Day Two at the Bison Range

I had set my alarm for 5:00 this morning, but woke up 4:30 (that’s what I get for going to bed so early last night). I got up and peeked out the back door - still dark out. I went back to bed and lay there, not really thinking about anything in particular, and trying to go back to sleep for a little bit, but of course I couldn’t. I do have to say that this bed is probably the most comfortable one I’ve ever slept in!

Once it started getting light out - within half an hour or so - I got up and got dressed, grabbed my camera gear and cooler and headed out the door. I hit the back road to the range and got there at 5:45. The gates were wide open, even though the sign says they open at 6:00, so I drove right on in. I hit the bathroom in the picnic area and headed up over the mountain.

I had run into a couple of young ladies yesterday, who said they had seen a bear with two cubs, just as they headed up the mountain road. One of them was there for the first time, and got video of the cubs, running and chasing each other. She said she was live on Face Book with it! Damn beginner’s luck. I looked like crazy but never saw them. 

As I topped the hill at the river overlook, there were five or six Mulie bucks on the road, and they walked down the road ahead of me for a few yards and then headed down the side of the hill. I stopped to see if I could get photos of them down the hill, but they were nowhere to be seen.

No badger this morning, but the bison bulls were still at Elk Lane, and at least I saw a few Pronghorn today, but not much else. As I got to the end of the road, I made a quick decision to go over the mountain again. Still nothing. I stopped at the picnic area and had some lunch, then headed back to the lodge.

On the way back I turned off onto the levee at Ninepipes Reservoir. Not much at all in the way of birds, and absolutely no shorebirds; the water is too high, and edges out on the rocks - no mud flats for the wading birds. I did however, manage several shots of a Red-necked Grebe, and a couple of them are even in focus! Further down the levee I spotted a Western Grebe and got some photos of it as well, including a few that are sharp enough to see those bright red eyes!

Back at the lodge I opened up the back door to let in some fresh air and to listen to the birds, and sat down to upload the photos onto my laptop. Before long I heard some commotion outside my back door, and got up to take a look. A guy was setting up a loudspeaker right off my patio, and I stepped out to ask him what was going on. Apparently there was going to be a wedding at 2:00. Great….   I asked him if he was going to be blasting music right outside my room, but he said no, it was just going to be a little music before the wedding, and if it bothered me I could tell him and he would move. There were kids racing around screaming, people talking and laughing - quite loudly - and some woman with a cackling witch’s voice, screeching - ok, laughing - but it sounded like screeching, over and over and over again. OMG, this is what I try to get away from! I closed the door and turned the a/c on high, but it didn’t manage to drown out the noise - enough.  So I shut down my computer, put away my camera gear, locked the back door and closed the drapes, and headed next door to the museum - thankfully they were open.  

If you happen to be up that way, check out this little museum. The cost is $6 for adults, not sure of a kids' rate. Lots of local history of the Salish tribe, and the early settlers to the area. Pretty interesting stuff, and a nice break if, you've been on the road all day. They offer guided tours, which are very informative, or you have to option of a self-guided audio tour. I've done both; it's just personal choice. 

After an hour and a half of wandering through the many displays, I went back to my room. The reception had moved into the private dining room, but there were still lots of people outside, and being too noisy for my liking. So I loaded up and headed back to the Bison Range. Only took the short road this evening, as it was already almost 6:00, and I knew I would probably not be off the mountain road before 9:00, and did not want to get locked in!

The short road was a good choice this evening however, and I rounded a bend in the road just before the corrals, and found a herd of around 30 elk, grazing in the field just above the river! Mostly cows, but a few young bulls as well, and got some great shots!