Peggy's Weather Report from Greyling Lake:
Time: 9:45 am Temperature: 15.7 C or 60.6 F Humidity: 53.4% Wind: 6 km/hr from West Clouds: Cumulus and stratus Cloud Cover: 30% scattered Light level: off scale which is 2000 X 10 Lux We got up at 5:45 am for a possible flight to Hallet Lake. We packed up boat, tents, and all gear for flight to Hallet Lake, except one tent and food for the two remaining, in case the pilot can’t get back or there is a storm to avoid. Chris and I were to go first. A plane flew by and we waited for it to land. We waited, and waited. Mintues became hours. I worked on my photos, Chris started reading the one book he brought, and after awhile Caleb and Heidi went for a hike to return when they heard the plane arrive.
I stayed out by the lake in my Crazy Creek chair to observe wildlife. Chris continued reading. Since the lake doesn’t have fish, there are few birds and mammals, a simpler food web then you would get below the tundra. Most noticeable is the constant chattering of the Arctic ground squirrel. The Eskimo call this squirrel the "Sik-Sik” because that is how they sound. They live in colonies in the ground, and you see entry holes around the rocks seemingly everywhere. They are a constant background sound. Their color is tawny with a darker gray-brown back with white flecks. They are over a foot long with a short tail. They did not appreciate us being around. We also saw a few collared pika. This is a small rounded mammal that looks to me like a bunny rabbit with short ears. It also lives in holes around the rocks in colonies and collects grass for winter.
The Arctic terns were elegant in flight. They have black caps, red bills, are mostly white, with a long forked tail. They are nesting around the corner from where we camped. They have a very precise method of catching insects at the water’s edge. They fly along the edge of the lake, stop in mid-air for 5-10 seconds, suspended completely still by rapid wing beats, staring straight down to the water, then drop down like a rock and you hear a faint "snap” as they capture prey from the water. Again they continue down along the water’s edge and repeat the behavior over and over again. They also soar across the lake making wide turns and return making it look effortless. They were active all day into the long, lighted evening.
The plane never landed that day.
Since we were staying another night, we put our tents up again. The evening was spent making dinner and playing cards in the kitchen tent. Then off to our sleeping tents with bear spray and flares in hand. I will send photos as I process them. I’m low on electrical power for my computer.
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