Longspurs in Oklahoma
|
|
A common question birders visiting Oklahoma ask is "Where can I find longspurs?" This question has been asked on the OKBirds Listserve many times over the years, and on this page I have compiled the answers from Oklahoma birders. Steve Schafer and Joe Grzybowski have especially contributed very informative posts. Finally, I've added two posts from Cyndie Browning on her birding adventures at the Tall grass Prairie Preserve, which include longspur searches. Please be aware that some of this information is a few years old, but in general it is still all relevant and should serve as a guide to finding longspurs in Oklahoma. There is also excellent information included on identifying longspurs. The posts are presented in chronological order, so be sure to scroll to the bottom to see the latest posts, from January 2006. As a quick reference, the two top Tulsa area Locations for Longspurs are the North Tulsa Prairies and the Nature Conservancy's Tall Grass Prairie Preserve, north of Pawhuka. Also, another good spot mentioned in several of the posts is Sooner Lake, a cooling reservoir for the OG&E power plant, located 20 miles north of Stillwater on US 177. However, due to security restrictions, the only access that birders currently have is the same access that fisherman have which are the fishing areas, boat ramps as well as boats on the lake. However, the Plant Manager has been working with birders to arrange for controlled access. When an arrangement has been made, I will provide the details here. |
Sat, 27 Nov 1999 Thanks for your interest in Oklahoma. I assume by longspurs, that you meant all four species. First, I would like to draw your attention to GUIDE BOOK by Jerry Cooper: Birdfinder: A birder's guide to planning North American Trips put out by the American Birding Association. (Link to this book on Amazon) There is a chapter on birding "Oklahoma in Winter" (January) which can lead you to Lesser Prairie-Chckens and all four longspur species. If you can't obtain a copy, I can xerox the pertinent pages and mail (may need to send Jerry a stipend). What follows may suffice. Lesser Prairie-Chickens are best found near Arnett Oklahoma, generally to the southeast of town. From the junction of hiways 60 and 283, take 283 south about one mile to an intersection where there is a brick house with a tall antennae on the southeast corner. Turn left or east on this road. Within about one or two miles, it will start to take you through an extensive prairie area. After about four to six miles (can't remember exactly), the road (which had been straight) veers right (just after crossing a cattle guard) and starts more to meander. From this point for the next 12-15 miles is Lesser Prairie Chicken habitat. I really don't know what the best tactic would be to see them during the winter time (I have usually gone there during the spring to specific leks), but Cooper recommends checking in grain fields or oak shinnery patches (a low growing oak of the prairies). McCown's Longspur may be the toughest, but there is a prairie dog town near Duke (about 9.5 miles west and 2 miles north of Altus) that has been reliable. It is also possible to see them with Laplands in winter wheat fields in that area to Eldorado. In most areas away from this Altus-Eldorado block, it is usually a litle bit of luck to see a few McCown's with Laplands here or there. Lapland Longspurs can be found in many open winter wheat fields, particularly those with stubble from a previous crop of sorghum. Almost all longspurs you randomly hear flying overhead are Laplands. Chestnut-collared Longspurs. These like low, moderately grazed grasslands. They are widespread but local in central and western Oklahoma during winter, although the best chances of seeing them in recent years is in southwestern Oklahoma. The Wichita Mtns Wildlife Refuge has one area that usually has 100-500 birds - in grassland west of Mount Scott surrounding main road where the Meers cutoff occurs. There are buffaloes in this area--recommend not messing with the buffalo. The grassland covers several square miles, and the buffalo are usually clumped, so should not be a problem. The longspurs are sometimes right along the roadway (might be mistaken for Vesper Sparrows which are almost non-existent during the winter), but don't count on it (see them that way maybe one trip in ten). Probaly have to walk out and flush to see them. Smith's Longspur. This is the longspur of central and northeastern Oklahoma. It can be expected on many to most open fields of 400+ acreas with significant patches of Aristida (three awn grass which is normally ankle high, flimsy, pale tan and has a