Northwest Trek August 2020

Feeling a little shut in, Alonda and Jim learned about the driving tour through the Northwest Trek Wildlife Park in Eatonville, WA. Because of the COVID pandemic, Northwest Trek doesn't use their trams to take visitors around the park. They set up a "Wild Drive Tour" that allows about 12 cars to convoy through the park. The guide is in the lead vehicle and narrates through the FM radio. It was a little pricey, but it turned out to be very well done and very interesting. Neither of us had been to Northwest Trek for many, many years.

The first "stop" on the tour was going past the garages where the trams are in storage.

Here we are in the convoy! No CB radios, though.

Here we are passing Horshoe Lake. A flock of Canadian Geese were settled in to enjoy the sunshine.

This is a male caribou. He was really hard to see. His antlers are covered with velvet and are still growing. At this time of the year, the males and females group up separately. If they don't, the males fight and lose their antlers before they finish growing.

These are Mountain Goats. They aren't in the mountains, though.

This is a Pileated Woodpecker. They are a very big bird and look for insects in dead trees.

These are Roosevelt Elk.

Everyone knows what Bighorn Sheep look like. You can't miss those horns.

A buffalo that is more properly known as an American Bison. This animal is about the size of our car. They aren't aggressive, but it was a good thing he was far away. Their breath is really terrible!

This is a female caribou. Both sexes have antlers. This is what makes the species so unique. The theory is that the females have antlers so they can compete with the males for food. The photo came out this way since we were shooting through the car windows.

Blue Heron. We actually see these birds fairly often where we live.

Try to be creative when you are looking for safe things to do during this pandemic time.