The American Safari, Part 2 - Jackson Hole and The Grand Tetons

Carrie and I hoped to see many birds and mammals on our trip to Jackson Hole, Grand Tetons, and Yellowstone, but our number one target was the Great Gray Owl. We had been to the Sax-Zim Bog Birding Festival in Minnesota earlier this year, but had not seen any Great Gray Owls so we hoped to see one where they are often seen at the Moose-Wilson Road Overlook in Jackson Hole. One had been seen there just a couple of days before we arrived so we got up early and drove toward the overlook. We stopped in Teton Village for gas, and chanced upon several Western Tanagers in a tree in front of the Mangey Moose Restaurant--our first lifer in Jackson Hole!



Next we entered GTNP and drove Moose-Wilson Road toward the overlook. The section of Moose-Wilson Road North of the park entrance was one of the worst dirt roads I have ever driven on in my life. It could hardly be called a road. It had potholes like polka dots, but after we got used to the bumps, which were more like booms, it was kind of fun--boom . . . boom . . . boom!!! Come to think of it, I should probably get our Santa Fe realigned. They close this road during the Winter, and I think that is probably a very good idea. We actually had a guy zooming around several cars including ours, slinging a lot of mud all over his own car and a little on everyone else's as well. Good thing no one was coming around the corner.

On the way to the overlook, we checked for the Great Gray in an area, where Fraker told me the bird hunts along the road, but we did not see it. After waiting and watching at the overlook for a while, we walked the overlook trail to see if the Great Gray was hunting along the trail. We did not see the owl, but the trail was very birdy. We birded a little on the trail and then went back to the overlook. We continued to look for the owl until after 9:00 a.m., but it was a no show. So we decided to go back to the overlook trail to see what else we could see. We had 26 species at the overlook and along the overlook trail including Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-naped Sapsucker, Northern Flicker (Red-shafted), Western Wood-Pewee, Black-capped Chickadee, Mountain Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Mountain Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, Orange-crowned Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Green-tailed Towhee, Brewer's Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco (Pink-sided), Western Tanager, and Pine Siskin. Here are photos of the Northern Flicker (Red-shafted), the Western Wood-Pewee, and a couple of the Mountain Chickadees we saw.











We also saw this Empidonax flycatcher (Probably Western or Dusky).



Brewer's Sparrow was a lifer for Carrie and Red-naped Sapsucker, Western Wood-pewee, and Mountain Chickadee were all lifers for both of us. We also saw several chipmunks (Uinta or Least) and a Pine Squirrel on the trail.





Here are a couple of different view shots from the overlook.





Next the plan was to head back the way we came on Moose-Wilson Road until we reached the Death Canyon or Whitegrass Road turn off and then follow Whitegrass/Death Canyon Road to the end where there was a forest of burned trees or a "burn." Fraker had informed me that this was a good place to look for American Three-toed and Black-backed Woodpeckers. Interestingly, American Three-toed are the more common of the two species in Jackson Hole. Carrie and I had not been able to find either at Sax-Zim Bog Minnesota earlier this year where Black-backed is the more common of the two.

On the way to the burn, while we were still on Moose-Wilson Road, we saw a glimpse of a large raptor flying around the corner over the tree. Carrie stopped the car and told me to get out and see if it was the Great Gray. I hastily got out of the car and pursued on foot. When I was able to get a better look, I realized the bird was not an owl, but an Osprey. I got back into the car, and as we continued, we counted three Osprey above us. As we turned onto Whitegrass Rd., I realized that my iphone was missing. I was frantic to say the least, especially since the phone that was missing was my work phone. We stopped and searched under the seats and everywhere I might have put the phone, but it was nowhere to be found. So thinking it might have fallen out of the car when I jumped out to chase the "Owlsprey," we drove back toward the spot where Carrie pulled off along Moose-Wilson Road. And to my relief, there was my iphone sitting face up on the dirt right where we had pulled off. It was yet another of many reasons to stop and give thanks to the Lord on our trip. The phone was face up and undamaged, but at the time I was still frustrated about the no show of the Great Gray and still wound up from losing the phone. So when Carrie suggested that we stop to pray, I asked her to do the praying. After Carrie gave thanks, I began to calm down, and we headed back to Whitegrass Road to look for woodpeckers.

