July 01st, 2018

UMBA booked the Judith Ranger Station June 29, 2018 for an overnight field trip.

The ranger station and surrounding area is special to UMBA as Jean Setter, UMBA founding member, lived nearby on her parent's homestead.  Jean walked over to the ranger station for piano lessons and was a key reference to restore the ranger station and get in placed on the National Register.

While the weather was cool driving in and we experienced a couple of rain showers, the birds and the wildflowers were showy and abundant.
We spotted:
Swainson’s Hawk
Gold Finch
Bluebird
Cedar Waxwing
Spotted Sandpiper
Red Wing Blackbird
Eastern Kingbird
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Snipe
Barn Swallow
Tree Swallow
Red Tail Hawk
Western Tanager
Night Hawk

We walked up north to Jean Setter's homestead and enjoyed the sounds of 15 horses on a pack ride.
A June trip is sure to have plenty of wildflowers, with the hillsides pink with color!
We took a hike up Hay Canyon and enjoyed the shady flowers including clematis and columbine.

​The Judith Basin in June is special and we hope to visit again.