Alaska - a weekend getaway

Going for a walk-about (grizzly bear cub)

Grizzly bear cub 

A walk along the beach

Curious grizzly bear cubs

Grizzly bear cubs play fighting

Grizzly bear cub checking out its surroundings

Moose alongside the Haines Hwy

Breaching humpback whale

Partial eclipse of the sun (Sunday, May 20)

Flowering Praire Crocus (Putsatilla patens)

Flowering Shooting Star (Dodecatheon sp.)

At long last the unofficial kickoff to summer 2012 has begun!

Last weekend, during our Victoria Day holiday (four days), I had an opportunity to join a couple friends on a road trip to Haines, Alaska.  Throughout the weekend we were treated to endless photo opps thanks to chance encounters with wildlife, breathtaking scenery and a partial eclipse of the sun.

One of the many highlights of our excursion was photographing three two-year old grizzly cubs foraging on sedges and clams on the tidal flats near the Chilkoot River (Haines, Alaska).  With camera and tripod in hand, I spent close to two hours photographing the young bruins as they went about their business feeding, playing and scouting out their surroundings.  Soft lighting, a vibrant green background and cooperative bears made for a successful photo shoot.

On Saturday afternoon we were treated to an unexpected bonus – two humpback whales breached directly in front of us while we were eating our lunch on the rocky shores of Chilkat State Park.  Unfortunately, for me, I did not have my 300mm lens on hand.  Oh well, watching the whales enjoy themselves in the waters was a sight I won't soon forget.  Apparently, according to the locals, this is the time of year when the whales return to the Inlet to feed on krill.

The first of the flowering plants were also in full bloom as the praise crocuses, lupins and shooting stars added splashes of purple across the landscape. 

The weather did not cooperate for Sunday's partial eclipse of the sun.  Overcast skies obscured our view for most of the day.  We did, however, catch a few fleeting glimpses of the eclipse throughout the afternoon.  I guess we, here in the Yukon, will have to wait until Oct 23, 2014 to see and photograph the next eclipse (that one will also be a partial one).

Roadside encounters with moose, black bear (11 in total), porcupine, elk and mule deer were common occurrences. For some strange reason we didn't see as many swans as we did on last years road trip.

Alaska continues to impress me with its pristine wilderness, snowcapped mountains, salmon filled rivers and colourful folks who call this place home.  I'm already looking forward to my next visit come June.

Ahh, beautiful Alaska!!  We could not have wished for a better weekend.

Hope you enjoyed your weekend.

Cheers,

Claus

Photo info:  Grizzly bear shots photographed with a Nikon D700 camera, Nikkor 300mm f/2.8 lens with 1.7x convertor, mounted on tripod, cable release.  320ISO, f/6, Aperture Priority mode.

Flower pictures:  same camera, Nikkor 105 f/2.8 Macro lens, mounted on tripod, cable release

April Flowers

Prairie Crocus 

It's incredible how quickly spring has sprung in the Yukon.  Two weeks ago we were still covered in snow - today, the snow has melted leaving behind the brown and dried remains of last years plant growth.  Sprouting through this 'mess', the first of the praise crocuses have emerged and started to bloom.  

Every day brings with it a new cast of characters. Three weeks ago it was the return of the swans.  Their arrival was followed soon after by the emergence of the arctic ground squirrels and today, the crocuses are in bloom.  As for tomorrow, perhaps I'll spot my first grizzly of the year :)

Photo specs:  Nikon D700 with a Nikkor 105 f/2.8G ED micro lens set at f/11, 200 ISO, manual settings, overexposed by +0.7, manual focus, mirror lock up engaged, cable release, mounted on tripod

Weekend in Faro

Welcoming folks to the 8th annual Sheep and Crane Festival in Faro

Thousands upon thousands of sandhill cranes fly overhead

Kettling over Faro (cranes riding the thermals)

Small flock of sandhill cranes fly across the Tintina Valley

The view of the Tintina Trench from the Mineral Lick

Trees of the Tintina Valley

Prairie Crocus in bloom

Mew gulls gather at the Sewage Lagoon

Bonaparte's Gull

Male and Female Barrow's Goldeneye

A dark-eyed junco singing his tiny heart away

Finally, an update from my fabulous outing to Faro!

