Last night I checked the weather. The forecast was for mostly sunny skies in the a.m. – I should have learned by now, the weather people can’t “forecast” what happened yesterday! Oh well… I awoke to my alarm at 5 am and got showered and packed for the morning ahead, out the door in 20 minutes (I’ve got this down to a science now). Stepped outside… rain. Go figure. Oh well, make the best of it. I’ve found that good things can happen with low expectations. I drove north east on the Glenn Highway towards the Matanuska Glacier, heading for one of my new favorite locations, Bonnie Lake. It rained the whole 45 minute drive, and was still lightly sprinkling as I stepped out of my car in the small parking area directly above the lake. The air was still, the water like glass – not a sound. It was still dark, but I could faintly see a low fog over the lake and through the valleys. It was chilly, so I got back in my car and waited. The “sunrise” never came – it was too overcast, and although the rain had ended, I could still feel a damp chill in the air. Once there was more light, I walked down to the dock and looked around. Suddenly the silence was broken by a sound so haunting, it can only be compared to the howl of a wolf, or the call of a loon. But this was no loon, or any wolf. From far across the lake came the sound of trumpeter swans conversing. They sounded very much like a band warming up for a rehearsal. But their call came clear from the north end of the lake, quickly echoing off the sheer rock cliffs and mountains around the lake. It was amazing. I made a video of one of their “sessions”. Now, I’m no cinematographer… so go easy on me. The video itself is nothing special, and the audio was captured using the standard mic on a small point and shoot. I’ve attempted to amplify the natural sounds, but you may still wish to turn your volume up to hear it well. These are the same swans I saw last week, 2 adults and 5 cygnets.
And here’s an image from a little later on this morning, I think it’s a spruce grouse. There were 5 grouse along the road leading into the Bonnie Lake area. They were eating gravel to aid in digestion and allowed me to get within 5 yards or so before flying off into the tree tops nearby.
Spruce Grouse - click to enlarge
Hey Dave,
Looks like you made the best of the weather – I really like the Spruce Grouse photo. I don’t know why they can’t come closer on the forecast.
A day or two after you asked about the color down here in Seward, I saw a couple of ex – military gentlemen with camera gear, enjoying a beer and some food in a local bar. I thought for sure it was you and your buddy so I asked if either of them was Dave Taylor – as you can guess – they weren’t. Great guys, we had a nice visit, and they were ex-military, so I had it half right.