striped asparagus? No Woodland Pinedrops: Pterospora andromeda.

According to Wikipedia “Like all members of the Monotriopoidiae , Pterospora andromedea lacks chlorophyll (trace amounts have been identified, but not enough to provide energy for the plant or to color it. Plants exist for most of their life as a mass of brittle, but fleshy, roots. They live in a parasitic relationship with mycorrhizal fungi, in which plants derive all their carbon from their associated fungus, but the relationship is not yet well understood.”

This makes it similar to several of the orchids we have encountered along the trail.

Now that summer has passed and fall is in the air the plant looks like this.

Somewhat like a small tree full of small pumpkins decorating the autumn forest.