Last weekend three friends of mine from Ottawa joined me in Faro to take part in the 8th annual Crane and Sheep Festival.  Thousands upon thousands of migrating sandhill cranes, a handful of Fannin's Sheep grazing on the mountain slopes and plenty of good ol' fashioned community hospitality were some of the many memorable highlights.

The town of Faro, located some 300km northeast of Whitehorse, is a former mining community.  Established in 1969, Faro was the site of a major lead-zinc deposit.  In its heyday the town was home to over 2,000 residents - today, the number has dwindled to just over 500 (the mine has long since closed).  Nestled between the mountains of the Tintina Trench, Faro is situated in one of the most densely concentrated wildlife viewing areas in North America.

For a few short days each year in early-May approximately 250,000 sandhill cranes fly across the skies of Faro while en-route to their summer breeding grounds in northern Yukon, N.W.T., Alaska and eastern Siberia.  Within seconds, and often without warning, the skies around Faro and transformed into a major avian flyway as flocks of all shapes and sizes crisscross the open skies.  During the evening hours these stately birds gather along the shores of the rivers, lakes and open marshes to rest, feed and gather strength needed for their journey northwards.  In the morning the cranes join thousands of others to form enormous flocks.  Together they ascend the skies resembling giant ribbons billowing in the wind.  What an impressive sight it is to see the various flocks intertwine overhead as they ride the thermals of rising air to their desired altitude (this behaviour is referred to as kettling).  This spectacle repeats itself during the fall migration when the cranes make their return trip to the open grasslands and plains of the central States.

While the cranes fly noisily overhead the other stars of the show, the Fannin's Sheep, are quietly grazing on the southern mountain slopes near town.  Named after John Fannin, the first curator of the Royal British Columbia Museum, the sheep sport a distinctive brown and white coat.  By early June the sheep head off to the alpine areas of Mount Mye.

The viewing platform at the Mount Mye Sheep Centre is perhaps the best place in town to view both sheep and cranes.  Unfortunately, photographing these characters up-close proved to be a challenge (one that I did not succeed in).  With luck, chance encounters with the sheep could occur on the top edge of bluff overlooking the valley where they gather at the mineral lick during the early morning hours.  From the lookout it is also possible to see the cranes fly by.  Plenty of songbirds, prairie crocuses and spectacular scenery also await those who venture there.

The open fields near the airport, the shores of Johnson Lake (by the campground) and the areas around the town's sewage lagoon have also been know to host sandhill cranes.    The sewage lagoon is certainly worth a visit as we saw plenty of waterfowl including horned grebes, Barrow's goldeneyes, buffleheads, Bonaparte's gulls, Mew gulls and scores of songbirds.

The festival would not have been a success without the wonderful hospitality of the residents of Faro.  Thank you for welcoming us all!

I'm off to Kluane National Park for the weekend.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Cheers,

Claus

Spring Blooms

The arrival of spring brings with it a host of new photographic opportunities.  Last week, while strolling along the steep banks of the Pelly River,  I noticed several patches of purple sprouting up amongst the dead plant debris.  With camera in hand I descended the slopes to discover I had stumbled upon a cluster of flowering prairie crocuses. 

These showy plants belong to the Buttercup family (anemone) and are one of the first signs of Spring in the Yukon.  As soon as the snow melts these furry perennials sprout and bloom long before the actual leaves begin to emerge.  The flower is a favourite food source for ground squirrels and deer.

To capture these flowers I used a Nikor 105mm  f/2.8 macro lens attached to the Nikon D700.  The camera and lens were mounted on a tripod.  I'll be posting more on macro photography in the coming month.

Ok, it's back to the swans this afternoon.

Cheers,

Claus