The Beautiful Trumpeter Swan

The Trumpeter Swan is one of the most beautiful birds to see when you are out birding.  These beauties weigh more than twenty-five pounds (males thirty-five), and when stretched out, they measure six feet in length, and have a wingspan up to eight feet making them the largest waterfowl bird in North America. Many people get them confused with the Tunda Swan. The Tundra Swan is half their size and adults have a yellow patch in front of each eye.

Trumpeter Swan  (family of six).  Adults pair up around 

three or four years old, and usually stay together for life.

The Juvenile Trumpeter Swans are darker in color with more of a light brownish/grayish tone and a black bill with pink running up the center (see the two in front).

In this photo, the pink running from the base of the bill to the 

center is shown much better on this juvenile in the foreground.

One more look at the beak on this juvenile.

The adult Trumpeter's beak is completely black on top.

Since the Trumpeter Swan is a very large and one of the heaviest birds in the world, it needs about a hundred yards of water to start it's take off out of the water to begin flying!  

The photographs of these pretty Trumpeter Swans were taken near Astoria Oregon, at Fort Stevens State Park in March along the scenic two-mile loop Coffenbury Lake Trail, which I highly recommend!

Happy Birding!

  

Oregon Waterfalls

Oregon has amazing waterfalls which are nestled between lush green ferns, moss, plants, and evergreen trees.  These are some of my very favorite waterfalls to hike to. 

Koosah Falls is located along the McKenzie Pass-Santiam Pass and West Cascades National Scenic Byways in Oregon.  The waterfall main drop is 64 feet.  You can either park at Koosah Falls or Sahalie Falls parking lot and hike the short half mile Waterfall Loop Trail between the two falls along the rushing McKenzie river.  At Koosah falls the trail picks up to the McKenzie River trail.  To complete the 2.6-mile waterfall loop trail you would need to connect with the McKenzie River Trail.  Many people like parking at Ice Cap day use area to start this hike if Sahalie or Koosah Falls parking lot is too full.  (The official start of this trail is called the McKenzie River National Recreation Trail #3507.) 

Koosah Falls

Sahalie Falls is located along the McKenzie Pass-Santiam Pass and West Cascades National Scenic Byways off Highway 126 in Oregon.  The falls drop 73 feet.  It is a short walk from the parking lot.

Sahalie Falls

Wallowa River, Oregon.  The beautiful section of water is along the 8.1-mile Chief Joseph Mountain Trail, near Joseph Oregon in the Northeastern part of the state.

Wallowa River

Salt Creek Falls is the 2nd tallest waterfall in Oregon with a drop of 286 feet.  From the observation point, you can hike down to the base of the falls.

Salt Creek Falls

Many people driving on Hwy. 58 make a quick stop just to look at Salt Creek Falls even if they've seen it many times before. The falls can be viewed fairly close to the parking lot.  Most don't take the three-mile round trip trek which follows the canyon rims of Salt Creek and Diamond Creek, and eventually leads to Diamond Creek falls.  My photos of Diamond Creek Falls shown were both taken on a sunny July day.  Our group didn't see any other people on the trail, or anyone lingering at these amazing falls.  

Diamond Creek Falls has a drop of 100 feet.   It is breathtaking!

Diamond Creek Falls

Silver Falls is another of my favorites.  So much, that I did an earlier post about it!  It has the famous Trail of Ten Falls, an 8.7-mile loop. The park is located near Silverton and is the largest State Park in Oregon. 

Milddle North Falls along Trail of Ten Falls at Silver Falls State Park

Upper North Falls - Silver Falls State Park

South Falls, Silver Falls State Park

Silver Falls State Park

I have attached the link below to my earlier post "Silver Falls State Park" with more photographs of this lovely park.  Spring is the best time to go if you want to see more water rushing over each of the ten falls.

Silver Falls State Park

Upper and Lower Proxy falls are located off the McKenzie Scenic Byway (Hwy 242). It is an easy two-mile loop trail in some beautiful old growth trees, in the Three Sisters Wilderness.  

Lower Proxy Falls

Upper Proxy Falls

Tumalo Falls is located outside of Bend in the Deschutes National Forest and is spectacular!  It is fed by Tumalo creek and has a 97-foot drop. It eventually feeds into the Deschutes River.  It's a short walk from the parking lot to the viewpoint to see this stunning waterfall.  There are longer hikes at this site as well.

