Diary 2/6

Despite the signs everywhere about not approaching or feeding the wildlife in Mount Rainier National Park, this guy met us in the parking lot by the lodge as if to say"what ya got for me?"  It would seem someone has fed him from a car sometime or else why would he be there and so friendly?  He is a Clark's Nutcracker and very important to the ecology of the ancient Bristle Cone Pine trees here at Crater Lake National Park.  There may well be Bristle Cones at Rainier, too.  These birds harvest the seeds and plant them else where.  It is important that the seeds mature and the warmer drier summer have been taking their toll on that part of the cycle. Football is over until next year, now what to watch on t.v. on Sat., Sun., Mon., and Thurs, ha-ha?