Dec 4, 2020 - A cold party

Date: December 4, 2020 Weather: sunny Temperature: start -6º High 22º Wildlife count: Elk, Moose (9), Mule Deer Year List: 371 Birds: Interesting day in the cold. One of our biologists is moving to accept an assistant refuge manager’s position in Nevada. To have a little party to tell him goodbye, there was a little party – at 10am, outside, with the temperature at 10°. There were treats from Persephone’s, and we all stood outdoors in the sunshine, though it was a short party! We drove up through the Kelly loop afterwards looking for...

Dec 3, 2020 - Truck registration and taxes

Date: December 3, 2020 Weather: sunny Temperature: start -8º High 18º Wildlife count: Bighorn Sheep (50), Elk (500) on the refuge Year List: 371 Birds: Hit the recycle and grocery this morning. Then headed to laundry and drove out on the refuge during the dry cycle. Saw lots of groups of Bighorn sheep, lots more have moved down out of the forest. After lunch, we prepared for the call with YBA to register our truck and pay the SD taxes. I had photographed the paperwork we had completed and emailed it to Melissa Brown, the vehicle...

Dec 2, 2020 - Prepping for sleigh rides, zoom meet on feed grounds

Date: December 2, 2020 Weather: sunny Temperature: start -4º High 19º Wildlife count: Mule Deer, Elk Year List: 371 Birds: Worked at the VC today, preparing for sleigh rides, loaded sand into sandwich boards, and laminating signs. Once back home, we made Waggie’s BBQ sauce. After lunch, we attended a zoom meeting on elk feed grounds and issues around those, including a report from Frank Durbian, new manager of the Elk Refuge. Made a quick trip to town to get a funnel, that we might fill the bottles of BBQ sauce. Dinner was BBQ ribs, corn...

Dec 1, 2020 - First work day

Date: December 1, 2020 Weather: partly sunny Temperature: start 16º High 36º Wildlife count: Elk Year List: 371 Birds: Spent the morning working, hauled boxes, and prepared packets for children to be given out at the library – these packets will allow children to create a Trumpeter Swan ornament – really cool. Also worked at the VC getting things ready for winter. It was a good start. Came home for lunch with the thought that we might need to go back, but evidently our chamber buddy got some help, so we crashed for the afternoon. We are...

Nov 30, 2020 - Meeting with Natalie

Date: November 30, 2020 Weather: sunny Temperature: start -4º High 35º Wildlife count: Moose (9), Mule Deer, Elk Year List: 371 Birds: We enjoyed breakfast at Bubbas, our first time since we have been back. We picked the right day to go, as there was one large table in the middle of the restaurant, and we were the only table at the right side of the room. Booths had been completely remodeled with new seats and tables – it was beautiful! Grabbed the few things we had missed at Smiths and filled with fuel. After lunch, we spent the...

Nov 29, 2020 - Busy Sunday

Date: November 29, 2020 Weather: sunny Temperature: start -4º High 22º Wildlife count: Bighorn Sheep, Mule Deer, Elk, Year List: 371 Birds: Pine Grosbeak Up early and enjoyed beautiful worship – the first Sunday of Advent. We even had a candle to light. After breakfast, we hit the grocery, then cleaned the house when we returned. After lunch, we had a great experience on the refuge. We drove up the Curtis canyon road to the overlook. The road was totally snow-covered, and on the way up, we enjoyed seeing a family loading their Christmas...

Nov 28, 2020 - Drive up Togwotee Pass

Date: November 28, 2020 Weather: sunny Temperature: start -2º High 24º Wildlife count: Moose, Elk, Bison, Bighorn Sheep, Mule Deer Year List: 370 Birds: Ravens and Bald Eagles Quiet day. We waited for the warmth before we drove out to pick up our mail then drove up to Togwotee Pass. The snow was much deeper on the pass and all the snowmobile parking lots were full. We watched 3 snowmobilers take off from the pull-out where we were parked – they headed down Flagstaff Road, which is closed to vehicular traffic. We are learning that most...

Nov 27, 2020 - Set up the Christmas Tree

Date: November 27, 2020 Weather: sunny Temperature: start 5º High 26º Wildlife count: Bighorn Sheep, Elk, Pronghorn, Mule Deer Year List: 370 Birds: We went out to the Lance and picked up the Christmas tree and after a good walk in town, put up and decorated the tree. Dinner was Thanksgiving Dinner – tasted just as good.

Nov 26, 2020 - A cooking Thanksgiving - just the two of us

Date: November 26, 2020 Weather: mostly sunny Temperature: start 12º High 31º Wildlife count: Pronghorn, Elk, Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep Year List: 370 Birds: It was a wonderful Thanksgiving Day, and in thinking about, we realized it was the first one alone, I think ever. We prepared an egg casserole with bacon, broccoli and red peppers, scaled way down, along with cinnamon rolls (from a tube), which we enjoyed around 9:30. After cleaning up, we hustled out onto the refuge to search for some birds that Eric had seen, Rosy-finches and...

Nov 25, 2020 - Exploring hiking spots - Rough-legged Hawk, Northern Shrike

Date: November 25, 2020 Weather: snowy, a little sun Temperature: start 8º High 33º Wildlife count: Moose, Elk, Mule Deer, Bison Year List: 370 Birds: Northern Shrike, Rough-legged Hawk We were at Smith’s before 8 to pick-up last-minute items before the rush of the day. Drove through McD’s to take breakfast home. Once done, we headed out to the park – started with counting almost 50 Trumpeter Swans on Flat Creek – amazing to see so many. Then checked out hiking areas, Cunningham Cabin, Spread Creek, Uhl Hill Road, Pilgrim Creek and Pacific...

Nov 24, 2020 - Gorgeous day in the Tetons

Date: November 24, 2020 Weather: mostly sunny Temperature: start 14º High 37º Wildlife count: Moose, Elk, Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep (tracks: fox, rabbit, jackrabbit) Year List: 368 Birds: We wanted to go to Bubbas for breakfast, but it is being remodeled, so we headed to the Virginian and enjoyed a delicious breakfast. We were early so the restaurant was quite empty, though it was filling as we left – lots of young families, probably here for the holidays. Once home, we washed the windows in the cabin, as the temps were warming. After...

Nov 23, 2020 - Chores Day

Date: November 23, 2020 Weather: partly sunny Temperature: start 1º High 24º Wildlife count: Elk, Mule Deer, Porcupine Year List: 368 Birds: Chores day – we started laundry, then came home and vacuumed and mopped the floors with the Swiffer. Back to change laundry and cleaned the fridge there – a little mouse residue. While the laundry dried, we drove out to the McBride hunting lot. While we were sitting there watching, we discovered a porcupine high up in a tree – it was rolled into a big ball, and the spines sticking out were the only...