On the Road and In Your Backyard

Good Morning All,

This weekday feature is for Juicers who are are on the road, traveling, or just want to share a little bit of their world via stories and pictures. So many of us rise each morning, eager for something beautiful, inspiring, amazing, subtle, of note, and our community delivers – a view into their world, whether they’re far away or close to home – pictures with a story, with context, with meaning, sometimes just beauty. By concentrating travel updates and tips here, it’s easier for all of us to keep up or find them later.

So please, speak up and share some of your adventures and travel news here, and submit your pictures using our speedy, secure form. You can submit up to 7 pictures at a time, with an overall description and one for each picture.

 

Have a wonderful day, and enjoy the pictures!

 

Today, pictures from valued commenter Albatrossity.

Batch #2 of 2 from my trip to the northern prairies.

Taken on 2019-06-24 00:00:00

Theodore Roosevelt National Park, southern unit, North Dakota

Lazuli Buntings are abundant in the right habitat in this part of the world; you can hear their cheery songs everywhere on a sunny morning. This male just came out to forage after a brief rainstorm, and his wet plumage makes his head even more lazuli than usual.

Taken on 2019-06-25 00:00:00

Thunder Basin National Grassland, Wyoming

Short-eared Owls are relatively common in open terrain across much of North America, although they have disappeared as nesting species in the more southerly regions. They had some odd habits for an owl, nesting on the ground and often hunting by day. Like this one, they always look surprised when they are sighted by humans.

Thunder Basin National Grassland, Wyoming

Golden Eagles are magnificent predators of the open prairies and mountains of the West. Widespread but never common, they are always a treat to see. This is an adult bird, with a golden nape, but it also had some rather interesting sun-bleached feathers that made me question the ID and age class initially.

Taken on 2019-06-24 00:00:00

Theodore Roosevelt National Park, southern unit, North Dakota

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is known for its bison herd and its prairie dog towns. These bison were unperturbed by a summer thunderstorm which sent the tourists running for their vehicles.

Taken on 2019-06-22 00:00:00

Lostwood National Wildlife refuge, near Kenmare ND

It is difficult to capture the beauty of the prairie pothole region in photographs; I would just urge you to visit someday and see it for yourself. This lake and many others like it are on the Missouri Coteau, a 20-mile wide glacial moraine left after the Wisconsin glaciation about 10000-12000 years ago. The coteau stretches from Iowa to Alberta, and is dotted by these depressional wetlands. Sadly, lots have been lost to agricultural practices, and more will be lost under the revised Waters of the USA regulations recently proposed by the Trump Administration’s EPA.

 

Thank you so much Albatrossity, do send us more when you can.

 

Travel safely everybody, and do share some stories in the comments, even if you’re joining the conversation late. Many folks confide that they go back and read old threads, one reason these are available on the Quick Links menu.

 

One again, to submit pictures: Use the Form