April 13 - Sentry Trail (Antelope Island)

After another week of rain/snow (almost 4 ft in the mountains), it's another trip to Antelope Island. The good news is that this wacky weather has kept the biting gnats at bay. The bad news, it's another dreary day. It's supposed to clear around 8am but by the looks of the sky (and the intermittent rain) I'm not holding my breath.

Crossing the causeway, the sun is rising over the mountains to the east but raining on me and to the west.

There's a pretty rainbow touching down somewhere in the middle of Farmington Bay.

It little farther down the causeway, I see the other end in the Salt Lake.

Still many Shovelers,

Gulls, Avocets, Grebes, and lots of Coots.

I reach the island and head south in the rain. (But there's snow in the mountains.)

An extremely quiet drive down to the rain with only 1 bison sighting - a pair of them moving south.

But it's sunny at the Ranch with a south wind hopefully blowing in the blue skies soon.

I look towards Sentry Peak and see some bison where the trail heads uphill. Between the weather and the bison, my hike might not happen.

To kill some time, I head over to check on the Owl. I haven't seen him since Fall. On the way over, I see my favorite DNR volunteer. It's been Fall since I've seen him as well. He tells me he didn't see the Great Horned Owl this morning but I'll have a peek anyway. (Sadly, there's no mated pair this year.)

I head over and quickly (and happily) find the Owl high in a Popular tree. Yea!

As I head back to my car, Sentry Peak is visible (and sunny) though the north side of the island looks nasty.

So I gear up and start up the muddy road.

Lots of Western Meadowlarks

and Horned Larks singing this morning.

I'm watching those bison and I do think I won't make it around the corner but I have hope.

I make it past Mushroom Springs and arrive at the corner. Hmmm, no bison. Could I have mistaken rocks for bison -- I've done that before.

I don't make it far up the hill when yep, there's bison over to the left. And they see me

and they start to run across the trail to the right. I look to my right and I see the tops of the heads of more bison.

Oops, they're standing, tails up. They don't like me.

I try to see if there are babies but never get far enough up the hill to get a good look because wisdom prevails. Time to I head back down the hill leaving them in peace.

There's more black clouds now over the Ranch; hoping, I don't get rained on.

Thankfully, I make it back safely and dry.

I head back north (hitting some rain) before heading over to the west side of the island.

Not much over here other than a couple of bison on the upside of Bison Point.

Quick day but I had a bison encounter and got to see the Owl again. Good day!

April 5 - White Rock Trail (Antelope Island)

A mostly cloudy day with temps in the 50s with more rain arriving in the afternoon/evening (very rainy Spring) is the forecast for the day.

Heading up to Antelope Island today - still too much snow in the mountains (>135 base still) and the nasty biting gnats will be arriving soon on the Island so I need to take the last of the opportunities.

As I arrive on the causeway, I see rain to the north/northwest but none is reaching the ground (yet).

I head south towards the Ranch. Extremely quiet drive - a small herd of bison just south of the Gravel Pit Rd, 2 sitting under White Rock ridge (there's been one here the last 2 weeks - he's got a buddy now), and there a few up top but still under the White Rock ridge (they too have been there for a couple of weeks). And that's it!

As I reach the Ranch, I see something moving from the dirt road into the grasses but it's too far away to identify - deer/coyote are my guesses. No bison visible to the south.

Time to turn around and head north to the White Rock trail.

On the return trip, I see a lone Pronghorn moving north. I stop for the Pronghorn but then quickly see a coyote closer to my car and moving thru the grasses. Yea!

I look up to find the Pronghorn and he's gone. I can't find him. Hmmm!

I continue north and then turn west towards the White Rock trail. I don't see any animals near the Visitor's Center. But hey, there's a herd of Pronghorn near the road!

I continue on to the trail parking and start up the trail passing 2 bison as I start up the switchbacks.

Seeing lots of Spring Parsley in bloom.

I wish for the sun so perhaps I might see my 1st UT butterfly of the season - hoping for an Anise Swallowtail. No luck today.

As I cross past the corrals, I see something bright white moving in the distance. It's a Pronghorn!

And there's another in the sagebrush. Cool!

I think this may well be my last trip to the island for a while - I'm seeing tiny gnats flying. They're not biting yet but soon. :(

At one point, I see horse riders stopped ahead of me. Please keep going, I don't want to walk behind horses!

As I get closer, they finally continue (whew) and then I see why they were stopped - bison!

There's 6 on the east side of the trail and 1 on the other side. None are really far from the trail. I wouldn't normally walk between bison but since the horses were just there - I'll take the risk.

Went thru and they didn't even care!

Soon White Rock basin is in view and yea, there's a few bison down there. (No Moms and babies though.)

Down the ridge I go, spotting those bison underneath the ridge.

Then around to the inner trail. There's I see black beetles

but no lizards (again, it's the lack of sun).

But the bison are still in the basin!

