jay's Journal

Excellent trip despite the cool, windy weather with great glimpses of a hole-drilling williamson's sapsucker and a great gray owl. I also heard my first pika of the season. Two of them were calling near the Lewis River in Yellowstone.

Intended to hike ridgeline from highway near Little Dell to Bald Mountain, and return via Big Hatch Canyon trail, if I could locate it. About a mile and a half into the hike I caught a glimpse of a couger which soon darted away. I decided to change direction and avoid additional contact witht he cougar. Did encounter a couple of moose and songbirds, especially yellow warblers were plentiful along the Hatch trail.