There are many target species but today mine is the Grizzled Skipper.
I arrive at the hotel lobby in Park City (the meeting place) and the 1st people I meet are my butterfly friends from Louisiana (small world). Met them on my first NABA Meeting in 2008 and have hung out at the NABA meetings ever since -- nice people
We have 5 cars heading to Murdock Mt this morning -- and after a 102 degree yesterday in SLC, the high mountains will be quite a relief for me.
Sunny day. There are clouds but hoping they will burn off before we arrive.
And they do. Saw a deer along side the road just before our pull-off at Murdock Mt.
Murdock Mt is on the opposite side on the road of Bald Mt -- at Bald Pass (10,700+ ft). There's no trail so we're just slowly working our way up through the meadows and woods to the talus slopes which should hold the Magdalena Alpine and Rockslide Checkerspots (I've seen both on a CO trip several years back). Both of these are high mountain, talus slopes, rockslide type species (i.e., a prize to see).
The first meadow quickly yields a Mormon Frit and then my target species the Grizzled Skipper!
YEA! (yes, a lifer for me). The meadow is full of wonderful flowers which will be repeatedly seen over the course of this day - paintbrush, elephant's head, bistort, ....
There are Arctic Blues, Purplish Frits, lots of Milbert's Tortoiseshells, ... and a unknown Orange Skipper -- no one on the trip knew (confidently) what it is --- thought was maybe a Sonoran Skipper. There was also a few CA Tortoiseshell which I kept missing (I really need a pix of one :()
Kept heading up to the talus slopes. I did spot a Magdalena flying, we all chased it but up it went up the slopes and out of sight and reach -- you have to be a mountain goat to keep up.
I went up a little of the talus slopes to another meadow and peeked around, then went back down until the trip leader caught up. He found an easy way to get everyone to that 2nd meadow and increase everyone's chance at the Maggie and the Rockslide Checkerspot.
Seeing more Grizzled Skipper! I venture over to the edge of the meadow/talus slope and see an orange bfly land, it's a Rockslide Checkerspot!! Everyone came over and I think most people got a good look before it flew. But there were 3-4 of them flying in the same area. Unfortunately, alot of people went down to look so the area they were patrolling was now full of humans and off the bflies went. We saw some Maggies but they don't really stop.
Our leader had one that was caught yesterday and refrigerated to keep alive. So everyone did get a look. And then they took it from the bag and attempted to set it on a rock.
But the bfly was warm and ready to fly and that it did...up and out of sight.
There were some nice flowers blooming up by the slopes, CO Columbine, Perry's Primrose,
And the scenery was gorgeous!!
Then off we went 15 miles down the road in an attempt to see the Jutta Arctic (it would be a lifer for me if we find it). They are at the end of their flight but since one was found yesterday, everyone agreed it would be worth the drive. So off we went to Christmas Meadow.
I'm not sure why the name, it was really a sagebrush flat with some woods - but there were pine trees :) We were told to work the trees for the Jutta and off we went. The flats held some Blue Coppers and some northern Melissa Blues (which lack the orange marking on their outer upper wing). Leader said there has been much discussion among Leps whether this is really a Northern Blue but for now its a high elevation variation of the Melissa Blue.
See more Arctic Blues, a Chryxus Arctic, a pretty sweet Thicket Hairstreak (this is the best look at one I've ever had),
Before we left, a fresh Field Crescent was found.
The next spot was back to Bald Mt (across from Murdock Mt) as there was a report yesterday of Relict Frits flying. We had time, we went.
Took the lower trail at Bald Mt -- no one was interested in climbing over 1000ft in a mile or s to the top of Bald Mt. The trail led past 3 lakes. At the 3rd lake was where the Relict Frits were supposed to be. Our leader felt that if they were at lake #3, they probably will be at lake #1 because they do move about. So after about 1/4 mile on the trail, we went off trail thru the flowers to lake #1. Of course, the clouds came over for a bit as we searched. But when the sun came back, we had ourself a Frit and after catching and studying it, we all agreed it was the Relict Frit!!! We caught #2 which our leader thought for sure was a Purplish Frit. But after much study and comparision, it was a Relict Frit. We saw several more and assumed they were all Relicts!!! (And we didn't have to go past 3 lakes to find them - yea). There were CA Tortoiseshells (which of course I didn't see landed), Greenish Blues, Arctic Blues...and so many pretty flowers!
Its late in the afternoon, almost 4pm, when we arrive. And we have left the relative cool of the high elevation to mid 80 degree temps (oh if it mid 80s here, SLC must be HOT!) We start heading down a slight hill looking at the buckwheats for Hairstreaks and elsewhere for the Wood Nymphs. The 1st find was the CA Hairstreak! Actually 3 of them. Our leader caught a Wood Nymph -- it's a Small Wood Nymph. Keep looking. We saw a NW Frit and Ancilla Blue. The last find was a Behr's Hairstreak before calling it quits.
Wonderful day, great company, saw one "lifer" butterfly and I got to visit and explore new places. Can't beat that!!!
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