However amazing it was, I was quickly distracted by feathered critters zooming by all over. After I got some family shots in front of the glacier, I headed over to the bus shelter where I noticed a couple birds flying towards over and over. Sure enough, Barn Swallows had nests right there over the heads of the crowds.
We headed up the path to the visitor's center. There were many interesting flowers along the way. I had to research them when we got home. There was Northern Yarrow...
...Lupine...
...and something called Goat's Beard. All of these flowers were plentiful all over the Alaska countryside.
We made a brief tour of the visitor's center and then headed down toward the glacial lake to get a better view of the waterfall. The trail led all the way out but we were short on time so a photo is all we could manage.
Down by the water's edge my wife tipped me off to a chipping sound in the grasses. I couldn't leave until I discovered what was in there. Turned out to be a pair of Lincoln's Sparrows, a Life Bird! They were too fast for a photo so I had to settle for a shot of another Lifer, an Arctic Tern.
On the paved path back from the lake we marveled at some other native flowers growing on the granite boulders. You can't miss the bright Fireweed.
We almost missed the other plant down in the shadows. It is called Prickly Saxifrage.
Thinking it was some sort of moss, I later discovered by looking closer at the photo that the plant is actually made up of stiff, sharp-looking leaves. Kind of like an aloe. The flowers are really pretty with their little red-orange spots on white petals.
We had to head back to the bus but I made a detour down onto the small boardwalk by the bus lanes. A father and his kids were looking at something in the trees but I couldn't see what it was. A little farther down the walk I saw another person starting at a tree. There in the gloom I could just make it out. A Porcupine!
Next adventure? Going on a whale watching trip just up the road at Auke Bay.
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