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Tag Archives: Pearrygin Lake

Fall Water Outing

Molly’s dad was hoping to get Molly some experience in his new canoe and I just wanted to enjoy some lake time before winter really gets started. Molly got very little experience and after jumping out of the canoe twice, she got to spend the rest of the afternoon in the truck. Next time I won’t be along to distract her. There were quite a few ducks, some grebes, a couple of herons and an otter to provide entertainment as we enjoyed one of the last nice afternoons.

Mallard and another grebe, probably a Pied-billed Grebe
Mallard drake and hen
Hooded Mergansers
Eared Grebe
Great Blue Heron and hen Mallard
Bye bye fall.

Methow Valley Spring

The wildflowers have been been stunning these last few weeks. They started early and as expected, they are fading early too. Maybe the morning’s rainfall will bring on a new flush of color. Hummingbirds and swallows continue to be a big presence at our house. I thought the hummers would not settle in after last year’s fire but they seem to be just about as numerous and as ravenous for the juice I put in the feeders each day. I’m afraid I’ve created a bunch of tiny sugar addicts. There are Rufous, Calliope and now Black-chinned Hummingbirds here. Occasionally, especially in the fall, we see Anna’s Hummingbirds. Here are a few images from the past couple of weeks.

From the hill above our house, above the fireline
Balsamroot so deep, you can only see puppy dog tails!
Tent caterpillars on bitterbrush
Lupine
Death camas
Geum triflorum, prairie smoke or old man’s whiskers. It survived the fire.
Violet-green Swallow
Hummingbirds can be very territorial
Calliope Hummingbird male
Blue, a type of butterfly
More blues
Painted lady
Hillsides carpeted in balsamroot above Pearrygin Lake
Mountains over Pearrygin Lake with serviceberry in the foreground

Pearrygin Lake Walk

We have had quite a few days of ice fog. That combined with no new snow can make a pretty bleak picture. The little snow we have has been softened and frozen into an uneven frozen track that often makes walking difficult. I put ‘yak traks’ on my shoes just about every time I go out for a walk. One day last week there was a hint that the sun might be shining just a little higher up and the dogs and I had a few minutes before meeting our friends for agility practice. So we went up to frozen Pearrygin Lake to see if we could find the sun and to stretch our legs. There were glimpses of sunshine, sucker holes, but by the time we left, it was just gray again.

We saw some folks walking their goats through the state park
A sun spot/sucker hole on the hillside
Sky at five months and 40 pounds.
Sky and Luna playing
Sometimes she looks distinguished
Bubbles in the ice
This bubble looks like a UFO
There’s that spot of blue sky

Back in the Boat Again

Last week there were several good weather days and twice I managed to get my kayak in the water. Last year I hardly used it due to persistent lower back pain from gardening. I am trying to really take care of my back this year with more yoga and being very aware of how I move when I am carrying heavy stuff and trying to get help when I can. So far, so good for the most part. Of course with kayaking there is the business of getting the boat on and off the car to take it to the lakes. That worried me. I was able to do it and paddle two days in a row and I am happy to report that I didn’t have any pain! What a relief. Here’s hoping it stays that way all summer. Here are some highlights from two lakes near Winthrop.

Patterson Lake is my favorite

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Interesting rock formations

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Non-native trees line one end next to hay fields

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Last year’s cottonwood leaf

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Folks keep adding to this lakeside sculpture

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You can tell from the line on the rocks that the lake is not yet full

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These trees died after the lake level was raised some years ago. Now the snags are good habitat for nesting swallows and other birds.

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Red-necked Grebe

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Pair of Wood Ducks

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Patterson Mountain reflected in Patterson Lake

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More reflections near the boat launch

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At Pearrygin Lake State Park, it’s still cold for swimming

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A pair of Mallards

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The hen decided to go her own way

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The drake had to fly to catch up with her

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4 Bufflehead ducks

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They didn’t like me or the motorboat approaching from the other side

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Pearrygin is a pretty warm lake with different vegetation types.

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The reeds make nice reflections

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This float had broken away from its moorings

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In addition to motorboats, I saw this stand up paddler and a rowing scull

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Killdeer on a mud flat

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The mouth of Pearrygin Creek. This creek ‘blew out’ two years ago, resulting in flooding in the state park and the loss of this boat launch. They say that the state will replace it.

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There are LOTS of Yellow-rumped Warblers out and about these days.

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And Osprey are commonly seen above any water that might have fish in it. There were lots of newly-planted trout for the next day’s fishing season opener.

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Moonrise over Pearrygin Lake

A friend joined me for a full moon paddle on Pearrygin Lake last night. It was a perfect evening for it with glassy water, no power boats and warm weather. At 8:01, we could see the creeping light of the moon over the hills to east. As it came up and we watched with binoculars, we could see the fir trees silhouetted against the bright disk. It was truly an awesome sight. My photo does not do it justice.

 

Too high ISO, boat movement, lens not long enough but still, you get the idea!

We were also treated to a chorus of Poorwill’s from the back side of Studhorse Mountain; bats, some owls that were very light colored and lots of crickets. When we first got on the water we saw Mallards, mergansers, at least two kinds of grebes and probably a Wood Duck too. This time of year, the ducks are such a challenge. Lots of Red-winged Blackbirds. One Great Blue Heron was fairly cranky about being disturbed by our presence in the dark and made its opinion known as it flew across the lake.

One the way home I saw a Great-horned Owl, a raccoon and in Winthrop at the four way stop, a mule deer doe carefully walked across the street using the crosswalk as I patiently waited for her. She was the only one walking around town at 10:00. I guess that’s a sign that the summer tourist season is over.

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