Dec 31 - Gravel Pit (Antelope Island)

 Sunny, hazy with temps in the 40s ... and it's the last day of 2023. Wow!

As I head up to Antelope Island just after 7:30am, it's hazy and very foggy in spots. Kinda of a gross but I'm heading up anyway.

When I pass thru the gate, I can see anything on either side of the causeway but as I get farther, I can start seeing sky and then the peripheral vision gets better and better as I get closer to the Island - yea! But it's still hazy.

I arrive on the Island and south. It's a drive thru hazy skies and fog just depending on where I'm at. But the fog remains on Farmington Bay.

I see a Porcupine in a tree east of Frary Peak; a lone bison near the Homestead and that's it on the drive down to the Ranch.

The return trip only yields a few additional bison near that lone one. And an adult Bald Eagle perched in a tree east of Frary Peak. Very cool!

I reach the Beacon Hill trail head and I'm the only car. It's 27 degrees and sunny. Not sure how far I'm making (hopefully to Beacon Hill) but I'm still battling a cold. I gear up and start up the trail. Feeling pretty good passing all the frost covered brush.

I reach the ridge and start down it. There's a light breeze now in my face - chilly. My feet are cold, my face and ears are cold - why is it so cold? Usually 27 and sun is great winter hiking weather. Bet is it's the fog=humidity. I think this is going to be a short hike.

I don't see any bison ahead of me as I move south.

I do see a couple of runners on the White Rock trail. Then something catches my eye. Holy cow! There's a herd of Pronghorn in the distance!!

I decide I want to walk so I can get parallel with them.

On the way, I see something that kinda looks like a coyote head; nope just a raven.

Then I notice the Pronghorn are all moving east

No reason to keep being chilled at this point so I turn around.

I do notice a lone bison and my way back.

Not bad for a short and foggy day - bison, pronghorn herd and a Bald Eagle.

Good day!

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