Tumalo Falls

Another fabulous double waterfall with a short hike to get to is Paulina Falls.  Both twins have a drop of 80-feet over volcanic cliffs.  Be sure to take both the lower (1/4 mile) and upper trail (1/2 mile) Paulina Falls Trail. The upper trail will take you past the falls and if you like you can continue on all the way to Paulina Lake.  Paulina Falls is located near Lapine Oregon and is part of the Newberry Crater National Monument.

Paulina Falls (Double Falls #1)

Paulina Falls (Double Falls #2)

The most famous waterfall in Oregon is Multnomah Falls (not pictured).  It is also the most photographed of all the waterfalls in Oregon.  It's located near Portland, on the Columbia Gorge.  With a drop of 620 feet, it is the tallest waterfall in Oregon.

Oregon is full of magnificent waterfalls. I hope you hike to some on your next visit to Oregon.  It's so much fun!

Happy Trails!

Peninsular Bighorn Sheep at Anza-Borrego

On a very hot fall day in October 2016 my husband and I stopped at Anza-Borrego State Park, about 2 hours from Palm Desert.  It was our first visit, so we weren’t going to let the temperature stop us from trekking into the desert.

We began our 4 mile round trip hike along the Palm Canyon Trail, which leads to a palm oasis, in hopes of seeing the rare Peninsular Bighorn Sheep.  Most of the Peninsular Bighorn sheep live here, but some can be found as far away as the Mexican border.  They have been on the federal endangered species list since 1998, and only 296 were counted officially in the park on the July 4th weekend in 2016.

We started our hike with our binoculars strapped to us and cameras in hand.  As a bird watcher I’m always on the hunt for a new bird to add to my life list, and this wonderful trail through a vibrant arroyo didn’t disappoint.  It was alive with birds, many desert plants, and framed on both sides by colorful canyon walls, which rose hundreds of feet above the trail.

About a mile into our hike we came around a corner and looked up, seeing 5 Peninsular Big Horn Sheep high up on the steep canyon wall.  I excitedly snapped away with my camera trying to get as many shots off as possible of these rare animals, as they easily hopped from rock to rock on the perilous slope.  We were so happy that we had spotted the sheep, and even though they were hundreds of feet away we felt very lucky to have had a glimpse of the rare and stately creatures. 

Peninsular Bighorn Sheep High on the Mountain

We continued on our hike, resting in the shade of the beautiful oasis at the end of the trail.  Shortly after beginning the return trip to the trailhead I looked up, and staring right at me, only a few feet away, was this beautiful Ram, who by all appearances had decided to come down the mountain to check us out.  We then noticed that his ewe was a few feet further away, across the trail that we needed to traverse.  We were running very low on water and it was becoming a concern.  We waited around for a few minutes, not wanting to meet up with the angry end of those menacing horns, but finally decided that we must move on.

"Since you are taking my picture, here's another angle"

At one point we were between the male and the female, and the only path to the female was through us.   Keith remained still, and I backed way off, giving the man room to get to his girl, not knowing what he might do if we were in his way.  To our surprise he didn’t mind at all that Keith was standing in his path.  He just trotted right by him!

"At least one of them is out of the way, so I can get going"

"I'm waiting!"

"I'm coming!"

"Glad you finally decided to join me!"

We later read that the sheep, while disliking dogs a great deal, do not feel threatened by people, but at the time it was a little scary.

After the close encounter we continued back, still feeling the excitement of seeing and photographing the sheep.  It was a very hot day, but so worth it!

For my birding friends.....

Black-throated Sparrow

Cactus Wren

Verdin with nesting material

Verdin in the nest

California Towhee

Rock Wren

California Quail

This won’t be our last outing to this beautiful desert; maybe next time we can come in the spring for the beautiful desert flowers in bloom!  A final warning: when in the desert always bring MORE water than you think you will possibly need!

Happy Trails!

Silver Falls State Park

Silver Falls, the largest State park in Oregon, is spectacular!  I went in early September, and even though several of the falls were nothing more than a trickle, the rest were jaw dropping.

There are a total of ten waterfalls which can be seen from the "Trail of Ten Falls", an 8.7 Mile loop that includes the Canyon Trail, Rim Trail, Winter Trail and Maple Ridge Trail. 

South Falls - 177 Feet

Lower South Falls - 93 Feet

North Falls - 136 Feet

Upper North Falls - 65 Feet

Lower North Falls - 30 Feet

Middle North Falls - 106 feet

 

I love this picture my husband captured, walking behind the

Another look at the beautiful Middle North Falls

I've pictured six of the ten falls.  Double, Drake, Winter and Twin just didn't have enough water to warrant an image this time, but I'm hoping to return in the Spring,when the water is rushing, and the Spring flowers are in bloom.

Happy Trails!