Leave my house at 7:30 am hoping to get there before the masses arrive.
It's still cloudy out but by the time I arrive 40 minutes or so later, there some blue sky moving in fast from the northwest.
I find no hawks along the causeway this morning and it looks like only the population of gulls are increasing at this time. The other ducks/shorebirds should be arriving shortly.
I reach the island and head south towards the Ranch. Sentry Trail is my hike today (bison willing). Would love to hike White Rock but it'll be packed and I'd like to "social" distance.
It's a good start after the turn as there is a lone bison behind the Visitor's Center.
And there a many bison hanging out in the rocks along the curve.
There's another lone bison near the first pull-out.
And I also see them on the ridges near the Gravel Pit Trail - that one could be an adventure today. :)
I continue along and as I approach the Frary Peak road, I see a long line of bison marching along a ridge towards White Rock. It's way cool! Looks like an ant farm!
Continuing along, I find a male pheasant in the trees. (I think of them as ground birds so it's funny to see this one hidden in the branches.
I drive past a few herds of bison in the distance. No little reds yet as far as I can tell.
As I roll up on the Ranch, there are several deer in the field behind the Ranch. I see a few jumping in the air - I'm assuming they are trying to get over a fence. Pretty funny!
Crap! They have the gate closed this morning. I have a bit farther to walk today.
I gear up and head out into sunny skies with temps in the 40s.
That's when I notice there a bison near Mushroom Springs. Can't hike that now but it does look like they are moving north.
I kill sometime by checking out those deer - looks like 6 of them.
And then move on to look for the Owls. They should be nesting now but I'm hoping to find the male. I walk thru the barn and the woods and only find a few Robins.
I walk back to my car to find the bison are far enough north to hike the trail (yea)!
I start walking down the newly leveled dirt road (that's why it's closed).
I now see one deer in the distance and one in the previous spot. The others have probably bedded down somewhere.
I reach the trail and start towards Mushrooms Springs and up the hill to the switchback. Along the way I find a couple of pink flowers (I can't remember their names). Spring is advances which means the biting gnats are coming shortly.
I reach the switchback and start across stopping at the far end to look down onto those bison.
And then it up the rest of the way to the ridge passing lots of fresh sagebrush and green-ness!
I reach the ridge and start across.
There's a few more Spring Parsley in bloom but still not many.
At first I don't see any bison on the west side and than I find a herd. I get a good look just before starting down from the ridge.
I've been seeing these 5-6 inches holes in the ground on this trail. I now know who lives in them!
And I find some additional bison on the slopes to the north. Either I missed them on my hike up or these were the few from the other herd that made their way higher.
I don't see any people until I'm coming down from the switchback (1 person and then 2) and then 3 more on the stretch back to the road.
Along the road, I see my 1st northern butterfly of the year, a Checkered White!!
The Ranch's parking is getting packed as I get back to my car. Time to head north and avoid the growing crowds. And growing they are as at the gate, the line to get in has to be close to 1/2 mile long or longer. I know it's open space but so much for social distancing!
Oh my, the swirling tornadoes of midges have arrived. Sounds like rain hitting my windshield as I drive along. The shorebirds are missing out on a feast. (This definitely means the gnats are just a few weeks away :()
Great day!
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