On the island if it isn’t one thing it’s another.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
The morning I photographed this Burrowing Owl in May of 2013 may have been the windiest morning I’ve ever spent on Antelope Island. At the time I estimated that gusts were blowing at about 40 mph and later that day winds reached 82 mph. As a result this little fella wasn’t having any fun.
For this shot he turned his back to the howling south winds and stood erect for a moment which ruffled the feathers on the back of his head. But he spent much of his time hunkered down and facing into the wind before “he” escaped to the calm of his burrow.
Notice the whitish sand at his feet.
Image in Public Domain
Much of the sand on the island and elsewhere around the Great Salt Lake is composed of “oolites” – tiny egg shaped concentric layers of calcium carbonate that precipitate around a central core, usually brine shrimp poop. They form in shallow, agitated water as they roll around in the waves and gradually accumulate more layers. “Oolitic” means egg or egg-shaped.
Oolitic sand forms in very few places in the world. The photo above shows oolitic sand from the Bahamas but it looks very similar to the sand on the island.
Oolitic sand is what I call an “idiot trap”. Attempting to drive on it is like trying to drive on layers of microscopic marbles – it simply can’t be done because your powered wheels just sink straight down into the sand. Countless signs on the island tell visitors to “Stay On Pavement” but there’s always a few “privileged” folks who think rules don’t apply to them.
This clown thought his front wheel drive would allow him to drive on it when no one was looking. He was wrong so he immediately got stuck. This photo was taken very early in the morning and the car was abandoned. The driver must have spent a very uncomfortable night on the island.
Almost exactly one year later another car got stuck in exactly the same place when the driver attempted to go off the pavement. Park personnel have now placed barriers in this spot in an attempt to make it idiot-proof. Good luck with that – idiots are ingenious and persistent at being idiots.
In an attempt to control the spread of Covid-19 Antelope Island has been closed to all visitors except residents of Davis County for weeks but two days ago it was reopened to all Utah residents. Utahans have been cooped up for so long that yesterday there was a 45 minute wait just to get on the island as cars backed up at the entrance station so drivers could pay their fees.
And to make matters worse, much worse, the island reopened just in time for the full-blown emergence of the dreaded biting gnats (no-see-ums). There are clouds of those nasty little bastards everywhere and they’re guaranteed to make any visit to the island a truly miserable experience unless you keep your windows rolled up and never get out of your vehicle. Mosquito netting and insect repellant are both ineffective against them – the only thing that works is micro-netting.
But finding micro-netting isn’t easy. It’s kind of in the same category as toilet paper, hand sanitizer and face masks so good luck if you plan on visiting the island anytime soon.
Be prepared to deal with itching and weeping bites for days after your visit, especially on your scalp but really anywhere that was exposed to them.
And your vocabulary will almost certainly be increased by more than a few new cuss words.
Ron
Note: If you’re determined to visit Antelope Island this summer the biting gnats reliably disappear once daytime temperatures consistently reach 90° F.
Ron,
I have to admit that I was one of those “idiots” a couple of years ago when I went out to the island for some sunset shots. I was trying to turn around and boom! STUCK! The park ranger broke three toe tapes until he got me out. I have felt stupid ever since. And gave me instruction on the special sand. I’m smarter now.
So include me in the idiot category. The only thing worse would be to do it again… It won’t happen, guaranteed!
Now I just look for birds from the road. The great sunsets were few and far between anyway.
Stephen
At least you learned from your mistake, Stephen. Many of them don’t. And you were man enough to admit it – in public to boot.
That stuff really bogs you down, doesn’t it!
A very mixed bag this morning.
Owls (whatever their species, and particularly the burrowing variety) make my heart sing.
The sand is fascinating, How my father would have loved to see it and to explain it to the rest of the family.
The idiots getting some of what they deserve also please my grumpy self.
I am a magnet for biting critters and often respond badly to them.
Sadly I heard last night that some beaches in Sydney are being reopened – despite the suburbs closest to them being hot spots (by our standards) for Covid 19. How I wish that the idiots who will go, and the idiots who opened the beach were permanently bogged.
Idiots abound these days don’t they, EC.
I don’t react to those gnats as badly as some folks do but even for me they’re truly miserable. And try photographing birds with a super-telephoto lens while they’re crawling over your head and getting into your eyes!
Loved everything about your photos today — especially the comeuppance for the the ID-10-T errors. Mwahahaha! Serves the bastards right!
That wind really must have unnerved the owl, as he’s got one foot out in front to brace himself.
I’m glad I’m not the only retired teacher to still have a microscope at home. I also have a really old balance, and some glassware that I bought a long time ago so I’d have a class set, among other treasures. I kept my rather hefty rock and mineral collection, including my sand samples. And yes, I have a little bit of ooid sand in there.
I have one of those old balances too, Marty. Mine’s so old it’s an antique – kinda like me.
I like the way it looks.
Interesting about the sand. I had no idea.
I can see why the Utah tourist bureau may like your photos, but doesn’t have you give speeches to make tourists want to flock to Utah! (joke) I might add, your advice is undoubtedly wise.
Nope, I don’t think they’ll be trying to enlist me anytime soon, Nancy.
oooo a burrowing owl with flowers and oolitic sand!
That must have been the year the barns lost their roofs at Garr Ranch?
I bet if the gnats are bad it will be the last time yesterday’s visitors to Antelope Island go again.
April, I don’t remember if it was that year but I sure wouldn’t be surprised.
I’m sure it will be the last time for many of those visitors.