We got out at the parking area at the end of the road and started walking through the burn. Just a minute or two after we got out of the car, I was looking at a songbird when Carrie pointed out a woodpecker perched low in a fallen tree just in front of us. It was a female American Three-Toed Woodpecker!





It was not long before we were in the midst of three American Three-Toed Woodpeckers, including a male and another female.





It was a great way to get a lifer--great looks at three individuals, but this Pine Squirrel did not allow our excitement to interfere with his meal.



Picking up several lifers and losing and relocating an iphone had made us both hungry. So after another bumpy ride on the Moose-Wilson pot-holicoaster road, we took a tip from Fraker and visited the Mangey Moose Restaurant in Teton Village for lunch. I ordered the steak tacos, and Carrie ordered the burger. Both were yummy . . . I mean . . . Carrie let me have a few bites of her order as well. The food tasted so fresh and flavorful. The tacos were packed with both steak and tasty vegetables. Everything we had there was wonderfully delicious. If you are reading this, great tip, Matt!



Next we took the tram ride in Teton Village up to the top of Rendezvous Peak, to enjoy the view and for a slim chance at seeing Black Rosy Finch. We saw no rosy finches, but it was a fun ride with astounding views.







Next we went to Dornan's in Moose to look for Sage Thrasher by the river. We did not flush up any Sage Thrashers, but we saw a couple more Wilson's Warblers and another Western Wood-pewee.



We also noticed several fritillary butterflies like this one . . .



and a gorgeous view of the Grand Tetons!



After Dornan's, we decided to drive around the Gros Ventre/Antelope Flats Road loop to look for mammals and raptors before heading back to the overlook to see if the owl showed up in the evening.

Mormon Row was full of Mountain Bluebirds. A different songbird landed on the road in front of us but then took off before we could identify it. I thought it was a Sage Thrasher, but Carrie disagreed. Then we thought we had a Prairie Falcon, but it turned out to be an American Kestrel.



We could see a large herd of Buffalo from Mormon Row and Gros Ventre Road, and there were cars out in the middle of the herd, but we could not figure out how the vehicles got out there. Eventually we found the road we thought they drove out on, but it looked worse than Moose-Wilson Road so we did not bother. Anyway, those cars seemed way too close to the herd. In the mean time, we were able to get a Sage Thrasher in the scope after it flushed from the road. It was a beautiful individual because it was very buffy on the chest, but it was too far out to get photos. At the time, I did not think to take a photo through the scope. We did get a photo of this Western Meadowlark that also flushed from the road.



Finally our patience paid off. This guy was at a safe distance, but close enough to get some photos from the road.





When we got back to the overlook, we waited for a few minutes with other birders, but then we decided to walk the trail again. After we turned around and started back to the overlook, I noticed a brown bear on the trail no more than 40 yards ahead of us. It was looking right at us, and I had accidentally left the bear spray in the car. The odd thing was there was a man standing less than 20 yards behind the bear. He seemed oblivious to the bear's presence and fortunately, the bear seemed oblivious to his presence. I told Carrie there was a bear, and she also saw it. My next response was to try to get a photo of what I thought was a young Grizzly Bear. Her next response was to yell to the people standing nearby, "Does anyone have any bear spray?!!" When the bear heard Carrie talking about bear spray, he obviously understood what she was talking about, turned, and walked down into the ravine out of sight. I only had time to snap this shot, which indicates that the bear was not a Grizzly, but a Cinnamon Black.



At the time, we both thought we were looking at a Grizzly, and although I wanted to take a picture, I believe Carrie did the right thing in making noise. I don't think I ever left the bear spray in the car again. In fact, I thought about carrying it around at work when I came back from vacation. Teenagers can attack . . . but back to the vacation. Once again, the owl was not seen, but we had a few new birds--White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, and Great Blue Heron. And we enjoyed watching Elk first from the overlook and later along Moose-Wilson Road. These were our first Elk of the trip, and the first I had ever seen in the wild! The Elk fawns were dancing playfully on the hill and the Bull Elk appeared to be bugling, but made no sound that I could hear.







What a great ending to our first day in the park, except it was not quite the end. On our way back to the hotel, we saw a Great Horned Owl perched on a road sign in front of the Dairy Queen in Jackson. We might not have seen the Great Gray, but hurray! We did see an owl!

These events took place on September 1, 2014, but this post was written on September 16, 2014.