July 18 - Mormon Trail

 Sunny day with highs 101-103 - ugh!

Heading to the Mormon Trail today to see if the Great Spangled females are flying yet. Plenty of males out there 2 weeks; females should be out soon.

I also want to check on the Colorado Hairstreaks; I thought I saw a couple last time but couple not be for sure.

I arrive before 8:30; it's 55 degrees.

The trail is still flooding so I go bush-whacking yet again.

Not expecting much at the start because everything is in the morning shade. But I get surprised when I see Small Wood Nymphs 

and Great Spangled Frits flying. The Frits are flyers this morning and surprise, the females are out!!! They look awesome!

At one point, even saw a pair courting.

Lots of GSF, Wood Nymphs and Mustard Whites today all the way until my turnaround somewhere between 2.5 and 2.75 miles.

Oh, can't forget the Lazuli Bunting male/female pair that I kept chasing up the trail near the start. Never did get a photo.

And I saw what looked like a moose bed.

Definitely end of season - no Crescents and no Checkerspots. The liveliness on the trail are the Frits. Also, the Thistle are blooming now.

Highlights for the day are:

1) The Great Spangled Frits are always amazing -

2) CO Haistreaks are flying. Started seeing them are the 2 mile mark; all males.



2) After 2 mile mark found several fresh Mourning Cloak all alit or flying around one tree.

There's a Satyr Comma with one of the Mourning Cloaks in the same tree.

3) Followed a Coral Hairstreak as it lands in a bush. It's 1 of 5 that I see today. The other 4 were nectaring on a patch of milkweed; 3 on 1 plant!! They love that milkweed patch.

4) Ruddy Copper and Purplish Copper are flying.

5) and surprise, the 2-tailed Swallowtail are back!

6) Instead of CA Tortoiseshells and Weidenmeyer's Admirnal on the pond, it's Mourning Cloaks today!

Other sightings include:

Mustard White, Mormon Frit (and maybe some others)

a single Northern Checkerspot, Checkered Skipper, European Skippers

Boisduvals Blues 

Russets Skipper

and Clouded Sulphur

Great day!

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