very thin stem like seed with three long wisps coming off end opposite tip with seed). While there are many places with Smith's, almost all in the OKC and Norman area are on private land. The most reliable place for birders has been at Sooner Lake south of Ponca City. Any grassland with suitable habitat in this area should have Smith's. To get to one specific spot, one has to enter Sooner Generating Plant facility (can be seen for miles) and wander to the grassland surrounding a radio tower near northwest corner of property. The specific sites can change from year to year depending on grazing leases, mowing etc., but there are hundreds in the area (should be in almost every patch of suitable habitat). Sun, 4 Nov 2001 I'll begin by commenting on the Cooper book (Link to this book on Amazon) (which I assume is the birdfinding guide you're referring to) and note that it tends to be rather optimistic, not just for the Oklahoma route but for the other ones as well. Nevertheless, it is quite possible to see all four longspur species in Oklahoma at the end of December. (My wife and I once managed to see all four in one afternoon in late fall, although that was somewhat of a fluke.) But with the possible exception of Smith's Longspur, the phrase "a reliable location to see a longspur" is a bit of an oxymoron. Finding longspurs is largely a question of knowing where to look (duh), and that is more a matter of searching the proper habitats than it is of going to a specific place. So let's look first at: Habitat Preferences McCown's Longspur - McCown's are birds of the shortgrass prairies, so they're pretty much confined to the southwestern quarter of the state and the panhandle (although I did see one in Norman once). Their favored habitat seems to be heavily overgrazed cattle pastures. Basically, if the habitat is suitable for Horned Larks, there's a decent chance of finding McCown's Longspurs there as well (often in the same flocks as the larks). Lapland Longspur - These prefer somewhat more vegetation than McCown's. The preferred habitat seems to be wheat fields, either newly planted winter wheat or the previous year's stubble. At that time of year, the wheat is generally only a few inches tall, so you might be able to find some by scoping a wheat field. Chestnut-collared Longspur - These and Smith's prefer taller grass, which generally means that they're invisible until flushed. Chestnut-collareds seem to like somewhat sparser vegetation than Smith's, where you can see patches of bare ground between the clumps of grass. If there's snow on the ground, you might see them along the edge of a road. Smith's Longspur - These are found almost exclusively in relatively dense patches of mixed Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Three-Awn (Aristida sp.). Okay, so now that you know where to look, how do you (a) tell that you have longspurs, and (b) tell them apart? In flight, longspur flocks tend to be rather loose and disorganized. They're all going in pretty much the same direction, but without the single-mindedness of a flock of starlings or blackbirds. They also fly quite high over the fields, much higher than most of the other emberizid sparrows. When a longspur flushes from in front of you as you walk across a field, the first thing you notice is the white in the tail, of course. It's relatively easy to distinguish the two "white outer tail feather" species (Lapland and Smith's) from the two "inverted black T" species (McCown's and Chestnut-collared), but you don't often get a good enough look to break it down any more finely than that. The only other bird you're likely to encounter in longspur habitat that has white in its tail is a Vesper Sparrow. When flushed, these have a tendency to land in a tree or on a bare patch of ground (or a road), where you at least have a chance to look at them. Their tails are long relative to those of longspurs. Another good mark that the field guides don't emphasize, and that you can often see well as the birds fly away from you, is the white shoulder patches on male Chestnut-collared and Smith's Longspurs. The white patch on a male House Sparrow's wings is similar in appearance, so take a good look at the House Sparrows in front of the supermarket or gas station or wherever as they fly away from you next time you're there. Of course, you have to practically step on a House Sparrow to get it to fly, but it's all in the pursuit of knowledge. Even in winter plumage, male Chestnut-collared Longspurs generally have enough black on their breast and belly that you can use that to identify them as they fly around over your head after you've flushed them. The combination of the