The 2022 Utah Adventure

 Sunny day with temps in the mid-60s.  Since Antelope Island is no longer in the picture (biting gnats) it's time to look elsewhere. And Lambs Canyon is the perfect place - it's close and there are butterflies!!! And I have not been up the road in quite some time; very interested in seeing what is flying. I arrive around 12:30 and start up the road. Definitely early season as I only see Oregon Grape blooming at the gate.  Along the trail the Biscuitroot and Bluebells are coming up. And lots of butterflies on wings!! I see lots of CA Tortoiseshell followed by a good number of Mourning Cloaks. I also see a few Satyr Commas Hoary Commas, and a Green Commas. The surprises of the days are the 2 Anise Swallowtails, 2 Orangetips and a few Rocky Mt Duskwing. Oh I should note that the road is clear up to the trailhead. I did walk about 100 yards on the trail. It's a mix of dirt and sections of snow. After that point, it looks like snow for a while but no surprise. The trail and ro...

 Mostly cloudy morning in the 40s. High is only supposed to be in the 50s today. Heading up to Antelope Island for hopefully one last hike but I fear the biting gnats have probably hatched this week. We'll see! Very windy this morning; strong northerly. If the gnats are out, they shouldn't be an issue assuming I want to chance that the wind will die down. I reach gate and yes, there's a sign on the station that those biting pests are now out - shoot! I reach the island and head south towards the Ranch. No animals behind the Visitor's Center, no Burrowing Owl out and no other critters to be seen until I reach the Frary Peak area. And there, the Mom/baby herds are back! There's a large herd on the east side of the road on the grass. Majority of the bison are laying down - I think they are all asleep.  But there are a few moving a bout. The babies are barely visible above the tops of the grasses.  I've never seen them that way before so close to the road. Not 200 y...

Mostly cloudy day with temps in the 70s. Leaving early from work to hike up to the overlook. It's in the 70s in valley when I head up Millcreek Canyon. When I arrive at the trail head there is only 1 car in the lot - yea! I gear up and startup the trail. Many more Avalanche Lilies and Spring Beauties along the trail now. Buttercups are still scattered but still in bloom. Along the first couple of switchbacks, I spot 2 Anglewings -- no ID because they were too far away for my phone camera but definitely Commas. Also seeing those little orange moths today. Not many of them yet but soon I'm sure. Other bloomers include my first (and only) Virginia Waterleaf  and Yellow Violet and Groundsel. The Heartleaf Arnica are popping out of the ground now. The Arrowleaf Balsamroot has buds but are still very small plants. Looks weird. Yellow Bells are out. I spot only 1 Steers Head -- could not find the ones on the upper switchbacks today. The Woodland Star are up (Fringecup Woodland Star) T...

 Mostly sunny day with temps in the mid-50s (after 2 rainy days and 30+ inches of new snow in the mountains) And since the bugs are not out yet on the island because of this whacky weather, I'm heading there to try in squeak in 1 more hike; hopefully, of the Sentry Trail. I arrive on the island around 8:15 and head directly to the Ranch. There are 2 bison visible just after the fence line.  No critters until I arrive in front of White Rock Ridge/Beacon Hill. There I see a lone animal (I'm thinking Pronghorn) looking North.  After I take a photo, the animal (now clearly a coyote) starts trotting south. I look North and there's another coyote trotting south - they must be a couple!! Way cool! Continuing on, in front of Frary Peak, there are 2 bison not far from the road. A bit farther down the road, is another group of 4. Continuing down to the Ranch, there are a few very small groups of bison out towards the mountains but no Mom/baby herd. I bet they're in front of Sentr...

Happy Earth Day! Heading up to a hike of Desolation Trail this morning. It was my plan both Wed/Thurs (days in the 70s) but got stuck at work Wed and punted on Thurs. So I pick the worse day of the 3 to do the hike; today's in the mid-40s with on-off showers. Awesome! But time to drag out the rain coat but I really hoping to miss the showers all together. This is my first "after" work hike of the season. Boy am I behind. Really hoping I haven't missed the early Spring flowers. It's not raining and it's a bit bright and in-between clouds/rain when I arrive. I gear up and start up the trail. There's no flowers on the bottom so I confident that I haven't missed the flowers. I get up a little higher and find Avalanche Lilies still in bud. A bit farther, I start finding them in-bloom. Awesome! I also find Virginia Waterleaf popping up and an Oregon Grape with buds. There is also Spring Parsley and the Biscuitroot forming buds. At some point, it does start t...

Happy Easter! Heading up to Antelope Island to hike Sentry Peak (I hope). Temps are in the low 40s when I arrive with partly cloudy skies (and wind). The north side of the island is in the shade of a very large cloud when I arrive which thankfully I do drive out of after a few miles. There are no animals behind the Visitor's Center this morning. In fact, I don't see any animals until I almost reach the White Rock/Beacon Hill area. The 1st encounter was in a location I don't normally see bison but there's a herd out on the lake bed with little Reds!!! The next is at the White Rock/Beacon Hill area. There are bison on the lake bed but there are also bison just off the road. Perfect views of the little Reds! (Unfortunately, some of my best shots are blurry for some reason - oh well!) Continuing on in front for Frary Peak, I see not 1 but 2 Pheasant!! At the Ranch, there are 5 bison -- I think these are the ones that have been hanging out there for a while but today they ar...

 Sunny day with the highs in the low 40s. Heading up to Antelope Island again today - trying to get up there as much as possible before the bugs start flying. As I head out, I notice the huge American Flag near my house flapping like crazy -- probably not the best day to go to Antelope Island but I'm going anyway. I arrive on the Island and it's sunny and 37 degrees with blowing winds -- the signs of the next storm coming Monday night (snow in forecast - winter storm in the mountains - 1-2 feet). I've convinced myself I will not be hiking - that wind is too storm and too cold for me. When I reach the island, I head south towards the Ranch.  Still no Burrowing Owls after the 1st view point. And all those small herds of bison I saw on Friday are gone - perhaps the temperature change - it was in the mid-70s on Friday. The first critters I see are after the pit towel not far from the Ranch. I always check behind me on the hillside and I find Pronghorn!! When I arrive at the Ran...