Recovering from pneumonia as I am (yes, I journeyed above 11,000 feet in elevation today in search of Black Rosy-Finch, Leucosticte atrata; bird watching is not always a rational pursuit) I am not presently possessing sufficient lung capacity to tote my full digiscoping rig into the field. Thus, I’ve been relying heavily on digibinning using my Swarovski Snap-shot Adapter for my EL 8x32mm bins and my little Canon PowerShot SD600.
At this high elevation, the birds are not always cooperative in posing at binocular distances but the leps and the mammals seemed more than happy to oblige sitting for a few photos. Among my favorites today was a Yellow-bellied Marmot, Marmota flaviventris, seen at the Bald Mountain Trailhead alongside the Mirror Lake Highway.
A Pika was also seen running in and out of the rocks but was too nible and quick to be photographed.
At the Soapstone Basin, a Checkered White butterfly, Pontia protodice was quite accommodating and content to bask in the sun while I captured a few images.
As the Checkered White is tricky to distinguish from the Western White, Pontia occidentalis in the field, any arguments in favor of this actually being the latter species are heartily welcomed.
