About the Robert S. Kerr Botanical Area:
The Robert S. Kerr Botanical Area has 3 different interpretive trails, one leading into the arboretum, one focusing on the relationship between humans and soil, and the other highlighting different aspects of trees and plants. The visitor's center is unmanned, yet has restrooms and a covered pavilion with several explanatory panels.
April 16th Excursion
I arrived at the Kerr Botanical Area at 1:30 pm, roughly ten minutes after I had left the Big Cedar Vista several miles up the Talihina Scenic Byway. I looked at the information panels in the pavilion, then walked down the main trail and examined the explanation of the interpretive trails. I was attracted to the site by the arboretum (I enjoyed the one found at Tulsa Garden Center recently), so I opted to follow the longer of the trails into the arboretum section.
Along the trail small signs would explain the basic characteristics of a tree, it's early uses by settlers and Native Americans, and the industrial uses of the tree (there is a history of logging in the area). I enjoyed being able to see a grove of certain trees and learn about their characteristics.
I walked along the trail and studied the signs, noticing a familiar ascending call ringing through the hollow. Initially, I thought it to be a Black&White Warbler but I focused my binoculars on the suspect and found it to be a Prothonotory Warbler. The familiar scolding call of a Tufted Titmouse could be discerned, most likely directed at me as I passed along the trail. Two pairs of Yellow-rumped Warblers were spotted energetically foraging among some tree branches.
I followed the trail up a small embankment and found myself overlooking a small clearing. I saw a large shape 30 yards in front of me move away and then stop. I peered through my binoculars and saw dark black fur, my assumption being that it was a badger. However, when the shape moved toward my position, I could see it was much larger than a badger. It was, in fact, a Black Bear. I slowly backed down the embankment and then briskly walked 50 yards away, hoping I didn't scare the bear. The sound of the brook must have drown out my footsteps and the lower side of the embankment kept my smell from attracting the bear's attention.
I decided that I probably shouldn't continue into the arboretum, lest I run across another bear with less fortunate results. I walked back along the arboretum trail and walked a small portion of the soil interpretation trail. I heard a piercing, ascending call and noticed some movement on the lower branch of a nearby tree. I focused on the suspect, which I first mistook for a thrush, but after consulting my Sibley Guide I determined him to be an Ovenbird (the crown stripe was a great identifier, as well as the song). I had missed the banding of an Ovenbird at the Bird Banding the previous week, so I was thrilled to get to spot one and add it to my lifelist.
I headed back to the parking area and examined my gazetteer for a new destination. I decided to change my agenda and head directly to Red Slough to camp for the night. This required a 2 hour drive south on HWY-259, through Broken Bow and Idabel to the southeast corner of Oklahoma
Bird Count:
Location: Robert S. Kerr Nature Center & Arboretum - Big Cedar, OK
Observation date: 4/16/09 Number of species: 7
Broad-winged Hawk - Buteo platypterus 1
Pileated Woodpecker - Dryocopus pileatus 1
Eastern Phoebe - Sayornis phoebe 2
Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler - Dendroica coronata 4
Prothonotary Warbler - Protonotaria citrea 2
Ovenbird - Seiurus aurocapilla 1
New Addition to SPQ's Lifelist:
149) Ovenbird
Photos:
Top: The Visitor's Center at Robert S. Kerr Botanical Area
Middle: A information panel at the base of several Short-leaf Pines
Bottom: A view of the trail and the small creek running alongside it.
-SPQ 4/21/2009
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