Still-fluffy Kestrel was much more interested in her grazing than in me (which is perfectly fine and as it should be).
We’ve been having 60-plus-degree days. Nice, sure, if it was April or May. Way too warm already, and way too dry. I hope her fluff is because we still have some winter on tap (or at least the necessary moisture!).
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 
Hi TJ! I visited Spring Creek this past weekend taking pics of the mustangs. The county was grading K20 through the refuge and the road was in good condition. The other roads such as 4070 are in poor condition. I was able to make it to the roller coaster. I rode my gravel bike around the refuge loop and the eastern side is particularly in bad shape. Does the BLM grade the roads in the spring? Gary
Hi, Gary. 🙂 Hope you enjoyed your visit with the mustangs. Sounds as though you visited Spring Creek Basin; you would have crossed Spring Creek twice within Spring Creek Basin to get to rollercoaster ridge (and then twice leaving), and you also crossed Spring Creek on Road 19Q on your way to Road K20E (Road K20W is a bit farther south and goes west) and back to the highway. The county guys have, indeed, been out to grade Road K20E across the sanctuary into Spring Creek Basin; they generally go north and east to the road that goes to Wildcat Canyon and on to Dry Creek Basin. They don’t grade around the loop or to the northwest valley; the basin roads aren’t generally graded other than the above-mentioned section by the county (and those, infrequently). BLM is chronically underfunded and understaffed, and one of our two range specialists was just fired as part of the ridiculous mass firings. Grading roads is the least of BLM’s challenges. Please remember, you’re in the backcountry; roads aren’t going to be smooth most of the time. 🙂 It’s part of the experience.
Our lovely Kestrel. Always a thing of beauty. She is particularly fetching in her winter fur coat. Hopefully she will hang onto it in these next few warm days. A bit if a dip in temps may be happening next week!
I hope she stays fuzzy a bit longer! Too early to be spring! 🙂 I hope we get some moisture in March. … The “winter” has been disappointing (!) in the extreme the last three months.
What a pretty gal she is! Hope some colder weather and moisture is headed your way soon!
Since she was a bitty baby, she’s been one of my very favorites. 🙂 Sure hope we get about a month of moisture. We’re kinda in trouble.