April 14 - Beacon Hill (Antelope Island)

 Sunny day with highs in the upper 60/low 70s. Heading to Antelope Island today to cap off a 3 day hiking streak. First one in a very long time.

I leave around 7am today. I'm thinking of hiking Sentry Peak. I figure this will be the last Antelope Island hike until Fall due to the bitey bugs. Hoping I wrong but after 2 near 80 degrees day, the bugs are not far behind.

I reach the causeway and it's windy; bringing in Monday's storm. 

The bird populations are continuing to rise.

On the Island, I head south towards the Ranch.

No bison behind the Visitors Center.

I check on the Burrowing Owls and I do not see any.

I reach the Beacon Hill area expecting to see a large herd of bison and surprise, they're gone! Wow!

I continue on almost hitting a flying male pheasant heading east. 

A bit farther (still in front of Frary Peak) and surprise as I find 2 doe (deer) grazing in the grasses. The one looks smaller and might be last year's fawn.

(Mom)

(Possible fawn)

It's a usual spot for them but the last few years they have been lacking in appearances.

Farther along, I find a Willet on a rock.

A bit farther, I almost hit a jack rabbit running across the street. Eek!

And a bit farther, I find another rabbit sitting on the right side of the road. I stop and try to take a photo outside my window but he runs across the street. 

I think that make 5 rabbits this year -- more than I've seen in the 11 years I've been here. They are either doing extremely well this year OR food scarce. Hoping they are just doing well - perhaps the coyote population is down.

As I move on it sure looks like the big populations of bison have moved somewhere presumably to have babies.

On the big lakebed past the pit toilet, I finally see bison on the lakebed - 3 of them.

I reach the Ranch and see a mid-sized herd of bison past the Sentry Trail parking. Still the big main herd is gone! I'm a bit disappointed but it's not unusual.

I'm more interested to see if the herds moved back into White Rock meadow so I pass on Sentry Peak and head back north.

I'm passing those bison again and notice something else on that lake bed. I've got Pronghorn!

Moving on, I do find a small group of bison on the slope near Frary Peak.

And I see a male pheasant. Mostly likely the one that flew by my car earlier.

Still no Burrowing Owls but I see a Chukkar near my turnoff for Beacon Hill.

I pull into the parking lot and there are several cars already. People are hiking so bison must not be an issue today.

I gear up and start up the trail - it's around 50 degrees and windy.

As I climb out of the pit, I'm seeing Painted Ladies!! (I count 7 of them.)

And that pretty moth.

I get to the rid and there are no bison in front of me and the only bison I see to the west are on the south side of Bison Point (only few).

I turn north and surprise, I find a long Pronghorn heading east!

I continue on. After the trail intersection, I see a white butterfly who lands; it's a Checkered White!!

While I'm tracking her down, I hear a Chukkar and find it on a rock in the distance.

Continuing around Beacon Hill, yet another surprise - it's an Anise Swallowtail!! Wow! This day can't get much better; so many surprises!!

Soon I'm climbing to Beacon Hill. I check the White Rock meadow and find no bison. So where did they go?

As I crest the hill about 100 yards or so from the end, I find bison north of the trail. I count 7 (but I might be missing some unseen critters). They are all feeding except 1 that is looking at me. 

I want to continue just to see how many there are; I'm definitely not completing the trail; they are too close. But it's not worth and I turn back.

The return trip is less work as the wind is at my back. Just scanning for animals when I notice a Pronghorn not far from!! Not sure how I missed because she is so near. And she doesn't spook which is rare. I get a bunch of photos and continue slowing north on the trail until I'm parallel to her head. Again, I spot to snap photos. Not only do I get photos but I even get snorted at! So cool!

I walk away from an amazing experience with her still standing there. I saw a female earlier, I'll bet this is the same one.

I continue on passing thru the Painted Ladies again.

On my way back to the Visitor's Center, there are now 5 bison on the lake bed. Island always surprises!

What a freaking awesome day! Bison, pheasant, chukkars, willets, the sounds of Curlew, deer, pronghorn and bison with Pronghorn and Bison up close and personal.

Happiness!!