Stromboli's Rolling Log: Day 69, Sunday June 10, 2018, Back Roads, Waterfalls, Mergansers and Barrow's Godeneye.

So it was a late start today , a late breakfaast , but some exciting bird viewing. A very fast moving creek nearby intrigued us to investigate We look for, in those streams, some evidence of the Dipper, a bird that can actually walk under water. Their bodies are tightly packed with soft feathers that do not saturate with water easily.
Unlike many water birds, dippers are generally similar in form to many terrestrial birds (for example they do not have webbed feet), but they do have some morphological and physiological adaptations to their aquatic habits. Their wings are relatively short but strongly muscled, enabling them to be used as flippers underwater. Their bones are solid instead of hollow which reduces their buoyancy. They have dense plumage with a large preen gland for waterproofing their feathers. Relatively long legs and sharp claws enable them to hold on to rocks in swift water. Their eyes have well-developed focus muscles that can change the curvature of the lens to enhance underwater vision. They have nasal flaps to prevent water entering their nostrils.
The high hemoglobin concentration in their blood gives them a capacity to store oxygen greater than that of other birds, allowing them to remain underwater for thirty seconds or more, while their basal metabolic rate is approximately one-third slower than typical terrestrial passerines of similar mass. One small population wintering at a hot spring in Suntar-Khayata Mountains of Siberia feeds underwater when air temperatures drop below −55 °C (−67 °F). Zounds!

We drove the Silver Skagit Rd. for about 4 miles back to Silver Lake where there was dry camping in the provincial Park there, Many campers were coming out on Sunday on the very muddy road. (The rains arund the Mtns. had been off and on all night. We went to the end where the lake was and it was a beauty. Here we just stood in awe of the surrounding mountains and the lake, The following birds appeared after a fashion as we just stayed by the boat launch where there was an opening in the lake shore. We saw...VIOLET GREEN SWALLOW, a family of BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, and a YELLOW WARBLER. The family of Golden Eye's were the treat, First the male, then the female with the 7 chicks. The male then sat on a rock when they all went by , as if he was on guard, which he was.

Male Common Merganser guarding his chicks

Female is keeping the brood moving

Jim surveys Silver Lake

A waterfall on the road in to Silver Lake.

After the ride and eating lunch at Silver Lake Ruth wanted to try to get a photo of Bridal Veil Falls (Chillawack) from the road and the uphill walk would have been too much.

We didnt really think too much of this (Bridal Veil) falls. But it is close to the road and is popular.

A car wash after that muddy road to Silver lake, and then back home.There were two other things today and I almost forgot. First was the Merganser that we saw on the Silver Hope Creek on the way in.

A Male Common Merganser on a rock with a young one.

Finally a few odds and ends from the day. Tomorrow we head for Kelowna BC about 1/2 way to lake Louise, our goal in this part of the country. See you then.