Yellowstone - Mammoth Hot Springs

Yellowstone 170927-171005

 Mammoth Hot Springs

Lots of images today again. This will be the last post for the trip to Yellowstone and Teaton. I went to see Yellowstone Hot Springs again. Now I have seen it! And a lot more. I´m satisfied. I have shared a lot, yet I only saw a fraction of all that there is to see. If you have the time. 
Hope you all liked my images of nature and wildlife in one of Our Worlds Wonders, a very colorful and hot place! 

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© NF Photos 171003

Thanks Yellowstone!
© NF Photos 171004


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140601 Jokulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, second place additional images

ISLAND 2014-05-28--06-04
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140601  Jokulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, second place additional images.
Trip report post for this day  HERE
© NF Photos 140604

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Western Capercaillie -Tjäder 130426-27

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During the week I decided to try both birds again so when I went to Nordic Safari and  Udden this time my goal was the Western Capercaillie first night and the Black Grouse the second.

Started as last time. The ice still covered Hjälmaren so not much to see there on my short break. I arrived at Pensionat Udden in good time before lunch. I was lucky to find a  Black-throated Loon  (Storlom) in the lake. After the lunch we looked at the wolf movie and a presentation of Nordic Safari. Then we headed out in 2 cars. Some people would go to the Black Grouse and I to the Western Capercaillie. Before going to my hide we were checking some other places in the forest. And we went to Uttersberg to meet with Fredrik at 17.00. Uttersberg was a nice place with a stream and a museum. Then we headed for the area where I was last week,  Klotens Vargrevir.  Fredrik too had the same bad luck last week and wanted to try again. We picked our hides and closed at 19.00.

Monica alias NatureFootstep

Fixed the sleeping bag, arranged my stuff  and had my dinner. Looking out now and then. This time I had a squared tent and my head at one wall and feet at the other. Not much for taller people then me. When it got dark I finally spotted a bird down the road. Yes, this time will be ok. At least I´ve seen one and heard another during the evening.

I woke up at 4.30 but the area was empty. Still a bit too dark anyway. At 5.30 I had my first bird close by and then it was busy the entire time until 10.00.

From my tent I had a view to the other side of the road and there one male was lekking for 3h. Jumping up and down and pacing back and forth. With no female to join him. Poor thing.

 

On the moss area below there was frost and to see the birds in the sun was quite nice. I had one male with two hens and then a few other males here and there.  One male flew up and lekked quite close to Fredriks hide and I had a good view of it between some trees.

 





Mating in progress

 

I was lucky enough to see a mating even if I did not understand it at once as they where partly hidden behind a tree. Not before I saw the hen slip away I understood what had happened. The shot is rather lousy but still a proof of what I saw. Photography was not an easy task. The trees was in the way most of the time and also made it difficult to choose settings. Too dark or too bright? Hard to get it right. So, take a lot of shots and hoep for the best.

 

It took a long time before things calmed down enough for me to think about breakfast. But what the h-k. I wasn´t there to eat.

 

We were picked up at 11,00 and went back to Udden for lunch. I had seen at least 6 males and 2 females. Not bad at all.

male with 2 hens

 I was amazed when I saw this shot, there is different patterns on each tail feather. I wonder if that is a way of telling the difference between them? Like a fingerprint.

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121122 Morocco Day 13 Thursday, Guelmim - Agadir

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121110-121124 South Morocco and WestSahara

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121122 Morocco Day 13 Thursday, Guelmim - Agadir

Woke up at 5.30 and waited a while before going up. I was a bit shocked about sleeping with the computer in my knee yesterday evening. Guess I´m really tired right now.

Well, Anders had asked for breakfast at 6 but the staff did not arrive before 6 so it took a long while before we got our breakfast. I think hotel staff promise things they really shouldn´t and the kitchen staff work as usual not knowing there was a promise to fulfil. Todays departure was at 7.05 instead of 6.30. Not much of a breakfast at that hotel, coffee and croisants that was all. No bread and no juice or anything. Hard to get filled on that menue. But we managed. At least the breakfast room was great. I loved the tables.

We headed north again with Agadir as end location. We passed the mountains where the truck had overturned on our way south. It is quite a scary road. Really alpine way. One has to be glad it is not a slippery winter road. :)

We went to Oued Massa again. It is quite a nice place. This time we had clear orders not to shoot people. To bad as I spotted a young woman on a donkey and she was gorgeous. But I´d let her be. Not too many birds this time but a night heron was one of them and a 1k Bonelli´s Eagle (hökörn). A great one indeed.
 The image Bonelli´s Eagle and Common Kestrel (tornfalk)




Dadel palm I think.

After Massa we went to the north side of Agadir. There was a Nature reserve where the Royal Palace is located but we was not allowed to enter it so we stayed at the coastal line. It was tricky to bird as we had backlight. The entire bay was shining in silver. With black birds in it. Mostly flamingos and ducks. At this location we also spotted the blue eyed magpie. It was such a beauty I really was regretting we did not see it up close.



