June 20 - Mormon Trail

 Sunny day with highs near 100 degrees.

Heading up to hike the Mormon Trail today; thinking about going 3 miles to see if there are any muddy spots left.

On the drive down the dirt road to the trailhead, I see a single Sandhill Crane.

When I arrive at the parking lot, it's 54 degrees.

Perhaps a little cool for flyers but that will change as the sun gets higher.

The main trail is still flooded so up the hill I go again.

Pretty quiet on the way to the camp. Not surprising because of the temperature and the fact that most of the walk is in the shade. But I do see a Boisduval Blue, 2 Northern Crescent and Swallowtails.

Salisfy, Tall Jacob's Ladder and Mountain Hollyhock are some of the new flowers blooming.

Lots of Weidemeyer's Admirals today. In one muddy spot that still hanging on, I count 20 of them.

 

Plenty of Northern Checkerspots in the same spot including one odd looking N. Checkerspot that had me thinking it might be a different species...nope.

 Surprise, 2 Mourning Cloaks were in there too! 

All desperate for some minerals.

Mormon Frits (I think)

are now flying with the Relicts. Saw over 20 Relicts today all the way to my turn around point just shy of the 3 mile mark.

Also new are Lilac Bordered Coppers 

and Russet Skipperling.

Saw a Dreamy Duskywing with that Skipperling.

I also see Mustard Whites, Clodius Parnassians, 2 Orangetip (males only this week), plenty of Ringlets, Northern Cloudywing, Northern Crescent, Northern Checkerspot, and Field Crescents.

Add Boisduvals and Western Tailed Blues, Rocky Mt Duskywing and another Dreamy Duskywing (this time at the pond).

Swallowtails (both Western 

and Two-tailed) 

are still flying as well as Common Checkered Skippers.

Lots of activity from around the footbridge to somewhere after the 2 mile mark. 

The White Columbine are blooming after the 2 miles marker.

I turned around before reaching 3 miles because those "normal" wet spots were already dry.

I also see a male deer along the way which is exciting.

On the way back, added a Parnassian to the day. 

He was in that drying mud holes with all the Weidenmeyer's Admirals and N. Checkerspots.

Oh, and the dragonflies were out too!


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