April 17 - Black Mesa Country

I’d wakened sometime during the night to hear coyotes yipping a ways out.  Then I woke again when George, the cow dog, barked for a half-an-hour or so.  I figured that she must have been keeping us safe from the song dogs.

Those of us staying at the Hitching Post assembled for breakfast at 7:30/6:30 Central/Mtn time, and the Black Mesa group joined us at 8:30.  We birded around Kenton for a bit, and were pleasantly surprised by a pair of Evening Grosbeaks in the B&B’s elm trees.

We checked out the feeders in town, but saw nothing “new” for the trip.

Male Cowbird going for the seed

While a Gambel's White-crowned Sparrow waits its turn

Jimmy then had us drive up to Camp Billy Joe youth camp and we walked up the trail looking for Juniper Titmice or Scrub Jays, but found only Bushtits and Townsend’s Solitaires.  We continued on into the State Park campground again, and were greeted by the Angus and “Black Baldys” along the road.

As we drove in, I spotted 8 Black Night-herons flushed from a roost in the cottonwoods behind the Rangers’ residence, and got the other birders on them after some of them re-lit in the trees.
Coming through the campground, we found a couple Lesser Goldfinches mixed in with the dozens of American Goldfinch, House Finch, and White-crowned Sparrows.  Say’s Phoebes are ubiquitous.

Lesser Goldfinch and House Finch flock

The backs of the Lessers are much more green in color than those of the American Goldfinch

Our group began thinning out even more, as Bill and Mary peeled off, and the Michiganders left for more adventure.  Five of us braved the 30-knot winds at the Lake Etling overlook, before Larry and Jan said their goodbyes.

The white dot in the lake is a White Pelican . . .

The Park buildings are on the far shore

Jimmy, Barrett and I backtracked toward Dan Robinson’s place, to look for a Sage Thrasher that Dan had reported to Jimmy.  En route, we stopped at an abandoned farmstead, where there were a number of migrating Hermit Thrushes in the trees.

There are many abandoned farmsteads in Oklahoma. The country is not full . . .

There was also a small grave site for Douglas A. Clifton, 1948-2014.  Makes a person wonder what the circumstances are that his remains ended up in this deserted place?

Requiescat In Pace, Douglas Clifton

We didn’t find the Thrasher at the Robinson place, but we did find a Rock Wren, and sorted through the sparrow flock to find a couple juncos, a Savannah and several Vesper Sparrows.

Jimmy Woodard led a great trip to the Panhandle for the LPCF

Barrett took his leave, heading back to Texas.  I joined Jimmy at the Boise City Subway shop for a light lunch, then headed back to LeRoss’ place in Kenton for one more night.  On the way, I did stop at the Fort Nichols monument, along the Santa Fe Trail.  The fort was built by Kit Carson’s New Mexico and California volunteers to protect Anglo travelers on the trail from Kiowa and Comanche raiders, but only operated from May to September of 1865.

Kenton eBird Checklist is Here

Boy Scout Camp Billy Joe eBird Checklist is Here

Black Mesa State Park eBird Checklist is Here

Lake Carl Etling eBird Checklist is Here

Abandoned Farmstead eBird Checklist is Here

Robinson Place (private) eBird Checklist is Here