When I arrive on the island, the temperature is a chilly 1 degree. I'm quickly greeted by a Kestrel -- all puffed out trying to stay warm.
As I continue along, the sun is trying to burn thru those clouds - keeping my fingers crossed.
I'm probably about 1/2 way across the causeway when I notice a coyote in the distance on the frozen Farmington Bay. He's trotting east and looks to have something in his mouth. On closer look, he has what appears to be a duck in his mouth!
He stops at one point and appears to be digging a hole to bury his catch for another day.
Then he starts trotting west towards the island with a future meal cached.
I continue on and arrive at the bridge. The hundreds of Shovelers are still there (minus 1). I cross the bridge and notice yet another coyote on far side of the open water on the Salt Lake side. He's just standing there. And he either got duck for breakfast or he did his business on the ice.
Oh wait, there's a Bald Eagle out there - to the west of the coyote! Nope, there two eagles - the other is to the left of the coyote and below the other eagle on the edge of the water (a couple of ravens/crows out there too). And both have duck breakfasts this morning!
I scan east of the coyote and there's yet another Bald Eagle with a kill. (Tough day for the ducks.) I watch to see what the coyote is going to do when he starts trotting towards that 3rd eagle. Thought he might try to take the kill from the eagle but he simply trots by. (Guess the coyote knows not to mess with a Bald Eagle.)
What a start to the day and I'm not even on the island yet.
I continue on and find a 4th Bald Eagle on the pole in the marina. (3 for 3 in finding one there so far this winter.)
I reach the island and head south towards the Ranch. There are no animals behind the Visitor's Center and I don't see any until I reach the fence (about 1-1.5 miles from the entering the island). It's a lone bison standing my the fence not far from the road. He's using his head to move the snow and find food.
I move on looking for critters.
As I drive by the 1st water bin, I spot a hawk in the tree.
Then just before Frary Peak, there's another lone bison along the rocks.
I make a quick pit stop near Frary Peak. As I'm heading back to my car, I see a black animal running across the road in front of a car. I've never seen a black coyote so I'm pretty excited. I head out of the parking lot to the main road hoping the animal keeps running along the road past me. I wait... finally, I can see the animal! But it's not a coyote, it's a black Lab -- the people's pet. This is a nature park not a dog run - why would anyone run their dog in a State Park - there are bison, coyote here; there are people here trying to enjoy nature; and although its legal to have dogs on the island, they need to be on the leash. Grrrr!
Well the dog does run past as well as the car with their emergency blinkers going. So yippee, I get to follow along trying to enjoy my drive thru "nature" with a black lab running down the road in front. Where's a Park Ranger when you need one?!
Finally when a 2nd car pulls behind me, the people decide to put their dog back in the car. Yea!
It's my chance to pull ahead and I take it!
Soon I see 3 bison marching their way north along the lake's edge.
About 50 feet ahead along the road is a Porcupine in trees. I walk over to get a look.
I drive a little further and see 2 coyotes walking thru the grasses to the left.
I stop and get out to watch. They both stop to look at me and then continue on. The one trots belly deep snow and I lose him in the grasses.
The second seems content where he is. He finds a spot and circles to the left and then to the right almost chasing his tail. Pretty cool to watch. But he's just making a bed and after several circles,
An "official" pull-off is just 20-30 ft ahead, I pull over there and search for that 1st coyote, but I can't find him.
A little further up the road, I spot something in the sagebrush to the right - deer! I see one male and count 3 doe.
I pass a few more bison along the road before spotting at least 4 big buck in the grasses to the left.
I think it's about at this point that the black lab appears running north along the road with its owner following behind. The truck in front of me stops and talks to the folks. Can't say if they put the dog back in the car because I drive past, but I sure hope so.
I drive along for a bit before spotting that looks like heads peaking out on top of a hill. I stop and sure enough I've found some pronghorn bedded down in the snow. There's just a few of them, so I pull up to hopefully find a larger herd. And there they are.
I count over 30 but there certainly could be more. All of them are bedded down.
Continuing on, I pass a larger herd of bison to the right.
And just a little further ahead, I get stopped by a bison crossing.
Soon I arrive at the Ranch. There's a good size bison herd just before the Sentry Peak trail head so I bundle up (now 6 degrees) and take off through the crusty snow. There's probably 4-12 inches depending where I'm walking. And the snow shows a busy animal life happening as I see rabbits, deer, bison, coyote and other tiny prints.
I see a large bird of prey hidden in a tree. He soon calls and takes flight.
It's a short flight to a tree closer to the Ranch. Looks like a hawk with the red'sh chest feathers.
I reach the bison and then turn for a check for Eagles near Mushroom Springs but don't see any.
It's time to head back to my car. On the way back, I stop to watch the birds (they look like finches) feeding on seed heads.
And I spot a deer near the Ranch.
As I'm leaving the Ranch, I notice large wisps of clouds over the peaks now -- they weren't there a minute ago -- maybe it's tonight's storm rolling in.
Back in my warm car, I head back north up the island passing the bison and the pronghorn.
I come across a coyote heading south along the shoreline.
And then a few miles down the road, yet another coyote on the shoreline.
Lots of porcupine visible today -- I count 6. I find one pretty much in the open so I stop and tromp over in the snow. Great view (including the fruit they are eating) but the better view is about 10 feet down an embankment. It's a straight drop .... I'm satisfied with this view.
Continuing on past Frary Peak, I see 3 coyotes climbing one of the larger hills. Two of the coyotes are together; the 3rd is a bit further north. The lead one stops occasionally to check on his buddies. The second one seems to be keeping watch on the third.
The 3rd one starts heading in the direction of the other two and I lose him. (I watch them for several minutes and never do find him.) The other 2 keep traveling upward.
I move on and finally reach the loop road. I want to loop around the Visitor's Center but can't decide which way to start (north or west). But my mind is quickly made up when I spot another coyote on the lake - I'm heading north.
I loop around Visitor's Center. No animals roaming around that I can see. It's time to head home.
Crossing the causeway, the eagle is no longer sitting on the pole. There are still 2 of the eagles still on the ice (probably too full after their duck feast to take off).
The coyote is no longer there.
The ducks are still there - but at least 4 less of them (probably 5).
I continue down the causeway for a few miles when I see a coyote heading along the edge of the lake toward the island. He's looks a bit scraggly comparing to the others I saw today. (No fluffy fur and he's walking funny.) But he's on a mission. He passes me continuing to the island.
I u-turn my car and head closer to the island to get another look. He passes again. This guy looks old or sickly (or both).
But he does make coyote sighting #11 of the day! Pretty impressive number - saw 4 on the way to the Ranch and 7 on the way out. Wondering if the summer's fire has all of them competing on the north end of the island. (Can't be much cover or food on the other end.)
Another incredible day on Antelope Island!