blackish belly and white shoulder patch, assuming you manage to see both on the same bird, is diagnostic. Similarly, traces of a black inverted triangle are generally visible on the upper breast of a male McCown's Longspur. Lapland Longspurs are the most contrasty and heavily-streaked. McCown's are very pale and essentially streakless on their underparts (in winter). Smith's are very warm and orangeish below. Chestnut-collareds are pretty much intermediate in all respects (apart from the blackish bellies of the males). The end of December is probably too early, but certainly by the end of January the males have started acquiring their breeding plumage, which makes identification much easier. The McCown's have their black triangles but otherwise pale underparts, the Laplands begin to get a black breast band to accompany their dark streaking, the Chestnut-collareds are almost completely black underneath, and the Smith's are very orange, with bold black and white facial markings. So where do you go to find these birds? Smith's Longspur - As I mentioned, these are the only ones that you can generally find in the same field day after day. There used to be a good field in Edmond, just a few miles from where I live, but the past few years it's been mowed in the fall, making it unsuitable for Smith's Longspurs. However, I've noticed that it hasn't been mowed this year, so it's possible that they may come back. From central OKC, go north on U.S. 77 (aka the Broadway Extension) to Edmond. Turn left (west) on 33rd St, which is the first traffic light you encounter after you cross under the Kilpatrick Turnpike and the freeway ends and becomes surface street. Go about one mile to Lincoln Blvd and turn left (south). Park anywhere along here; the field is the one on your left (east of Lincoln). Walk the field; if the birds are there, they will eventually flush. When they were there previously, the flock typically had 10-20 individuals. Another place that has been reliable is a somewhat dilapidated housing development optimistically named High Plains Estates, along Etowah Rd about four miles east of the town of Noble, south of Norman. However, last I heard, the area was no longer accessible to the public, and I haven't been down there recently to check. (This is the only place in Oklahoma that I've seen a Smith's Longspur on the ground. Most often, the grass is so tall that they're impossible to see except when they're flying.) A place where you're almost certain to find Smith's Longspurs is Sooner Lake, north of Stillwater. The only problem there is that they tend to be widely scattered, so you're likely to have to do quite a lot of walking before you flush one. From Stillwater, take U.S. 177 north. Just north of town, you cross a spur of the Cimarron Turnpike. Thirteen miles later, you cross another part of the Cimarron Turnpike. Three and a half miles beyond that, there is a dirt section-line road to the right (east), along a row of trees. (If you come to the entrance of the OG&E power plant, you've gone one mile too far.) Take the dirt road until it ends at a small parking area. From there, you can walk the (vast) fields to the east, between the parking area and the lake. What you're looking for is patches of Three-Awn (fairly short, yellowish, filamentous grass) amid the stands of Big and Little Bluestem (which is orange/red in winter). Chestnut-collared Longspur - The Wichita Mountains NWR seems to be the best place for these. They can be just about anywhere along the roads throughout the refuge, but one spot that is especially worth checking out is near the refuge headquarters (not the visitors' center). From State Highway 49, take the road that goes south toward the refuge headquarters. Continue along this road another two miles or so until it makes a sharp turn to the right (west). The grassy hillside over your left shoulder (east of the road) is the area to concentrate on. McCown's Longspur - A good spot for these is at the Kizziar feed lots west of Altus. From the intersection of U.S. 62 and U.S. 283 in Altus, go west eight miles on U.S. 62 (I think it's eight miles, but I might be off by a mile), to a small green sign that points to the Altus Landfill on the north. Turn right (north) on this road, go two miles, then turn left (west). You'll soon pass the feed lot buildings on the right, after which you go by a small pond and a prairie dog town, and then the road abruptly starts to go uphill. This is the area in which the longspurs can be found, primarily on the north side, both in the vicinity of the pond below the hill, and also on top of the "mesa" (such as it is). You can call ahead to the feed lot at 580-482-7611 