Heading to Antelope Island today to hike the White Rock Trail. Curious to see if the bison that had their physicals 2 weeks ago may be still hanging around the area.
Still in the 20s when I start crossing the causeway. Whatever water that I pass is ice - lots of ice even for a mile or so on the Salt Lake side. Looks like winter; minus the snow.
I'm looking for the causeway coyotes but I don't see them this morning.
As I approach the bridge just before the island, I reach open water on Farmington. And enjoying that water are tons of Shovelers (both males and females) having a feeding frenzy. They are tightly bunched in small groups on both Farmington Bay and the Salt Lake.
I reach the island and head towards the Ranch quickly passing 2 bison behind the Visitor's Center.
But it's a very quiet day on the island today passing a group of 3 bison just past Frary Peak, a little larger herd a mile of so farther and an even larger herd near Mushroom Springs (Sentry Trail).
The highlight is seeing a lone coyote moving north along the shoreline also just past Frary Peak.
Oh, I can't forget the lone bison next to the road scratching on a large boulder.
I head back north and over to the White Rock parking area. No bison here either. Seems after their physicals, the bison said "We're out!" and went sent south. Perhaps there's some in the White Rock meadow - a large herd was there the week before the round-up. Time to walk the 3 miles to find out.
As I start my walk (in the clockwise direction), I see something small moving east in the distance. Too small to be Pronghorn or bison - it's a lone coyote!!
And he's on the move. I continue to watch him as I move up the trail until I lose him.
I move up the switchbacks and start tracking back towards the corrals. There are 3 bison still hanging out to the south of the corrals. But there are also still some bison in the corrals. They are Moms and Fall calves.
The last time I went to the physicals, they said they were keeping Moms with Fall calves in the corrals that year to make sure they are given the best chance to survive the winter and try to get a birth cycle of all calves in Spring. I don't think they did this last year but they seem to be doing it this year. (yea!)
I'm not much after the corrals when I run into a lone male laying not far from the trail. As I near, he stands and watches me pass.
Pretty quiet after that except for the Horned Lark as I near the view of the White Rock meadow.
In the meadow, no large herds of bison. But there is one!
I move down the ridge line -- nice inversion this morning!
And down to the inner trail. In the meadow, I see two dark objects -- they're Pronghorn!!
I continue around the inner trail. All the flowers are now gone. I do see a grasshopper and a couple of Tiger Beetles along the way.
When I get to the other side, I look back to find that lone bison on the move north. He's almost to the inner trail and he's not stopping.
On the way back north to my car, I'm surprised to see 2 dragonflies still out.
Quiet by nice day (as always) on the island.
