May 10 - Mount Rushmore

It was frosty again this morning, and I ate ‘continental’ breakfast at the common room of the Sagebrush Inn before continuing my trek across the continent to Ohio.  I left Broadus and drove southeast on Hwy 212 & cut across the northeast corner of Wyoming into South Dakota.  I gassed up and got a latté in Belle Fourche, and dropped down to Sturgis,

Isn't Sturgis all about Motorcycles?

and then to Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

This is a memorial to four of America’s premier Executives, conceived by historian Doane Robinson, and brought to fruition by sculptor Gutzon Borglum.  Borglum was a child of Mormon Polygamy, was the initial carver of the Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial, and was one of six Knights who sat on the Imperial Koncilium in 1923, which transferred leadership of the Ku Klux Klan from Imperial Wizard Colonel Simmons to Imperial Wizard Hiram Evans.  Nice guy.  They don’t teach you about this stuff in school . . .

I walked the Presidents’ Trail, and the “nature” trail, and watched the video of the history and creation of the Mount Rushmore memorial.

I sent a shot of the mountain to some friends, and one - Doug - noted that there was room for Donald Trump’s head on the mountain.  I replied that it would have to be on the Far Right.

My birding goal here was to see a White-winged Junco, which is endemic to the Black Hills region.  It was considered a separate species until it was “lumped” with the other subspecies of the Dark-eyed Junco in 1976.  There were a few feeding just below the visitors’ center.

Yup. They look a lot like the Slate-colored Junco . . .

Leaving the monument, there was a small group of Mountain Goats feeding alongside the road, showing no fear of the people or vehicles in close proximity.

No Fear!

On the road out, a small herd of pronghorn were grazing, and a coyote was hunting her way through a prairie dog town.

Pronghorn - Antilocapra americana

Coyote - Canis latrans

I stopped to eat a quick snack at the Wind Cave National Park, and walked a bit around the Prairie Vista trail.  The site is important to many of the Lakota people, as Wind Cave is the sacred site in their oral creation story.  This is where the Pte Oyate - Buffalo Nation People - emerged from inside Mother Earth and became Ikce Wicasa - Common People.

Then it was time to make some miles.  I dropped down through the Pine Ridge Reservation.  I thought about stopping at Wounded Knee, but in my old age, I’ve developed an aversion to visit places where murders and genocides have taken place.  Perhaps there truly are Spirits remaining on the land.  I continued east on Highway 18 to the town of Martin, then dropped south to US Hwy 20 and east to Valentine, Nebraska.  I checked into the Raine Motel for $67.19, and ate an order of the ribs special at the attached restaurant.  I’d never tried the Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy before, and probably won’t again.  I also tried a Kinkaider’s Devil’s Gap jalapeño ale, which would also be a beer that I’d drink on a hot summer day if the beer was cold enough.

Mount Rushmore eBird Checklist is Here

Wind Cave National Park eBird Checklist is Here

March 13 - Back to Nisqually NWR

It was 30° and overcast when we got up, and I went out to Nisqually after seeing Marty off to work.  The Refuge volunteers lead a bird walk every Wednesday, meeting at the Visitors’ Center at 8 a.m., and I try to get out there when I'm in town.  The walk is structured so that participants can leave any time, and there are breaks where the morning group slowly melts away until a half-dozen “intrepid” (crazy?) birders complete the entire 5-to-6 mile walk.  It’s all level ground, so not strenuous.

Two dozen birders followed the ‘usual’ route through the Heritage orchard, along the service road and boardwalk to the Twin Barns, then out the north dike to the estuary boardwalk.

Today, besides the birds, the Wednesday walkers were treated to quite a number of mammalian wildlife, including deer,

Columbian Black-tailed Deer

coyote,

This song dog paid little attention to the birders

raccoon,

So shy . . .

and mink among others.

American Mink Neovison vison (I liked the old name: Mustela vision)

After crossing the log, he rubbed his scent glands all over the willows

Sometimes, there were bird-mammal interactions . . .

Great Blue Heron captures a Vole (Microtus sp.)

Re-arranges . . .

Positions . . .

Aaannd - - - Swallows!

as well as bird-fish interactions.  The birds always seem to come out the better in these exchanges.

Double-crested Cormorant caught a Starry Flounder

We watched, rather than photographed, a Peregrine make a serious attempt at catching a Green-winged Teal, but she missed, and the teal got away having only lost a big tuft of feathers.  Sometimes, you just have to revel in the event, instead of attempting to document it.

Elizabeth reveling in the moment

But, there are always birds to be seen.

Mew Gull Larus canus

Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca

Canada Goose Branta canadensis

Male Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon

Curious pose for a Song Sparrow

Below, Volunteer leader Shep Thorp checks out one of the two Bald Eagle nests on the west bank of McAllister Creek. One nest is visible through scopes from the south end of the estuary boardwalk, and the other from near the north end.

Also, from the end of the boardwalk, you can see the Luhr Beach WDFW facility

The walk usually passes by the Nisqually River overlook on the return to the starting point.  Here, a Glaucous-winged Gull rested on a cottonwood drift log.

Although both Barn and Great Horned Owls have been seen in recent weeks, we did not see either species today.  I was intrigued by a male Mallard - as told by his yellow, rather than orange and black bill - that seemed to either have retained immature plumage, or might have a hormone issue and showed ‘female’ feathering?

Starting to get some color in his head . . .

Most Mallard drakes are in full alternate plumage this time of year

Back at the beginning, we found that the Visitors’ Center pond held several surprises among the usual suspects.

A pair of Wilson’s Snipe lounged in the afternoon sun,

Good place for a "Snipe Hunt"

as did a large Red-eared Slider.

Not native to Washington, but always fun to see

Nisqually NWR eBird Checklist is Here