We arrived at Oasis Hotel around 16.10 so there was lots of time before we met again for the species list and dinner. I went down to the beach and had a lot of fun. It is a large beach. Some waves came further in to the beach then expected so I got my pants wet. And very sandy feet. But so what. It was fun. But I never saw the .....
 The arial image is linked from the beach website.

I was back at the hotel in time for a shower before our artlist meeting. At dinner I sat with Ewa and Bo and shared a bottle of Moroccan wine with them. It was really good. The dinner at this hotel is special. So many great stuff in the buffé to choose from and so nicely served.

Now I will soon go back to the room and upload my shots for today and to see what my balcony view can offer me.

 Tomorrow is a sleeping morning. The breakfast is served at 6.00 and forward and the boat company will pick us up at 9.00 h. Our bags will stay in a locked room at the hotel during the day.

A late evening stroll on the  Beach of Agadir

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day 13, 121122 Thursday, åter mot Agadir, Oued Massa, Oued Sous
day 13, 121122 Thursday, night in Agadir

Oasis Hotel, Boulevard Mohamed V, Agadir Tel 05 28 84 33 13

see day 2

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** Links: Gueliz Hotel Tamri, Cap Rhir images Agadir Oasis Hotel Oued MassaPanorimo), Barrage Youssef-ben-Tachfine, (dammen foton) Guelmim Tan-Tan Plage  Hagounia Hotel Laayoune   Sahara Line Hotel Dakhla  Bab El Bahr Hotel   Dakhla Bay Oued Jenna   Dakhla on Panorimo

121120 Morocco Day 11 Tuesday, Laayoune - Tan Tan Plage

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121110-121124 South Morocco and WestSahara

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121120 Morocco Day 11 Tuesday, Laayoune - Tan Tan Plage

Woke up at 5,50. Been up twice during the night. There is a police man standing in the corner of the block. Checking out on us?? Who knows! Probably he did as the clerk later on told our guide that "we are being watched".

Breakfast should have been served at 6.00 but that was the time when the first member of the staff arrived. They don´t really bother do they? So, we were late again. But not that much. This time we had a young man guiding us out of town on moped.  Our portier had whispered to Anders that the Morroccan police are watching us. And they sure are. They seem to think we are there to make an uprise among the Western Sahara people. I have no clue if we ever met any of them. I don´t think so.

Well, we headed out of town the northern route, but as we were about to bird at the bridge the young man on moped lost us when we turned in on a parkinglot. But our driver horned on him so he turned and came back. The three of them, gteh guide and our drivers seemed to have a good time as we birded the area. We had a good time birding and shooting pics as the sun rose. Lots of great shots on stilts and cattle egrets.

Well, our escort leaft us on the other side of the bridge and we continued north. Our first stop was at a bushy desert area 50 km north Laayounne. Hoping for warblers but was dissappointed. The area was almost empty. At least on birds. Some ruins was still lingering. Leaving the place at 9.55h

We were a bit more lucky at Kniipfiss(?) the fishing and camping area with the cats. There was a lot of birds. Vaders and others. Spoonbill (Skedstork), flamingo at teh sand dunes further out and Eurasian Curlew (storspov) calling a lot. We left at 13.35 to go further north. We were passing by an area where they produced salt. But we did not stop there.

Eventually we did check out the three riverbeds we visited on our way south. But now it was high tide so lots of water there and hardly no birds apart from gulls. At the last one a car  arrived with 2 couples of morroccan people. They started to vade over to the nearest island of sanddunes. The two young women had some trouble with the skirts as they did not want to get wet. They had a lot of fun and the youngest women waved at me to follow. I could not do that of course. :)

Close to Tan-Tan Plage we made a final stop to look for seabirds. Nothing much again. But some photo opportunity for me. This time two cars stoped at our group wanting to know about birding. Maybe we are turning the Morroccans into a birding people. .) Also two cars of policemen stoped and checked us out. And now our driver starts to get annoyed. They know us and have all details since we went south. So why bother us now?

It is a bit strange as we went along the coast. Here and there in empty areas is a house or tent. Men sitting at the edge fishing in the middle of nowhere. You have to wonder where they live. And why they fish so far from villages and people. Do they live by themselves in a tent supporting themselves with only fish? Guess I´ll never know. And at one place I saw a woman heading straight into the desert. God knows where to because nothing was visible to give a hint.

When arriving at Tan Tan Plage we went shoping but as we were late not much was open. But we got what we needed and then we went to the Hagounia Hotel. The "shoping centre" looks tidy already.

I got the same room as the last time. The one with the blue doors and bad shower. We met again for the birdlist. But now Anders is getting sick and skipped the dinner. I think everyone had it now except me. My troubles is the foot and the lips, still.