The pink flowers are around and look great but not nearly as many as last year when the landscape was covered in the pink mat of flowers.

Then it's back to the trail head, stopping for my first Vetch of the season

and a different Tiger Beetle.

Then towards the causeway - hey, those Pronghorn I saw earlier along the road. They move farther west.

Along the causeway, I see Eared Grebes

Perhaps a Western Grebe

American Coots

and tons for Avocets!

(And tons of Midges. It's why the birds are here and they're swirling in little tornadoes everywhere. The splats on my windshield, dots on my photos are proof!)

Awesome day!

March 31 - Sentry Trail (Antelope Island)

After a week that once again had below average temperatures, rain, and an unexpected snow storms dumping 5+ inches of heavy wet snow at my house (20+ in the mountains - 580 total so far), I've got to get out and enjoy this sunny mid-50 degree day (still below normal). Heading up to Antelope Island with the intent of hiking the Sentry Trail (if the bison herds allow it).

Crossing the causeway, its sunny and mid-30s. There appears to be more water present on the Farmington Bay side - could be just from all the rain/snow we've had this week.

Many, many more gulls on both sides. And many flocks of birds flying over Farmington Bay - all good signs of Spring.

I arrive on the island and head south towards the Ranch.

I see my first bison (a small herd of 5) on the north side of the mountain forming White Rock Ridge.

There's also a lone bison maybe 150 yards to the south. (I think he's taken up residence here as this is not the first time I've seen him there.)

In between, a herd of Pronghorn! (They were here last week as well.)

As I roll past the lone bison, I see a few bison high among the rocks near the White Rock ridge.

Continuing it's well past Frary Peak before I see another herd of bison near the mountains.

As I continue south, I see a deer crossing the road ahead of me. As I drive forward, I see a few additional deer in the sagebrush near the road. I roll up slowly figuring they'll cross to be with their buddy.

Sure enough, another crosses in front of my car.

I wait and the remaining deer cross all in front of my car except one, who crosses behind. Very cool!

There's a few more bison alongside the road.

I continue on to the Ranch. I see no bison near the Sentry Trail so that's my hike. I'm excited; I haven't done this hike in quite some time.

What a beautiful morning with the sunny, blue skies, the snow covered Wasatch Mts, and the Meadow Larks singing out their songs.

As I head west towards Mushroom Springs, I notice a bison herd up on the mountains to the south Sentry Peak (I'll see those guys later in my hike) and 2 bison near the south side of the trail. Oops, these guys are running into a gully. I can't see them; hopefully I can get around them.

The landscape is definitely greening up -- I don't see any flowers yet (perhaps on the ridge).

I complete the flat part and turn the corner to start uphill. Where are those bison?

I see them - they're on a hill and no threat to me - yea!

I head up the hill just a bit but then stop to tie my shoe. I turn to look at the 2 bison and holy cow, the one is running south and there's a baby!! Then the other starts running and it's got a baby! First of the Spring!!

Too awesome! Just curious as why these 2 Moms are not with the herd. Hope they keep the coyotes at bay until they find a herd.

I continue up, across the switchback (great view to the east)

and then back uphill. I'm looking for that bison as I continue higher. They've got to be here somewhere.

I've almost complete the uphill when to my right is the herd! Most are laying down.

I stop and zoom in with my camera hoping to see more babies but they're too far away. But my stopping has made them nervous and they start to stand. And then move west - the direction I'm heading.

I continue up the trail hoping that once they lose sight of me that they'll stop.

I reach the ridge line - fantastic!

And oh, there a small herd to the south not far off the trail. (I think I know where the bison herds are - on the west side birthing babies!!)

The trail heads south for a bit before heading north down the ridge. I'm going slowly because if those bison have continued west, they'll be popping up soon and in my way.

Yep, there's one bison and then another.

They stop and are looking in my direction as I start backing up to give them room. And they keep coming. Yes, I see babies (6 in total)!! Awesome!

I watch the whole herd cross over the ridge, herd up and then start north.

Since they're off the trail I continue south (actually getting closer to the stragglers) and they are watching me.

But before I can cause trouble, it's time to head south to face the other herd. I look and see that all the commotion over here has cause the south herd to move downhill a bit. No worry to me now.

As I cross I find a couple of Spring Parsley.

And see another herd of bison far down the hill.

I get to a point where I believe I'm above that bison herd so I peek over. Yep, they're there and they're very aware of me too!

Behind them is the other herd with babies.

And there's yet another herd as I finish the ridge line.

Time to head down and back to my car.

On the drive back north, I watch a lone Pronghorn crossing the road ahead of me.

And see a Porcupine in a tree.

Back at the White Rock Ridge, the lone bison and the bison herd are still there but the Pronghorn are gone. Perhaps they moved back over the ridge.

As I approach the Visitor's Center, there's now a herd of Pronghorn very near the road.

Awesome day! I so love seeing baby bison!!