Skagway the return fom summit to city

Arrived at the summit where at its lake we flushed a party of Harlequinn duck.

Flags here on the border a detachment of Mounties were based here alongside mountain pools
and flora.

The summit excursion turns here at White Pass,the engines switch to the front making us the last carriage down.

As you can see its quite desolate up here at the head of the pass.

This habitat produces very little in the way of birds as we make our way back down.

snow on the tops with sunshine was an added bonus.

On our way back down beneath the snow covered peaks.

passing the wooden trestle again,made for photographic opportunities.It was certainly
a great trip as we alighted in town.

We made our way to the Red Onion Saloon where a few drinks and chilli livened us up.

I did a tour of the establishment this one time brothel the ladies here serving

and giving informative knowledge of the oldest profession entertained us in this museum

depicting a brothel in Alaska.

We left and walked the side walks of Skagway in the early afternoon sunshine where the trees

in splendid autumn colours was lovely.

 

We browsed the shops and noted a few Steller's jays,we returned to the ship .Pre -1887

Skaqua or Shgagwei in Tlingit means  a windy place with white caps on the water

Skagway and the Yukon railway 22nd Septemer 2015

Arrived Skagway around 0630hrs after overnight cruising,the snow on the top of mountains greets
us as do the Ravens and eagles.

Left the ship around 0800hrs we boarded the White Pass and Yukon Railway narrow gauge from
Skagway at sea level ,we sat in our parlour cars with padded seats and bar pulled by diesel.

This summit excursion  was the Gateway to the Klondike,we pass the outlaw cemetery where
soapy smith and Frank Reid shot it out in 1898.
Next up the bridge and Denver Glacial trail as the railroad crosses the Skagway river.

Rocky point gives excellent views,Bridge and Pitchfork falls are easy to miss,after Black Cross
Rock,Bridal veil falls comes down off Mt Cleveland.

High line view leads to Glacier stn,a track winds up to Laughton Glacier here the loop line give
a sensation of flying at 16 mile the engineer sounds his whistle.

The railroad spans across Glacier gorge  crossing the trestle in to the tunnel.

At the18 mile spot a steel bridge constructed in 1901 was the tallest cantilever in the world it
replaced  a dizzying switch back with its timber trestle.

Further on another mile the bridge tunnel and trail of 98 produces a horseshoe curve great for photos.
When through the tunnel the upper reaches of Dead Horse Gulch and the visible remains of White Pass trail is etched in the ground.

At 20 miles we reach the summit of White Pass to be continued on the next blog chapter.

Tracey arm to Juneau Alaska 21st September2015

It was overcast with rain again ,the clocks went back an hr today,from the ship white horses and a back drop of wooded islands and mist covered mountains ,closer a few guillemots and the ubiquitous gulls.

A second year immature bald eagle flew towards the ship and back to land.
Juneau is the capital of Alaska and is situated in the Gastineau channel,it is famous
for the Meldenhall glacier,it was cold sea watching as we approached Juneau a Peregrine flew
over the ship,mallards and crows along the shore.

We disembarked around 1230hrs noting Steller's sea lions along the pier,here we met our guide
Trevor Wade who worked for Gastineau guiding,we took a bus to Auke cove where we boarded our
boat for a whale watching trip with Captain Annette.

Here's Trevor with a specimen,before leaving we saw Harlequinn and belted kingfisher.We
were soon on our way viewing superb Humpback  whales.

You can see by the weather it was not ideal conditions,Trevor and Annette gave us lots of details
on cetaceans as we scanned the bay for blows.

We got fairly close but the weather got worse as we approached these magnificent leviathans.

Hence the name Hump back followed if your lucky by the disappearing tail.

We saw up to 8 individuals 1 party with a calve distinguished by a shorter spout from its blow hole.
A rainbow with a back drop of the glacier ended our trip.We returned around 1700 hrs seeing a Bald
Eagle up close.

Vancouver to Alaska Sept 2015

It was raining in Vancouver  as we boarded M.S Nordam around lunchtime on the 19th ,we unpacked
and done our life boat drill.
Some sea watching produced Neotropic cormorants a few Brandt's about 30 Glaucous winged gulls
and 4 Sabines 3 ads and 1 juv. Passing Vancouver around 1800 hrs.

The following morning around 0330hrs disorientated birds flew past our window on migration.
0720 hrs up on deck identified golden crowned kinglet and savannah sparrow.at sea numbers of
shearwaters and a pod of Dall's porpoises  plus a single great blue heron.

Breakfast 0900hrs be it brief was interrupted by duck ,geese skeins and a party of phalarope.

Numbers of distant Humpback whales I guessed around 8 individuals,a northern flicker flew over
the ship.We passed Laredo sound around1300hrs then Grenville channel and Kennedy island into
Chatham sound.

Around 1700 hrs after noting 3 bald eagles and 3 belted kingfishers and flocks of duck including
Harlequinn and Wigeon,we called it a day .A formal evening not many in penguin suits just the bonds
and their vodka martinis .

Grandad Wedding in Norfolk and some biirding

On the 10th of September our granddaughter arrived Sophia at 6lb 4oz ,never thought it would happen but thoroughly delighted as mother and daughter are fine.

Heres Carol with Sophia and here is the doting parents Chris and Sarah.

Two days later I'm in Great Yarmouth at my cousins sons wedding ,the day before I'm twitching
in the cemetery looking for migrants no not from Calais of note I see Pied fly and Spotted fly along
with a fem redstart these were the highlights.

well birding Norfolk had no rarities on route home from the pub Friday night before the wedding I passed Fallen Angels I expect some rare birds were in there.
Next morning was Grant and Gemmas big day and the sun come out in the afternoon a good family
wedding ensued.

My wife was at another wedding in Bovey Tracey for her sisters daughter Amanda Crilly I could not
be in two places at once.

Well a hectic weekend for everybody a rushed post but it had to be done love to everyone

Maple Lodge

early September a new path ,but fauna abundant in particular nettles and willow carr ,however I was pleased with a hobby hunting the reserve seen twice once taking a dragonfly.

On reaching long hedge hide a juvenile moorhen obliged along with dashing kingfishers although
distant and in flight.

I waited a little longer but it was generally quiet,a single great crested grebe,shovelers and mallard
obliged then a dragonfly buzzed the moorhen.

I missed a spotted flycatcher as I bade the boys farewell at the club house.

Happy Birthday J R Hartley

On the 27th August it was raining as we made our way to Testwood Fisherie  ie Sutton Springs in Hampshire,it stopped raining as we  tackled up in the car park.

The River Test runs parallel with the Fisherie and contains some trout and grayling.

The gang are here for my birthday fishing day out at this high profile lake in Hampshire.

Here's super Kev fishing a tributary of the Test after fishing the lake,unfortunately the fish in the river are a lot harder to catch.

I received a birthday cake from the boys as  part of our tea break,Jeff the Kiwi also received a
cake a little belated.

Finished the day with four good fish 10lb 11lb 12lb 13lb and 14lb ,four personal best fish
proved a fitting climax to the day.

So eat your heart out JRHartley here's the proof.