and ask for permission to jump the fence and walk around the prairie dog town. (Be sure to tell them that you're a "birdwatcher"--they don't seem to understand what the word "birder" means.) Lapland Longspur - Although Laplands are the most numerous, they're also the hardest to pin down to any one specific location--they seem to be more nomadic than the others. One place we've seen them in great numbers (several thousand) is the wheat fields just west of Foss Reservoir at Washita NWR. The best thing to do is to drive the section-line roads and keep your eyes open. Late afternoon seems to be the time that they're most likely to be flying around in flocks, but then you find yourself in a race against the setting sun.... One other spot to check, for no other reason than that it is convenient to OKC, is Rock Creek Rd in Norman. From OKC, go south on I-35 to the Tecumseh Rd exit on the north side of Norman, then go right (west) a half mile to the first section line road, and then left (south) one mile to Rock Creed Rd. Turn right (west) on Rock Creek Rd. The various fields in this area can have longspurs, although to be honest I've found them to be somewhat hit-or-miss. Sat, 3 Nov 2001 Steve's lengthy discourse on Longspurs is quite good. I could add a few points. On Chestnut-collared Longspurs, a good place in the Wichita Mountains is the large grassland just west of Mount Scott that surrounds the intersection for Meers. You might have to walk a bit, but CCLO's (up to 500 or so) can be in there. Need to not get too close to any buffalo though. On ID, one thing Steve overlooked was call. Three of the species make ticking notes pretty like each other, but CCLO's are quite different giving a mellow "kideedle, kideedle" call as they flush. Also, while Smith's are quite buffy bellied, Laplands are often white bellied. In addition, McCown's can be in flocks of Laplands, and can be detected when they fly by looking for the paler, shorter-tailed bird(s) with a lot of white in the tail. In Norman, the ratio is about 1:1,000::McCown's:Lapland in late November and early December [although I did see swirls of some 18,000 Laplands once with no McCown's]. Chestnut-collareds were in over a week ago Tue, 6 Feb 2001 Smith's Longspurs can be found just about anywhere you can find the suitable mix of Three-Awn (Aristida oligantha) and Little Bluestem (Andropogon scoparius) grasses that they seem to favor. Of course, finding such areas can be challenging. Right now, the most reliable area seems to be near Sooner Lake, north of Stillwater. Looking at the bottom of page 23 in your DeLorme guide, you'll see that US 177 runs along the west side of Sooner Lake for about four miles, between the two sections of State Highway 15. Turn east on the short dirt road that extends east from US 177, one mile north of the southern/eastern piece of Highway 15. (This is also one mile south of the main entrance road to the power plant.) The road ends at a small parking area, where you can park and then walk the fields to the east. You can flush Smith's Longspurs just about anywhere, but look especially for areas of short, yellowish Aristida grass, which tend to stand out against the orangeish Big Bluestem that dominates the area. Tue, 6 Feb 2001 The area indicated by Steve has actually become unreliable in recent years to a alrge extent because it may no longer be grazed and has become too tall for Smith's (although I haven't been up there this year). It is possible to flush Greater Prairie-Chickens in this field, however. There are some fields on the east side of the lake, or around the microwave tower on the northwest corner of the OG&E property for Smith's--have to key into the habitat indicated by Steve. Sun, 27 Jan 2002 Janet wanted to check if there were any Smith's Longspurs in a "traditional" spot near where we live, so we went out there this morning. The past few years, the area has been mowed in the fall, making it unsuitable for Smith's Longspurs, but it wasn't mowed last year, so we thought that they might be back. And indeed they were; we found a flock of eight. To get there: From I-35, take the 33rd St exit in Edmond (Exit 139). Go west on 33rd St for 4.5 miles to Lincoln Blvd on the left. Turn left (south) on Lincoln Blvd. The field containing the Smith's Longspurs is the one on your left (east). There's a driveway to nowhere a short ways down the block (near one of the red fire hydrants); you can pull into the driveway and park at the edge of the field. The basic technique is to walk the field. Eventually, you will flush a longspur, although it may take a while, since they won't flush until you get pretty close, and they're essentially