I talked with Janet, my daughter, on skype. She was working. And wrote a bit on the trip report.

Tomorrow we are going back to Guelmim and a new hotel. Breakfast is supposed to be at 6. But who knows? We shall leave at 7 to be able to have time enough at the lark fields and the waterhole.
Natti!

No lamp at the bed. Lucky I brought my own flashlamp.

 

Seeing the coast like this you realise Morocco will one day disappear in the Atlantic Ocean.

Mer om Södra Marocko och Västsahara på NF Photo Marockos fåglar

More about South Morocco and Westsahara on NF Photo Moroccan Bird species

day 11, 121120 Tuesday, återväg t Tan Tan Plage, stop här o där

day 11, 121120 Tuesday, night in Tan-Tan Plage

Hagounia Hotel, Tan Tan Plage. Tel 05 28 87 90 20

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** Links: Gueliz Hotel Tamri, Cap Rhir images Agadir Oasis Hotel Oued Massa (on Panorimo), Barrage Youssef-ben-Tachfine, (dammen foton) Guelmim Tan-Tan Plage  Hagounia Hotel Laayoune   Sahara Line Hotel Dakhla  Bab El Bahr Hotel   Dakhla Bay Oued Jenna   Dakhla on Panorimo Djemma El Fna

121119 Morocco Day 10 Monday, Dakhla - Laayoune

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121110-121124 South Morocco and WestSahara

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121119 Morocco Day 10 Monday, Dakhla - Laayoune

Woke up at 6.50. Packed most of my stuff and went to brekfast. The group was already there and breakfast was putting forward. I ate some and put some in my backpack for use during the day. This hotel seem to always serve a lot more then anyone can eat.

Today I lost my backpack. At least I thought so. I was about to put something in it and I could not find it. I thought I forgot it at the breakfast room. But no. I went back to the room and there it was. On the chair and I did not see it. I´m getting senile. :(  Maybe this is my last trip?? So many things I "lost" this time. So many times I looked for things that was not really lost. I just did not see it. Spent a lot of time searching for my glasses for one.

Well, we left to go 550-600 km back to Laayounne. The shot to the left was taken from inside the bus just before we  left the Dakhla peninsula.


We made the same two stops as we did on the way south. The little café and the desert stop where the crows was supposed to be. They were still not there.

Took these shots from the bus. Seems to be a settlement. As poor as the fishermens village I think. But maybe not, a lot of camels were there.

As we were going up north I was now sitting on the right side. Having a gorgeous Atlantic view half of the time. Now I did see all the ship vrecks I did not see when we were going south.







We made a stop at the wetland south of L.This days highlight.  Lots of ducks there and other birds. Stilts among them. Anders and 4 more went down to bird closer to the water. I did not dare walk down with my bad shoes and it was really steep to go down. And a lot of sand to go trough.



Anders, and all of us, was happy there was several new species for the trip on that location. The water surface dotted with birds. To bad it was quite a distance to them.



Going in to town to shop for tomorrow I found a place where they was selling shoes. I fond a pair I thought would be fine. 120 dirham. Sadly I think I will get blisters from them.


Then we headed for Sahara Line Hotel our stay for the night. We met again at 19.00 h in the lobby to go through the birdlist for today. And then dinner. I joined one of the coupels and we shared a bottle of wine for dinner as this hotel actually served wine. .
Back to the room for the usual writing. And I think we were watched. There was a policemen standing outside the hotel all night. Yes, I was up once and saw him there. He was the only person on the street when I went to bed and when i woke up in the night he was still there. Clearly bored to death.

Tomorrow we continue up north. Breakfast at 6 and departure at 7.

 

 

 

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More about South Morocco and Westsahara on NF Photo    Moroccan Bird species ** Labels: Resor, travel, trip, journey, Sverige, Sweden, airplane, flygplan, sky, photo, photography, Monica Johansson, NatureFootstep, nfphoto, NF_photo, nature, natur, fågelskådning, birding, fågelblog, birdblog, Marocko, Morocco, Västsahara, West Sahara, Sahara, desert, öken, Marrakech  Dakhla, Laayoune, Marocko, Morocco, foot, fot, oas, sanddyn, sand dune, Al-Ayun,


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** Links: Gueliz Hotel Tamri, Cap Rhir images Agadir Oasis Hotel Oued Massa (on Panorimo), Barrage Youssef-ben-Tachfine, (dammen foton) Guelmim Tan-Tan Plage  Hagounia Hotel Laayoune   Sahara Line Hotel Dakhla  Bab El Bahr Hotel   Dakhla Bay Oued Jenna   Dakhla on Panorimo Djemma El Fna 

day 10, 121119 Monday återväg t Laayoune, stop här o där

day 10, 121119 Monday night in Laayoune http://lexicorient.com/morocco/laayoune.htm

Sahara Line Hotel, Avenue Kairawane, Laayoune Tel 05 28 99 22 26

see day 5