This morning’s blog is an extra joy. I’m fascinated by owls, (and our winged cousings in general) and geology. That, plus your well-written and informative commentary, plus political opinion that is akin to mine – what a day! Although i seldom comment, i always enjoy your blog.
Today i can offer a couple of items for a slightly broader understanding of oolites, and their kin. I can’t seem to get them to copy as a link, but you’ll find a photo (on the right side of the webpage) of the stupendous “tidal oolite belt” off of the Bahamas here: https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/books/book/1990/chapter/107137479/GRAINS-Non-skeletal-GrainsOoids-Pisoids-and-Other
And HERE you’ll find a photo of the ooid sand from Antelope Island: https://www.sandatlas.org/oolite/ Very cool stuff.
Thanks again, Ron. May your day be far from biting gnats.
Thanks, Nina. That photo in your second link is like the one I often wish I could take. I actually have a microscope at home but never got around to buying an adapter for any of my cameras.
I guarantee my day will be “far from biting gnats”!
Who knew there was a sand atlas? Thanks for providing the link to it.
Thank you for the links — fascinating!
Cool indeed! 🙂
One hopes the wind offered the Owl some respite from the biting gnats as perhaps his burrow did.
Methinks the drivers stuck in the oolitic sand are an all too common hominid subspecies called idiolites, coincidentally formed around the same nidus. They can also be seen heading up the nightly news.
“coincidentally formed around the same nidus”
You got me on that one, Lyle. I don’t often LOL this early in the morning but this time I did.
LOL! 🙂
I somehow have the idea that burrowing owls often coexist with prairie dogs. Are there any of those on Antelope Island? (P.S. I share your glee at the plight of the idiots and your opinion of our current idiot-in-chief!)
Cathy, yes they do often coexist with prairie dogs but there aren’t any of those rodents on the island.
The idiots do lots of stupid things on the island, many of them involving bison. You can imagine I’m sure.
Now that sand picture would make an excellent puzzle for these times and long evenings! I can see how you really can’t drive on the stuff…it just rolls and slips about with no possibility of traction. Just can’t feel sorry for them. There are idiots everywhere aren’t there…rules are not for them. We don’t seem to have a big issue with no-see-ums in this part of WI but back in the UP…that was another story! I remember the bleeding and oozing along the hairline…do not miss that!
Kathy, it’s funny how the no-see-ums gravitate to the scalp. At first you don’t know they’re there and then your scalp starts crawling and itching and you just can’t get rid of them. And then you have oozing, itching and sometimes bleeding sores for days. They’re SOOO much worse than skeeters…
“Slip Sliding Away………”
Burrowing owls often define CUTE, and yes, I KNOW they’re fierce predators! But still.
I didn’t know about the oolitic sand happening in Utah–or at least if I did, I’ve slept since then and stuff falls out. LOL!
Personally, I LOVE the idea of idiots getting caught being idiots! I think there should also be some sort of indelible and easily visible marker placed on ’em, too. but that’s just me 😉
I’m really sorry Utah is one of the states relaxing stay-at-home orders. Yes, I desperately want to get out and about, too, BUT I’m one of those who would perish and I’m not ready to leave this planet yet.
Laura, our Governor is just another idiot. During a recent press conference he was fawning over the current resident of the White House, to the point that it was sickening.
All our politicians really care about is getting the money flowing again and sick, potentially sick and dying Utahans can go to hell.
I’m amused that the illegal idiots got themselves caught. I hope they paid hefty fines. The owl? I feel for him. The wind is nearly constant here.
Arwen, I was more than amused. I took great delight in it. Still do…
Always love a Burrowing Owl and always impressed at the rocky/salty/barren nature areas in which I usually see them these days.
In geo-speak, the grains are “ooids” and a rock made of them is an “oolite”. 🙂
Brad, yeah I read that about ooid vs oolite but I opted to go with every-day-speak around here rather than geo-speak. But you’re right.
When I first glanced at the photo I thought who could have laid that many eggs. Interesting sand composition lesson. We have no sand here in Prescott, but in all my years going to the South Jersey beaches back east and the 30 plus years in So Cal I have never even thought of driving into the sand. But in many of our fellow humans common sense does not always prevail.
I have to laugh thinking how embarrassing for those drivers when they have to get towed off that sand.
“When I first glanced at the photo I thought who could have laid that many eggs.”
Everett, I actually thought about using that photo as my preview image for this post on Facebook because I thought lots of folks might wonder the same thing. It probably would have driven my views up but it didn’t seem quite honest so I didn’t do it… 🙂
Even though I’ve been to the Bahamas, I’ve never heard of oolitic sand. It’s easy enough to get stuck in our Gulf coast sand on the beaches. Some people carry bags of kitty litter (for weight), pieces of plywood, and shovels in their trunks — just in case. Not driving on the beaches would be easier.
I have experience with no-see-ums, and they’re as bad as you say. Imagine being achored out in a sailboat and having them show up. It’s memorable, for sure.
Shoreacres, the oolitic sand in that photo was at Joulter’s Cay in the Bahamas, wherever that is.
You’ll notice that the driver in that first stuck car was using rocks, pieces of wood and even vegetation he tore out in an attempt to get un-stuck. Didn’t work.
TOO funny! Of course, I’m at a safe distance from all of it at the moment! 😀 Sand, even “normal” sand can be a challenge. This stuff sounds like trying to drive on hail when there’s a bunch of it……. 😉 You’ve mentioned the gnats previously – UGH! At least the wildlife got a bit of a reprieve while there was limited access to the island……..
Judy, it’s amazing how different oolitic sand is from normal sand. Even if there’s only a couple of inches of it blown onto the road you can get stuck in it, especially in a small 2 WD vehicle.