June 20 - Mormon Trail

After a high of around 45 with rain on Tues (and snow in the mountains), its finally back to some more seasonal temps (mid-80s).

A little cloudy this morning but I'm heading to the Mormon Trail - was going to do a mountain trail but was a little slow moving this morning.

The day starts off right as they FINALLY graded the dirt road to the trailhead. It was so holey and bumpy (and getting worse) that I was thinking of not coming back. Now I don't have to worry about that.

I've come here many times and have never seen cows in the range land but today they are there. And I had to even o around a few in the middle of the road.

It was 63 at the trailhead at 10am - and cloudy. Wasn't expecting much with respect to bflys as even I was a little chilly (it was damp) - but time will tell. Started the trail with 2 Goldfinch.

White Yarrow, Goat's Beard (big dandelion-like seed head), cinquefoil and lupine are in bloom. There are few bflys flying (just a few) - I see a Boisduval's Blue, my Relict Frit, Northern Checkerspots and for the first time this year on this trail -- Weidemeyer's Admirals (lots of them today).

The prize on the way out -- Purplish Copper -- he was hard to follow but he finally landed.

There is White & Pink Geraniums blooming as well as the Mountain Wild Hollyhock - a pretty delicate pink flower).

I was noticing a lot of the grass was flattened and couldn't figure out why. I need to figure this out.

Spot a couple of chipmunks.

I get to the camp and notice Western Coneflowers are starting to bloom - they have no petals (called rayless composites).

The yellow monkeyflowers in the wet areas are also blooming. Dragonflies are out. And not only is the grass flattened in spots but many young trees are also bent over. Hmmm.

As I'm moving trees out of my way on the trail, it finally hits me, Park City (just a hop from here had snow on Tuesday -- bet the flattened grass and the bent trees are from the snow as well -- I'm buying that theory).

About the 3 mile mark, the sun finally comes out - the butterflies should start picking up soon.

Get to my lunch bench in record time -- there wasn't many butterflies to slow me down. The little Spring pond is mostly dried up -- will check the muddy spots for bflys after lunch.

I watch a ground squirrel standing outside his hole while I eat. He stood there the whole time I ate lunch staring in the distance.

Went down to pond -- found a Lilac Bordered Copper, a Dotted Blue, and a few Northern Cloudywings in some of the muddier areas.

Time to head back -- perfectly sunny now. And the bflies are out -- Commas, tons of Mourning Cloaks, a few Milbert's Tortoiseshell, Common Checkered Skippers, Dreamy Duskywings, Relict Frits, Swallowtails, Clodius Parnassian (I see about 9 of them) , etc...

A swallowtail finally stops -- he's a Two-Tailed.

The Frits are out.

Got a little excited on the way back as I'm looking for a Pale Crescent -- I have never seen one and it has been recorded near here. I see a Crescent (it's not a Northern Crescent) and I'm pretty excited that it may be one. Problem is that I forget about the Mylitta Crescent that flies here -- and that's what it ended up being. (Maybe next time.)

Another great day (over 20 species of bflies seen).