Mahood Lake – Well’s Gray P.P. – Sept. 1, 2010

In real time it is almost the middle of January and we are in the middle of a stretch of very wet, depressing weather…time to go back…

September 1st found at  North Thompson P.P. just outside of Clearwater, B.C.  Went for a morning walk along the riverside trail…

had hoped to get a few good bird pictures, but failed miserably on all accounts!  I did throw this one in of a male American Redstart – just because Redstarts have been a rather elusive bird for me – remember we did see some at Writing on Stone in Alberta, back in the spring.

So, once again on the road, down highway #24 to Little Fort and then turning west up the very long, steep climb to the Cariboo Plateau.

Here is a picture taken from the rest area when you finally reach the top and it levels out.  Our destination for the day was the campground at Mahood Lake.  Mahood Lake is situated on the western side of Well’s Gray P.P. but you can’t access it, at least by vehicle, from the main body of the park…we took the turn off at Bridge Lake – after having done this route I would NOT recommend it for anyone towing anything very large or with any sort of very large motor home….65 km of rather rough, narrow, gravel and in some areas ‘dirt’ road….

this is a sample of the road…one of the better sections!

We stopped here at Drewey Lake recreation site for lunch….

there was a good size lake here…no doubt good fishing….

Finally, about 2 pm we reached our destination – this lovely little campground was virtually deserted!

picked a spot out in the open – after a couple of days of dark and rain, the sunshine was welcome!

There were plenty of birds to keep me amused.  Cedar Waxwings were very busy eating these Hawthorne berries…

Young ones as well…

Spent a lot of time trying to capture these ‘berry in beak’ pictures…

So you get another as well…

Waxwings weren’t the only birds…here a Ruby Crowned Kinglet…

Yellow rump Warbler….

Clay-coloured Sparrow….

Warbling Vireo….just to mention a few…

 

and will end with a shot of one of the prettiest spots I have ever seen!