Heading down towards Chena Hots Springs this morning to basically check Ponds 45.5 and 48 both of which I visited two years ago. That day was cloudy but I still managed to see a White Admiral at Pond 45.5 and more importantly, a Mom moose and her calf. The Mom was feeding in Pond 48 and the baby running around it's edges. Incredible moment! And so fortunate to have stumbled upon them. Perhaps I can repeat on this sunny day - highly unlikely but I can always hope.
Beautiful drive, lots of clouds but also plenty of sun. I'm heading directly to both ponds on the chance the sun goes away (and so will the butterflies).
The drive down Chena Springs Road is filled with hundreds (probably thousands) of Canadian Swallowtails (and maybe some Old World Swallowtails) flying along the sides of the road and in the road. What an incredible sight!
I pull into the empty parking for Pond 45.5
and see hundreds for Canadian Swallowtails flying and puddling.
I see just one Old World Swallowtail flying in the masses of Canadians.
Oh and there's a Green Comma as well.
I walk a little of the edges of the pond. Plenty of dragonflies out (but not stopping) and some very pretty moths
and of course plenty of mosquitoes.
At one place along the pond, I also find a lot of Canadian Swallowtails puddling. So pretty!
I get to close and they scattered in a sea of yellow fluttering wings (the flapping sound is awesome).
I head over to check out some other areas. (That Old World Swallowtail keeps taughting me.)
I find another Green Comma
and, go figure, even more Canadian Swallowtails.
I return to the original swallowtail puddling site and they are back. And in all those Canadian Swallowtails is my guy - the Old World Swallowtail. Happiness!
Time to move on to Pond 48.
When I arrive, I'm a little shocked as there are a number of people here with tents and campers. Definitely not going to see a moose today. :(
There are some Canadian Swallowtails flying but only a few. I also see a White flying close to the ground. I'm hoping he'll land but no luck.
Moving on, I continue down the road stopping in spots - Canadian Swallowtails everywhere --
before turning around at the Angels Rock trail head. I'm tempted to hike it but the mosquitoes are pretty bad and I have no bug spray. Oops!
Time to head back north.
Back in Fairbanks, I grab some lunch and decide to head up the Streese Hwy. No real plan; just want to see what it looks like. The maximum I want drive is around 87 miles and that's where the road turns to gravel - I don't want to drive on that.
It's a pretty drive, looking a lot like the trip down Chena Spring Road. Canadian Swallowtails are here too along the road but not nearly as many as Chena Springs. I stop at a couple spots along the river no other butterflies but the Canadian Swallowtail. Oh wait, I see one Blue flying.
At the 40'sh mile mark I decide to head back and go to the University of Alaska's Botanical garden; I still have time before my 4pm trip meeting - maybe there will be some butterflies there.
Very small botanical garden - guess I should expect that due to the extreme climate and short growing season. There are lots of Columbine, some Lilacs, CA poppies, vegetables and other flowering trees. In the water garden
I find two Common Alpines. (Same butterfly species I saw yesterday.)
And when I was exiting and I get a quick look at a Large Marble. (I see many of these in Utah.)
Time to go to the hotel and get my stuff together to bring to the pre-trip meeting.
The meeting goes well. I meet the other 3 guests, our guide and the company owner (who I talked to when I booked the trip). We got our back country safety talk including bear safety and even get to practice with a phony bear spray canister. There's a quick gear check and the weigh-in (for airplane purposes).
Tomorrow's plan is that I'm heading on a small plane with the guide non-stop (3hrs) to camp. The other 3 are on the bigger plane to Arctic Village where they will wait for my plane to return. I like that arrangement!
Have to admit I'm nervous mostly because of the potential for cold. And according to the owner, the Arctic has been very cold recently. Hopefully, these 80 degree temperatures will filter north. (If not, I sure hope the recommended gear list which I followed and even added an extra jacket keeps me warm.)
Here's to tomorrow and my adventure into the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge somewhere near the Sadlerochit Mountains!
