Franklin Gull No

Atlantic Brant in flight

There have been reported on the East Coast numbers of Franklin Gulls.  Friday they were reported at Nelson Beach and around Plymouth Rock.  Decided on Saturday morning to start out at Nelson Beach.  Hopefully, to find this rare gull for the East Coast.  We joined a number of people who were scoping out all the goals on the beach.  We stayed there around an hour and a half and then also searched out Plymouth Harbor in the waters near Plymouth Rock.  No Franklin gulls.  However did see Bonaparte's gulls and obtained a number of flight pictures and some other interesting species.

Bonaparte gull, Ring-billed gulls, and Herring gulls

American Black duck in flight

Atlantic Brant in flight

Common Raven

black-backed gull first winter feeding on a dead gull

hybrid Mallard

Mallard

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The Road to Jasper

Mount Cheperen

Early Wednesday morning, we checked our of our hotel in Banff and started our convoy toward Jasper.  We wanted to be on the Icefields Parkway, prior to dawn, so we can get the sun rising on the mountains.  Our first stop was Waterfowl Lake with Mount Cheperen in the background, and we were able to capture the sun's glow hitting the peak of the mountain.  Also, the moon was right above the mountain.

Mount Cheperen with Moon

Our next stop was Mistaya Canyon, a slot canyon formed by the Mistaya River.  The Canyon has rushing water winding through it and a great view up the river.  Along the trail to the Canyon, there was a number of dead tree stumps with lichens and moss covering them.

Mistaya Canyon

Mistaya Canyon

Mistaya River entering the Canyon

View down the Mistaya River from the Canyon

Moss and Lichen

Our last stop on the Parkway, prior to traveling on to Jasper was at the Parker Ridge, which is just below the boundaries between Banff and Jasper National Parks.  We also had a close encounter with a Common Raven.

Parker Ridge

Clouds over Parker Ridge

Common Raven

When we reached Jasper and the hotel the Jasper Park Lodge, our rooms were not ready yet, so we were shown with the parking lot was and then one of the Lodge employees took us to where elk were right on the property, so we could get some photographs.

Female Elk

After checking in, we then left the hotel to search for wildlife and we found very cooperative bull elks, and since the rut was over, they allowed us to approach close to them and enable great pictures

Bull Elk Resting

Bull Elk

After supper in Jasper, we returned to the Lodge for a good nights sleep.  Looking forward to another great day exploring and photography.

An Other Big Bird in Yellowstone

Most people when they think of Yellowstone and large birds immediately think of the Bald Eagle or the Tundra Swan.  However, probably one of the most common large birds in Yellowstone is the Common Raven.  It can be seen soaring at the higher elevations and in the fields at low elevations.  I had observed a grizzly bear chasing a Raven away from its food.  The ravens in Yellowstone are used to people, and it some locations will come begging for food.
The Common Raven is a large, all-black passerine bird. Found across the northern hemisphere it is the most widely distributed of all corvids.  A mature Raven can be up to 25 inches in length and up to 2.6 pounds in weight.  In some locations, the Raven has become so numerous that it's considered a pest.  Part of the success comes from its omnivorous diet.

On a previous visit this Raven perched on my car looking for handouts

The ravens have been known for feats of problem-solving leading to the belief that it's highly intelligent.   Over the centuries it has been the subject, both of mythology, folklore, art and literature.  One of the most famous poems is Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven" 
It can be identified from crows by having a larger and heavier, black beak, shaggy feathers around the throat and above the beach, and he wedged-shaped tail.

Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

An interesting fact, that in the Bible, the Raven was the first animal to be released from Noah's Ark. "So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground." Genesis 8:6-8 NKJV
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