Sept 1 - Willow Lake (BCC)

 Well it's Sept 1 (hard to believe this year has gone by so fast) and it's only 82 degrees for a high!! Time to head up BCC for a hike up to Willow Lake.

Leave before 3pm and arrive around 3:30.

They say there's no rain until around 6pm but there are rain clouds all around. And as I park, there are sprinkles on my windshield. (Darn weather forecast.) 

But I'm going anyway; I made the drive. I have no raincoat (oh well, hopefully it doesn't rain long or hard). I shove my camera and wallet deep in my pack and set off.

Just before heading into the forest, I hear rustling. Sure, enough there's a lone doe feeding right on the edge and start of the trail!! Sweet!

I continue up the trail with a light rain. The Aspens are blocking some of it from landing on me. There are still a few flowers hanging on; asters and those yellow composites but not much else on the climb.

When I get up that first switchback, the sun starts coming out - yea! And I'm surprised to see a few Woodland Skippers flying.

The rest of the hike to the lake is uneventful. Not even a ground squirrel in the meadow. :(

However, as I approach entering the aspens before the lake, I hear this weird whistle like call. It's loud. I thought someone might have a cool whistle but then I see a hawk flying over the meadow. He's the source of that call! Very cool! Unfortunately, no photo. But after googling "Utah hawk with whistle-like call", it appears I saw/heard a rare hawk in Utah; the Broad Winged Hawk. Mostly central/eastern US but a rare stray is possible in Utah during Spring/Fall migration. Fall migration is at it's very beginning. And the hawk has been reported in SLC and Grandeur Peak (which it only a ridge summit next door). Very exciting!

The lake is very low but there are still several Mallards (only females) swimming around.

On the other side, I see something that looks like a small orange butterfly and I head to where it appears to land but find nothing. Perhaps a butterfly or maybe a grasshopper. 

There are some geraniums still blooming on this side. And a few Paintbrush in the woods on the far side.

Soon I've looped the trail and I'm heading down.

Fun day!

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