Rim Country Land Blog

After a wet spring and a few dry weeks of July, a lightning storm ignited land on the state section. A quick rainstorm caused the fire to smolder until last Wednesday morning, when it took off and eventually burned 700 acres in the two Easternmost sections. Most of the canyon, from just past the windmill out to the mouth of the main drainage, was burned, as was much of the adjacent grassy plateau area. We’ll keep everyone informed about progress and any new or change in plans. There was an article about the fire in the Gazette on July 24th (under Echo Creek), and you can see a few photos below. Thanks to everyone for their help and support.

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A patch of prairie coneflowers has been greeting visitors as they come in the gate, and the rocky mountain beeplants are still attracting plenty of their insect namesake with flamboyant purple blooms. Scarlet gaura, yarrow, scurfpea, and white prairie clover are still attracting pollinators of their own. A big bull snake has been seen slithering around the barn for the last month, likely attracted by the mice that also hang around the area. A vole (or pocket mouse?) that managed to escape the snakes was eventually found by a few orange and black carrion beetles, who cleaned up the whole carcass within a day and a half of it being found by the kids at our summer bug camp. And the rain! Wednesday the sky filled with clouds and thunder, which provided fairly steady rain and even a few downpours for 6-8 hours in the evening and through the night. We missed the strongest part of the storm (hail near Shepherd), the ground did soak up about 1/10th of an inch.

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Both a fawn mule deer and a fawn elk were spotted this week in the Cove Creek canyons. The fawn deer was high-hopping across the rocks as its mother watched from above. Fresh elk tracks could be seen along trails at the base of the canyons, as well. And while most animals choose to wander over or around or even under the rocks, this week a bird’s nest was found inside of a rock (see photo). The small hole, 6 feet up a lichen-covered rock face, provided a well-protected site for some songbird or flycatcher this spring. Erosion of nearby rocks has also carved some great shapes and recesses, as well. A couple of unfortunate patches of invasive thistles have started in a draw on the southern side of Cove Creek canyon, not too far from the house, so we’ll have to put some work in there soon.

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Welcome to the land blog! Many of our program participants, visitors, and friends have asked about what is happening at the place that means so much to us all. We have decided to create this virtual space to help connect people with the natural space of Cove Canyon. Check it out for updates on the flora, fauna, and ecosystem developments that make up the life of our prairie. If you have visited recently and would like to contribute, just let Carolyn know–call the office or e-mail.

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