invisble while they're on the ground. Along with the longspurs, there are numerous Savannah Sparrows, but it's easy to tell them apart when they flush, even if you don't get a good look at the field marks: The Savannah Sparrows rarely rise more than about ten feet above the ground, and generally only fly far enough to get outside of what they perceive to be your "sphere of influence." A Smith's Longspur will fly up very high, and if you flush one there's a good chance that the whole flock will flush at the same time. And once they're up in the air, they will circle around for quite a while before they decide to come back down. The Savannah Sparrows, if they call at all, will make their thin "sseet" call, while the Smith's Longspurs will almost always make their "pitta-pitta-pitta" call, which is vaguely reminiscent of the trill of an Eastern Meadowlark, only slower. (There are meadowlarks in the field, too.) I strongly recommend that you wear high-top boots while walking this field--the seeds of the _Aristida_ grass are quite literally a real pain. Fri, 4 Feb 2005 The Purina field is in Edmond and is located at the southeast corner of 33rd & Lincoln (33rd Street in Edmond turns into N. 150th Street in OKC). Driving west on 33rd from the Broadway Extension they'll pass through the traffic light at Kelly and Lincoln will be the next street where they can turn south. The field is unfenced and has a couple of billboard structures on the north end, and hay rolls on the south end. There is a roller rink and cheerleading place on the west side of Lincoln, and the Purina plant, with it's easy to see checkerboard logo is just a little further south of the field. Hope this helps!!! Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 Kurt Meisenzal had a lone Smith's on the CBC at the Wichita Mtns this year (had to rare bird report that one!) as well as scads of Chestnut-Collareds. I can't remember if we had any McGowan's, but I'd be willing to bet we did. Many of the Longspurs were seen by Quanah Parker Lake and in the grassy fields next to the Holy City. There have also been numerous sightings near Meers, OK (just off the Refuge). In previous years, we also Longspurs in good numbers at Hackberry Flats WMA in Tillman Co. Fri, 20 Jan 2006 On January 9th, I hosted a recent Penn State grad who was passing through for a few hours on his way to Arizona and wanted to try for his life Smith's. We got them easily at the Sooner Lake Recreation Area in Noble County. The area is now sort of ambiguously posted, and I honestly couldn't tell if we were in a restricted area or not. Anyway, we flushed about 15 birds (solitary or in small groups) from the tall grass at this site. Last weekend my new student Vince (whom you'll all come to know and love over the next couple of years) went to the same spot and came up empty. (He was with us on the 9th, so he knew where he was going.) So I don't know what's going on with them, but given the mild, dry winter we're having, I wouldn't be surprised if some species we're moving erratically. (Speaking of which, we had a flock of about 40 American White Pelicans at Sooner Lake on the 9th too!) Fri, 20 Jan 2006 Tim & OKBirds, Currently the only access that birders have is the same access that fisherman have which are the fishing areas, boat ramps as well as boats on the lake. I talked with the OG&E Plant Manager yesterday and he said that they are scheduled to finalize their security policy by the end of next week and that he would let me know at that time what sort of access birders will have to Sooner Lake. Fri, 20 Jan 2006 John, I've had them several times this winter and last in the field on the SW corner of Lynn Lane(AB Jewel). Park on the SE side of Lynn Lane and walk west to the field past the fence on your left. About half the time I walk that field I kick up some Smiths. Jan 29, 2006 Update - Please be aware there have been several reports of cars being vandalized in the parking lot of Lynn Lane Reservoir, so be certain to not leave any valuables in your vehicle. - JK Mon, 23 Jan 2006 The best places i know for each species are as follows: Smith's Longspur - Purina Field (NW150&Lincoln)in OKC, Sooner Lake(access currently restricted to areas outside the OG&E Plant), north Tulsa Prairies area. Chestnut-collared Longspur - T-intersection just west of Wichita Mtns Wildlife Refuge Headquarters - always a large number in the taller grass near the dogtown. watch out for the buffalo!! McCown's Longspur - Kizziar's Feedlot (especially the shortgrass field near the hillside and the dogtown. please ask permission at the office to enter the property. No Tresspassing signs have recently gone up so bird from the road if you don't have permission to enter!! Lapland Longspur.