Nature News: Snow at Last, and Icy Cold
Posted on Thursday, February 4th, 2010
(Bear claw marks on aspen tree.)
We ended January with snowpack at 65 percent of normal and 223 inches of snowfall reported so far this season. We now have a 70-inch base at Teton Village, which signifies the “start” of winter to many a skier. The rock boards (those skis that you don’t mind if they hit rocks) are put away and the new skis are unwrapped. We have coverage, but it is still thin. It is amazing to ski at the village and see HUGE boulders and to reflect on past years when they were hidden by snow.
In January, the cold mornings have a clarity and sharpness to them. You can see the ice crystals hanging on the trees and the bushes. The blueness in the morning light speaks cold — icy cold. Silence blankets the earth. In contrast, storms cause winds to howl, blowing the snow and reducing visibility. Species hunker down to wait for the energy to subside. Warmer mornings start with birds seeking food, rejoicing with the sun. Today is cold and icy blue, but the sun will soon rise to heat the earth.
(Rough-legged hawk. Photo by Walter Siegmund, via Wikimedia)
By January, many of the wintering birds are found in the valley. I begin to see the gray-crowned rosy finch. They summer in the sub-alpine/alpine habitats and come to lower elevations to winter and find food. Rough-legged hawks migrate south, leaving their nesting territories in the Arctic. They are built for cold. They have small bills, small feet and fluffy plumage. They are fairly distinctive. They have a pale underside of primary feathers with a distinctive pattern of dark wrists (which look like patches on the wing). In flight, their long, smooth wingbeats and rounded wings also help identify them.
The sharp-tailed grouse return to the cottonwoods to winter. They are found in open prairies in the summer but seem to prefer a mix of trees and sage during the winter months. They feed on buds, so wetlands give them a variety of food choices. They are fun to watch as they burst into the air with rapid wingbeats followed by a long, sailing glide.
In January, bears are hibernating. This mature aspen tree reminded me of the great bear and its presence hidden beneath the snowpack. The entire tree is marked and a definite signpost. January is also birthing time for the females; during winter’s slumber the young are born. This Web cam from Ely, Minn., has been monitoring a mother black bear in her den as she has given birth to and nurtured a cub.
What’s in the woods:
12/30/09 – Snake River: herd of elk crossing river; having hard time jumping barbed wire fence
1/1/10 – Grand Teton National Park: ermine playing/hunting
1/3 – Teton Village Road: rough-legged hawks sitting on telephone poles
1/5 – snow in the Tetons: 10 inches
1/6 – Victor, Idaho: goshawk watching my bird feeders
1/8 – Pine Creek Pass: seven trumpeter swans
1/10 – Driggs, Ski Hill Road- mature bald eagle
1/11 – Bradley/Taggert- female moose feeding on snowbrush
1/13-18 – Houston, Texas: cold! female cardinal, cattle egrets, great blue heron
1/18 – backyard birding: white-breasted nuthatch, grey rosy finches, black-capped chickadees, house sparrow
1/21 – snow in the forecast, finally!
1/22 – Darby Canyon: golden eagle
1/28 – Cache Creek: bull and cow moose
1/29 – Moose Creek: northern pygmy owl
1/30 – Darby Canyon: Townsend’s solitaire
1/31 – Gros Ventre Road: seven moose, herds of cow elk
Tour Suggestion:
With high avalanche danger, a great day is skate skiing up Teton Canyon in Teton Valley, Idaho. The canyon has amazing views, and the roadway is groomed by Teton Valley Trails and Pathways. You can skate ski or classic-style cross-country ski. The tour is eight miles round trip, with minimal elevation gain.
To reach the trailhead, drive to Victor, Idaho, on Highway 33 and continue to the town of Driggs. At the lighted intersection, turn right or east off the highway onto Little Avenue. It is known locally as Ski Hill Road. Drive through Alta, Wyo., to the Teton Canyon sign on the right side of the road. Turn onto the road and drive about a quarter-mile to the trailhead. You can even take your dog!
Cathy Shill is the owner of Hole Hiking Experience.
