After glowing reviews from the eye doctor and the dentist, we headed for Idaho and a swing around the Pacific Northwest. As luck would have it, we picked up species #505 for the year when we walked out of the dentist's office and by chance, looked up and saw a pair of Mississippi Kites circling overhead.
I have wanted to get to Stanley, Idaho for many years. Unfortunately, the Sawtooth Mountains have been shrouded in clouds, fog and rain since we arrived yesterday. So, we ventured south to the Craters of the Moon National Preserve where the weather was more pleasant today.
The Craters of the Moon Preserve sits in a volcanic rift valley that last saw a major eruption about 2,500 years ago. Sage brush, small shrubs and trees are finally starting to dot the cinder cones and lava flows that dominate the landscape. The gnarled tree in this photo somehow managed a foothold in the lava about 1,500 years ago. It died in 1961.
In addition to spotting pronghorn antelope, we found a pair of mooses in a small lake near the craters. This is by no means our best look at a moose. But, they are still fun to observe even when they are about 150 yards away.
Birding thus far has not been good because of the weather. We have logged 35 species with none being new for 2025. Otherwise, Stanley has been great and we'll be back at some point to do the hiking we were unable to enjoy this time around.
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