-.no specific spot. check any cultivated or shortgrass fields in the central and western parts of the state. 2006-01-09 8:21 AM Hello, Oklahoma ~ Yesterday (Sunday), I escorted Konchog Norbu of Maryland to the Tallgrass Prairie, in search of two potential lifers for him: Smith's Longspur and Gr. Prairie-Chicken. As we approached the Prairie, we flushed a flock of sparrows off the road and as the birds perched in the trees next to the road, Konchog got the best look at Harris's Sparrows he'd ever seen and he was delighted. When we found a likely-looking "longspur" short grassy field, I stopped the car and we got out to walk. A pair of longspurs flew over our heads just then and Konchog took off after 'em, hoping they'd land where he could get a good look at 'em. The next time I saw him, he was waaayyyy the hell over in a distant field lookin' at something, so far away that I needed my binocs to make sure it was him and not somebody else out there. I dislike long hikes so I stayed near the car, got out my scope, and turned the "just Mallards" we'd noticed at a glance in a nearby small lake into Mallards, Hooded Mergansers, and Green-winged Teals, both of the latter yearbirds for me so I was pleased. Every now and then I'd look over at the field where I'd last seen Konchog, mostly to see if he was still there (he was).... man, that boy can really travel!! (a luxury for the young, I guess) At one glance, I noticed he'd flushed a large flock of small birds into the air, that circled around for a bit and then set down again. A couple of them broke off from the flock and headed my direction, and while they never landed, I did hear their tinkling flight calls quite clearly as they flew over me. When they were out of sight, I got back in the car and turned on my CD player to listen to all 4 longspur recordings, and was still listening when Konchog walked up and announced, "I think I got them!" He got out his field guides and said, "yep, that's the one: Smith's Longspur!!" I pushed the buttons on the CD player and got to Smith's Longspur and, listening to their flight calls, confirmed that "THAT" is what I'd heard from the two little birds who flew over me. So he got his lifer and I another yearbird. Now for the chickens. We headed for the Bison Loop, where I'd heard we might have some success finding the prairie-chickens, given that we already knew we were too late in the morning to hear them booming. When we came across a herd of bison, Konchog got out to take their pictures, y'know, something the kids back home in Maryland don't see everyday. We got nice looks at two Rough-legged Hawks (yearbird! and later watched the both of them flying together) and more No. Harriers than you can shake a stick at! I'd almost subtitle this day at the Tallgrass "Harriers-R-Us"---if anyone needs Harrier for a lifebird, yesterday at the Tallgrass would've been the day to find 'em. Well, continuing on, we stopped at another field, this one with long grasses where chickens might be hiding and the entire hill slopping down to a small pool of water; as dry as it is, it seemed likely that any birds we were looking for might be congregated near water, so again, we got out of the car for a hike. The small of my back doesn't tolerate very long walks, and when I began thinking that Konchog might hike all the way back to Tulsa, I said, "you go on ahead; I'm going back to the car." And bigod, if he didn't take off in another direction, heading downhill to circle around the water. When he got back to the car, he'd brought back some chicken belly feathers that he'd found on the "other side of the water," but no chickens. Not for lack of trying, I might add. So we continued around the Loop, stopping at another small pond surrounded by tall grasses, this area also containing some small bushes where small birds (or chickens?) might flush to if they were so inclined. I sat on the bank of the pond, watching 8-10 Amer. Tree Sparrows (yearbird!) scarfing up seeds from the sandy bank and Amer. Goldfinches in a small tree while Konchog marched off up the hill and the whole way around the pond. Again, no chickens. But I enjoyed sitting down and just watching the birds; it was a little breezy but the sun was warm and the air absolutely clear and perfect. Anyway, we didn't find the chickens but Konchog got his longspurs and I got a number of yearbirds, so we returned to Tulsa, both of us happy with our results. Cyndie Browning Date: 2006-01-21 8:36 PM Hello, Oklahoma ~ This morning I led a motley crew of about 15-16 birders up to the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Osage