Idaho Day 2: Washington Lake
Boulder/White Cloud Wilderness, ID
Friday 13 August 2021
80 °F
This morning, Tian, my mom, and I headed into the White Cloud Wilderness to hike up to Washington Lake. While I was waiting for them to run back into the house before we left, I had a few flyovers including RED CROSSBILL, and this COOPER’S HAWK:
And PINE SISKIN:
A few Antelope on the drive there:
And an AMERICAN BADGER! I was stoked to see this animal as it was only the third time I have ever seen one! (the second time being a quick sighting yesterday in the South Hills, coincidentally!)
The hike had a number of birds including female CASSIN’S FINCH:
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD:
Immature WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW:
The best bird of the hike was this GRAY JAY, a medium-high elevation conifer specialist in Idaho:
Halfway through the hike the trail wound up next to Fourth of July Lake which was gorgeous.
There was even an immature SPOTTED SANDPIPER poking around the edges.
HERMIT THRUSH:
Then, we arrived. Washington Lake — probably one of the most beautiful hike destinations I have been to in Idaho with tall, craggy walls and a beautiful emerald-green hue to the water.
One thing I immediately noticed was a proliferation of Western Toad tadpoles. Lifer! So cool to see!
A half-metamorphed Toad was a cool find, frog-like but with a remnant tail:
And an adult! These were large toads and this lady was not happy to be picked up, she promptly pissed all over my hands.
And Mom crossing a log on the way back.
Another HERMIT THRUSH:
It was a fantastic hike! Bird-of-the-day to the Canada Jays and runner-up to the Red Crossbills. More to come! So glad to be out here in my favorite place in the world again.
Good birding,
Henry
World Life List: 1126 Species
Fun photos as always; great to see your mom and Tian enjoying the lake. I think of a toad peeing as a defense mechanism, just remembering it when a kid. Was that a molting mountain bluebird? Looked a bit ragged.
by Mary Mc