Along the Washington & Oregon Coast

 

Full Sturgeon Supermoon setting over the Pacific Ocean at

South Beach, Olympic National Park in Washington.

Trails at the Hoh River in Olympic National Park

The Rain Forest has Maple, Hemlock, Sitka Spruce and Douglas Fir

all bedecked in moss.

Trail of Mosses

Banana Slug

Ribbon Snake

Fox Glove common roadside flower

Wilson's Warbler

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Rough Hedge Nettle

Bird's-foot Treefoil

South Beach - Olympic National Park at low tide

Many large stumps, all washed up!

Band-tailed Pigeons on driftwood

Posing for a close-up

Olympic rabbit - small & dark pelage

Hoh River

Sooty Grouse

Feeding on flower heads along the road

Look out Grouse! Preditor coming.  Bobcat 

Glacier till from the Olympic Mountains color the river a beautiful aqua.

Quinault National Forest Waterfall

We were watching the falls and an American Dipper flew toward us to feed.

This unique bird actually walks on the bottom of the stream under water for insects

Large Maple leaf in the rain forest - 12 inches across

A large Sitka Spruce fell across the trail and had to be cut.

The diameter was six feet high with approximately 430 rings.

Walked the Quinault Ranger Station Trail early in a light rain.

These Roosevelt Elk were resting and chewing cud.

This Bull Elk is probably the head of the harem

This Bull likely a future competitor.

Semipalmated Plover

Dungeness Crab

Sand Dollar

Black-bellied Plovers still sporting breeding plumage

Ecola Head in Oregon, our first of many State Parks along the coast

Oregon Junco singing

Depoe Bay, fog cleared for a photo

Oregon Dunes, miles and miles of sand along the Pacific

Some of the Dunes were over 100 feet high.

Dark Red Squirrel in the dark conifer forest.

Ever present, noisy Steller's Jays

A West Coast specialty, Wrentit.

Wrentit in Blackberry patch, pishes in close.

(Photographer eating many Blackberries!)

Salamanders inhabit this cold, springfed creek at Honey Bear RV.

California Quail covey, four adults and seven chicks, early morning visitors.

Cock in full regalia, 

Next up - California!

Love & Prayers,

Ty & Ida Baumann

Following the Lewis & Clark Trail Westward

 

We left Livingston MT and followed the Lewis & Clark Trail through  

western Montana, Idaho to Washington.  We crossed the continental divide and followed 

this beautiful Clearwater River over 100 miles.

Our first camp was at Indian Trees campground in the Bitterroot National Forest.

We parked next to this Ponderosa Pine, Native Americans left this tree scar cutting the bark 

to get to the sweet tasting cambium.

We encountered a variety of  butterflies including this

Variable Checkerspot

Northern Crescent

Lorquin's Admiral

Azure visits Daisy

Least Chipmunk

He was curious about us in his territory

This Red Squirrel exhibits very dark pelage

typical for dark forest wildlife.

As we passed the summit in Idaho we saw many

great rock formations.

California Ground Squirrel at it's den

We followed the Columbia River Gorge, distant Mt. Hood in background.

A closer look at Mt. Hood through 100 degrees and smoke from wildlires.

There were many train and car tunnels on the north side of the Gorge.

We visited at the Julia Butler Hansen Refuge and were

greeted by this Bald Eagle.

Columbian White-tailed Deer bearing ear tags

Nutria dozing in the sun

Our first of many Stelller's Jays.

Fern sporangia- spores developing inside

Fern spores ripe dispersing

We reached the end of the Lewis & Clark Trail at the Pacific Ocean.

Snowy Plover at Grayland Beach

Pelagic Cormorants at Westport on Gray's Harbor

One of our favorite birding areas.

California Gulls

Heermann's Gulls

Jetty rock-hopping one half mile out into the Pacific Ocean yeilded good results.....

Surf Scoter

Ocher Sea Stars prying open clams

Ocher Sea Stars come in purple, orange and other colors.

Wandering Tattler picking through barnacles

California Gull attempting to swallow Starfish

Literally thousands of Sooty Shearwaters congregate around bait ball.

Western Gull at the Ship Harbor

Black Turnstones, find eight birds!

Harbor Seal playing "I Spy"

Pigeon Guillemot with eel

Guillemot brings eel back to juveniles

which nested under harbor wharf

Guillemot juveniles are quite acrobatic walking the proverbial plank

Glaucous-winged Gull

Marbled Godwits settle into harbor

Approximately 230 increased to an estimated 600 birds

Milling about, getting acquainted

Feeding time!

Veiwing from above offers unique close-up opportunity

Raccoon waiting for domestic cat food daily delivery to arrive.

Stay tuned for more of Washington in the next blog.

Every day of travels in God's creation brings us Joy.

Love & Prayers,

Ty & Ida Baumann