July 19 - Willow Lake (Big Cottonwood Canyon)

 It's a "cool" day at only 95 degrees.

It's time for an after work hike to either Twin Lakes or Willow Lake. Aiming for Twin Lakes but it all depends what the storm clouds look like.

Heading up the canyon, the trail heads are amazingly empty; perhaps people are just done for the day (beating the heat).

Unfortutnately there are some big thunder heads as I near Silver Fork. Definitely choosing the shorter Willow Lake today. And hey, I haven't been up there in quite some time.

Lucky me, I'm the only one at the trail head.

As I start up the trail, I'm surrounded by Horsemint and Geraniums mostly.

I quickly spot a pair of Downy Woodpeckers. Mated pair or parent/child I'm not sure but they were sticking together.

I see a bunch of white moths as I start up the 1st (and hardest switchback). There are also Ringlets flying.

The rest of the way up, I see Mustard White, Parnassians, a Western tiger Swallowtail and Northern Cloudywings.

Also a Northern Flicker before arriving at the meadow.

Note there are also Goldenrods getting ready to bloom.

I reach the meadow.

Many Blue Coppers flying - both females and males.


I also see Ringlets. They seem darker than the ones on the Mormon Trail.

The pond is, of course, already dried up.

It's quiet (no chirping ground squirrels) but there are ground squirrels moving around including small ones.

I make my way thru the aspens to the lake. Wow! Still no shoreline! Lots of damselflies flying.

I head around the lake thru tons of Geraniums. Before I reach the corner, I see a Satyr Comma.

I continue over to the other side of the lake. There I spot the 3 ducklings swimming with Mom Mallard who is diving for food.

There are a couple of males on the shoreline and 2 other females napping in the grasses.

With the ducks are several Weidemeyers Admirals 

and a Mormon Frit.

I continue alone the far side of the pond spotting more Parnassians, Mustard Whites, Blue Coppers and Yellow Sulphurs and a Mylitta Crescent.

Into the woods again on the far corner of the lake. and back to the other side. Wonderful!

Time to head down. Lots of flowers and the butterflies are still flying. 

Oh there's a mushroom I find.

And the rain never happened. Oh well!

Awesome day!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

jan 16 - White Rock Trail (a part of it anyway) (Antelope Island)

Image
Sunny, hazy day with temps in the low 40s. Heading to Antelope Island this morning. Not quite sure what I'm hiking but it'll be something. I reach the gate just after 8am. It's 21 degrees!!! As I cross, I see two Rough Legged Hawks. One on its normal perch.  The other is a bit east -- this one looks like a Rough Legged Hawk. I also see what I think are several Bald Eagles in the same location with a coyote moving west from that location.  But on close inspection, it's one Bald Eagle (mature) with a bunch of Crows/Ravens trying to scavenge some pieces of duck from it. Closer to the island, there are tons of ducks on the Salt Lake side. And boy are they packed in on the shoreline! I can see Norther Shovelers and Green-winged Teal. But there's probably more. I reach the island and decide to not hike White Rock and head down towards the Ranch. I think I see a bison just south of the Ranch but with the haze, sun, glare in my eyes, I really can't tell. Then it's o...
Read more

May 27 - Mormon Trail

Image
 Mostly sunny day with temps in the mid-80s. Time to get out before the bottom falls out over the 3 day Memorial Day week-end. Heading to the Mormon Trail for my 1st hike of the season. Excited (and curious how muddy I'm going to get trying to reach the new entrance. When I arrive, I'm the only car in the lot. There's pallet of pipe in the parking lot - curious what they will be doing -- hopefully re-routed this beaver dammed water off the trail (I can only hope). I cross the bridge and pleasantly surprised the trail is dry (not usual for this time of year). But I don't have to go far and there's a stream of flowing water; back to the alternate trail up the hill. When I get to the top, I hear Sandhill Crane calling. I look up and there's a lone Sandhill flying towards me and then over. What an awesome start!! It's in the mid-60s and mostly sunny but there are lots of clouds. I'm hoping this isn't a bust as far as butterflies. I'll soon find out. ...
Read more

Jan 14 - Little Dell Reservoir

Image
 Sunny, hazy day with temps in the 40s.  Got out of work around 1:30 and headed out of the inversion for a short hike at Little Dell Reservoir. About 37 degrees when I arrive and a bit hazy (but so much better than the Valley). The reservoir is open on the north end but frozen on the south. Hard to get a good view with the sun and haze. Started the "normal" trail down towards the water. Snow packed and a bit slick but not too bad to get down the hill. About 6 or so inches of snow on the ground. Then it was the path towards the "potty" about 1.25miles away. Trail is snow packed and I'm looking for critters or tracks. I do find old bunny tracks,  hear one Chickadee and on the last stretch from the bridge to the potty saw moose tracks.  But no animal sightings. Along the road, I found turkey tracks  and moose poop. Good hike. (Oh, on Tuesday as I was rolling my garbage can back to my house, I saw a smaller hawk fly into my neighbor bush. The many song birds that we...
Read more