County. Some of us are members of Tulsa Audubon Society and the rest were "special guests" from all around the country and other Tulsa area birders I hadn't met before. We were blessed with bright, clear, and wind-less sunshine, even tho' it was colder than a witch-digger's brass monkey (somewhere around freezing) when we started out. Our first stop was for sparrows and other little brown jobs flittin' back-and-forth along the road in a recently burned-out area. American Tree, Savannah, Field, Song, and Harris's Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos mostly, but also a few Chickadees, Titmice, Red-bellied and Downy Woodpeckers, at least one Carolina Wren, Meadowlarks (all facing east so we decided they were probably Easterns), Blue Jays, Cardinals, and Goldfinches, not to mention the first of what would all too soon be recognized as "just another Harrier." As I said 3 weeks ago, if Northern Harrier would be a lifebird for you, then the Tallgrass Prairie should be your next birding destination. At the top of the plateau, we broke out of the roadside bushes and trees next to a field that's NOT fenced in by barbed wire so I suggested that we spread ourselves out across the field and walk down some distance (facing away from the sun), to see if we could scare up any longspurs. Well, scare 'em up, we did!! All Smith's, according to Bill Carrell (thanks, Bill, for your expertise), and we scared up a mess of 'em, at least 40-50. To date, I have never actually SEEN a Smith's Longspur clearly, but I did see the buffy bellies on these guys and noticed the white feathers in their tails and now that I've heard it so often, I'd know that flight call anywhere. Some of the group got much better looks at the birds than I did and I was pleased for them, especially since longspurs are a winter specialty much sought-after at the Tallgrass Prairie. Well, after I'd ruined my loafers (forgot to change into my hiking boots) and we'd traipsed all the way down the field, we trudged back uphill to the cars and continued our tour. We found a Loggerhead Shrike that had the decency to remain on the powerline next to the road so the group (strung out in _10_ cars!!) got to see him. At a small pond, we found Mallards, Ring-necked Ducks, Green-winged Teal, and No. Shovelers before they spooked and flew off. On down the road, we found Amer. Kestrels and the first of maybe a half-dozen Rough-legged Hawks that we saw all day. I learned later that the Rough-leggeds were lifebirds for some of our group so that was a good feeling, too. We definitely saw enough of them that everyone in the group agreed: if I ever see one of those again, I'll definitely know what it is. We pulled into a turnout after seeing several large hawks apparently squabbling in the air so we could get out of the cars and take a closer look. One was obviously a mature Bald Eagle, but we were thrilled when we realized that THE OTHER _TWO_ WERE GOLDEN EAGLES!!!!! and they were really giving that Bald Eagle a bad time!!!! I managed to latch onto one of the Goldens with my scope, getting a kick-ass look at his golden mantle, the dark wing linings (underside) with whiter feathers showing behind them out near the wingtips, and the whitish tail with broad dark band at the tip---this was an immature bird. Of course, we never figured out why the young Goldies were chasin' after that Baldie, but the whole encounter was SOOO exciting to watch!! I usually tell people that I've watched Golden Eagles fly over the picnic table area (near the Refuge HQ/gift shop) while I'm eating my lunch, but I've never seen TWO Goldies at the same time, let alone mixin' it up with a Baldie. What a treat! and definitely the highlight of the morning. Then someone noticed a small flock of Horned Larks fly into the field just beyond where our cars were parked, another lifebird for some of our group. We had about 8-10 scopes on 'em so everyone got terrific looks at these dainty, dapper little birds. Our next stop was the indoor toilets at the Refuge HQ (MO-O-OST welcome!!) followed by a leisure lunch break at the picnic tables where we were entertained by the antics of 4-6 Red-headed Woodpeckers, chickadees, Carolina Wren, and at least one Downy Woodpecker. Bill Carrell said he heard a Hairy Woodpecker in a nearby tree but we were unable to locate it. After lunch, we drove into Fouracre, didn't see much on the way, and now I never have to go there again. And then after circling around the Bison Loop, everyone headed for home. It was a perfect day to be out on the Prairie, especially with no wind anywhere, and all the Longspurs and Hawks and Eagles!! (and Horned Larks). O My!! Cyndie Browning
|
|
|