July 12-15 Yellowknife and surrounds

The sky is cloudy today for a change as we have been having fabulous weather.  However the air is thick with smoke from forest fires to the south.  We are quite comfortable in our campsite at Fred Henne park here in Yellowknife.  We managed to erect our satellite dish on a rock mound behind the trailer so what else could you ask for.  Dropped the cell phone into a lake yesterday.  Will have to get back to Alberta so we can get connected with Telus again.  They only have Bell here.  There is a road that leads northeast of here called the Ingraham Trail.  It seems to be the road to "the" recreation as there are so many lakes along it.  We have travelled it twice now.  Many of the following shots are taken along this route.

Palm Warbler in our RV Park.  Saw a few the first day here and none since.

Slate-colored Junco-the only kind up here.

Yellow-rumped Warbler feeding young.  Also in the RV Park.

A lake had an small island close to shore.  Arctic terns were performing some mating rituals.

I was photographing Pacific Loons and Bonaparte Gulls were nesting nearby.  I learned their accuracy in emptying their bowels is very good as I had to clean my camera and t-shirt after I was dive-bombed.

Just a butterfly.  I should get a field guide for these.

Hermit Thrush was compelled to get into the open when a young Grey Jay threatened its' nesting area.

Lincolns' Sparrows are here.

Old scarface was in a berry patch and gave me a many opportunities for shots.  I bet he has a lot of stories to tell.

Cameron Falls is a popular destination.  The bright contrast of water and forest made getting a good picture difficult and I wasn't really satisfied with any of them.

They were quite a ways offshore but I managed a few pictures that attempt to show the beauty of these Pacific Loons.

We found a Red Fox den along the Ingraham Trail.  This is a young one.

Red-necked Grebes are switching incubating duties.

Spruce grouse are quite common.  Here is a hen.

And here is one of her chicks.

This Bonapartes is in winter plumage, yet was feeding young.  Many other gulls in the area were still in breeding plumage.

We found the Horseflies to be plentiful when the temperature gets over 22-23 degrees.  Below that they are almost nonexistent.  However the Mosquitoes fill in the gap when they are not around.  Our Watkins insect repellent is proving to be very effect. Got a tip from some locals on a Red-throated Loon.  Will have to check it out.