Sandhill Cranes

If you're lucky you'll see a moose or two in the Uintas. But you should also keep your eyes open for other wildlife. I once ran over a pine marten, and yesterday I almost ran over a marmot. Someone else ran over, or rather in to, a very large moose. The moose was still by the road. The Ford 150 probably went right the to scrap yard, no need to stop at the crushing machine. (That's why I don't drive over 45 at night, even though the posted limit is 55. Animals, especially deer, are always in the road. Last night I had to stop for a big buck with new antlers growing just larger than his ears and starting to branch.)

I picked a ridge overlooking a meadow filled with willows and beaver ponds to watch for moose. Just as I was about to sit down, I heard a whoosh behind me, and a sandhill crane flew out of the trees, almost over my head.

It was joined by a second crane, and they flew out to the beaver ponds.

And landed in the meadow.

I sat quietly while one walked across the meadow, up the hill, and back behind me, to where it had started. I thought there might be a nest, so I looked around the area, but not wanting to upset the birds too much, I didn't look very hard.

When the second crane flew over the pond I heard and saw a big splash right under his feet. I was trying to figure out what the bird had dropped when I realized the splash was a beaver. They slap their tails on the water as a warning.

I left the meadow when the rain started coming down pretty heavy. That lasted a couple hours and made everything seem clean and crisp.

Then the sun went down.

This is Hayden Peak after dark. Notice the snow on the trees. This is fresh snow, about two or three inches deep. The lookout is just above Mirror Lake, almost to Bald Mountain Pass.