I arrive on the causeway - it's sunny, 22 degrees and hey, I can see Frary Peak in the light fog. Everything is frosty and frozen.
As soon as I pass the gate, I spot 4 pheasants just off the causeway. They fly as I roll by. (This must be a great year for pheasant. I've seen more pheasant in the last couple of months than in the 5 prior years exploring the island; I've think in prior years I've seen maybe 3 at most.)
I continue a bit farther and roll up on a Kestrel. Perhaps she's the same one I saw last week in approximately the same spot. She's all puffed out.
Still a bit farther, I roll up on a hawk. Beautiful grey bird with a black beak and white breast.
Love the colder months with the birds of prey are more visible along the causeway.
I'm not seeing a gulls or Kildeer this morning. Perhaps it's still too cold.
At the bridge, I reach open water and the ducks.
When I reach the island, I head south towards the Ranch. Unfortunately, no hike planned today - hurt knee :( Today is just a drive-thru.
And it's a beautiful day to be out.
Very quiet day - my first island animal is yet another pheasant just passed Frary Peak.
I also see my 1st porcupine of this Fall/Winter - the Russian Olive tree fruit must be in season!
Absolutely nothing else all the way to the Ranch. Sadly, this is the first time I've never seen a bison.
I look south towards Sentry Peak. No deer but wait, there are bison!! Small black dots south of Mushroom Springs on a plateau. Yea!!
I decide walk back to the wooded area to look for the Great Horned Owls. (I haven't seen one since Nov 3rd.) As I walk around I see a few birds including a Flicker but no owls.
I wonder if the pair is just hanging out somewhere else or perhaps one died and the other has moved off. Still hoping they come back; a pair has been here for years from what I've been told.
Time to head back north. As I head back to my car, I hear a beautiful noise -- coyotes howling/yipping/barking. Awesome! The calls sound pretty close maybe I'll get lucky and see one as I drive back.
I get about a mile or two from the Ranch when I see white objects moving in the distance in the tall brown grasses. Got to be Pronghorn with the sun shining off their white bellies -- and they are Pronghorn!!!
There are at least 15 moving south. Oh wait, there are a few more a hundred or so yards north of them. Cool!
I continue north seeing another porcupine in a tree
and I stop for one near the road. Looks like a Star Wars critter.
He walks towards me but realize he's really heading for a concrete culvert to hide. I'm not a porcupine expert but he seems to have a skin condition (no fur on the nose) - perhaps the start of mange.
Continue the drive north and then over to the west side of the island where I see 4 bison basically at the base of Bison Point.
Time to head home. As I cross the causeway, I see a hawk perched on a sign and he's got lunch! (Note: to self, taking photos thru the front window is not always a good idea for in-focus photos.)
I continue on spotting another (or perhaps the same) Kestrel.
Good day on the island!!
