Greenleaf State Park ("Ankle Express" Hiking Trail) - Braggs, Oklahoma - June 18, 2010

About Greenleaf State Park:

http://www.travelok.com/listings/view.profile/id.3236

About the "Ankle Express" Hiking Trail:

http://www.singletracks.com/bike-trails/oklahoma-ankle-express-hiking-trail-greenleaf-state-park.html

http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/622587

Location: Greenleaf State Park (Braggs, OK)

Map:  http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=74120&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.214763,56.337891&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Tulsa,+Oklahoma+74120&ll=35.616802,-95.16778&spn=0.016641,0.043774&t=h&z=15


Observation date: 6/18/10

Number of species: 17

Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias   5

Great Egret - Ardea alba   2

Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura   6

Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura   2

Yellow-billed Cuckoo - Coccyzus americanus   2

Northern Flicker - Colaptes auratus   1

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - Tyrannus forficatus  3

Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata   3

American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos   4

Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica   75

Carolina Chickadee - Poecile carolinensis   3

Carolina Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus   8

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Polioptila caerulea   3

Black-and-white Warbler - Mniotilta varia   1

Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis   2

Indigo Bunting - Passerina cyanea   3

Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus   3

    A friend and I decided to hike the first portion of the Ankle Express trail on June 18th. We started at the trailhead and eventually reached the furthest extent of our hike about a mile north of the hanging bridge on Greenleaf Lake's east shore.

-Great Blue Heron photo courtesy of Terry Foote, via Wikipedia

-Blue-gray Gnatcatcher photo courtesy of Daniel Berganza, via Wikipedia

-SPQ 6/19/2010

Roadside Table - near Fort Supply, Oklahoma - June 11, 2010

Location: Roadside Table - near Fort Supply, Oklahoma


Observation date: 6/11/10

Number of species: 2

Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica   2

Lark Sparrow - Chondestes grammacus   1
 
     We stopped at a roadside table just west of Fort Supply to rest before pushing on to Tulsa. I noticed that a Barn Swallow was making quite a bit of noise nearby and kepy circling the table we were at. I looked above us, at the aluminium roof covering the table, and noticed a mud-based nest tucked away in the corner of the roof.
 

The Barn Swallows (another one appeared as I found the nest) were worried about our proximity to their nest. As we headed back to the
car I spotted a lone Lark Sparrow sitting on a barbed-wire fence.
 
-Lark Sparrow photo courtesy of naturepicsonline.com, via Wikipedia
 
-Nest photo courtesy of Wikipedia
 
-SPQ 6/19/2010

City Park (HWY-412 & HWY-54) - Guymon, Oklahoma - June 11, 2010

Location: City Park (HWY-412 & HWY-54) - Guymon, Oklahoma

Map:  http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=guymon+Ok&sll=37.145061,-104.565468&sspn=0.032771,0.055017&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Guymon,+Texas,+Oklahoma&ll=36.677816,-101.473922&spn=0.004122,0.006877&t=h&z=17


Observation date: 6/11/10

Number of species: 2

Mississippi Kite - Ictinia mississippiensis   1

Western Kingbird - Tyrannus verticalis   3
 
    We stopped off at a city park in Guymon to rest and stretch our legs - I would end up driving from Trinidad, Colorado back to Tulsa in a straight shot (536 miles). I saw a pair of Western Kingbirds jousting with each other in the air above us. At the same time a single Mississippi Kite was gently floating overhead - no doubt in search of some insects.
 
-Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
 
-SPQ 6/19/2010

Trinidad Lake State Park - Trinidad, Colorado - June 10, 2010

About Trinidad Lake State Park:

http://www.parks.state.co.us/parks/trinidadlake/Pages/TrinidadStateParkHome.aspx

Location: Trinidad Lake State Park - Trinidad, Colorado

Map:  http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=trinidad+co&sll=38.274609,-104.666533&sspn=0.008069,0.013754&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Trinidad,+Las+Animas,+Colorado&ll=37.145061,-104.565468&spn=0.032771,0.055017&t=h&z=14


Observation date: 6/10/10

Number of species: 6

Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura   2

Eastern Kingbird - Tyrannus tyrannus   2

American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos   4

Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica   4

Mountain Bluebird - Sialia currucoides   2

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id

Curve-billed Thrasher - Toxostoma curvirostre   1
 
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Curve-billed_Thrasher/id
 

    We arrived at Trinidad Lake State Park at around noon on June 10, 2010. After setting up camp I went and hiked around one of the hiking trails near the campgrounds. Due to extremely windy coniditions I didn't see many birds (just a couple of crows).
 
   Later in the afternoon, after the winds had died down, we spent out time lounging about at the campsite and looking for birds. A Mountain Bluebird was using a tree stake as a perch 3 campsites over from ours. He would look about for prey while perched and every 45 seconds we would see him fly from his perch in pursuit of an insect. The Mountain Bluebird sighting boosts my Lifelist total to 183!
 
    Around dusk I spotted a bird foraging for insects several campsites to the north of ours. Using the scope, I was able to idenitufy him as a Curve-billed Thrasher, #184 on my Lifelist!
 
-Top photos courtesy of Shelli.
 
-Mountain Bluebird photo courtesy of Elaine R. Wilson, via Wikipedia
 
-Curve-billed Thrasher photo courtesy of Peter Wallack, via Wikipedia


-SPQ 6/19/2010

Pueblo Nature Center - Pueblo, Colorado - June 9, 2010

About the Raptor Rehabilitation Center & Pueblo Nature Center:

http://natureandraptor.org/raptor.html

Location: Pueblo Nature Center - Pueblo, Colorado

Map:  http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Pueblo+Colorado&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.214763,56.337891&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Pueblo,+Colorado&ll=38.274626,-104.666533&spn=0.008035,0.013754&t=h&z=16


Observation date: 6/9/10

Number of species: 6


Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos   3

Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica   20

European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris   4

Western Tanager - Piranga ludoviciana   1

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Tanager/id

Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula   16

House Sparrow - Passer domesticus   8
 
    We first visited the Raptor Rehabilitation center, located just outside of Pueblo off HWY-45. The center is home to over a dozen injured or maimed birds of prey. We saw 3 Golden Eagles, 3 Mississippi Kites, 2 Swainson's Hawks, 2 Bald Eagles, a Red-tailed Hawk, and a Turkey Vulture.
 
    The 2 Great Horned Owls that are usually housed there were acting as "foster parents" (we were told by an employee of the center). A pair of American Kestrels were absent too - their cage had been invaded by a hungry raccoon.  The male was killed and the female so badly wounded that she had to be euthanized. Sad.
 
   After we left the Raptor Center we followed the road down into a small canyon where both the Nature Center and a small cafe sit beside the Arkansas River. We got some coffee from the cafe and sat by the river for close to an hour. I spied a Western Tanager flying over the river, hoping from perch to perch. The Western Tanager is now 182 on my Lifelist.
 
-Photo courtesy of naturepicsonline.com , via Wikipedia
 
-SPQ 6/19/2010

Swallows State Wildlife Area - Pueblo West, Colorado - June 9, 2010

Location: Swallows State Wildlife Area - near Pueblo West, Colorado

Map:  http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=pueblo+co&sll=38.538717,-105.992242&sspn=0.004112,0.006877&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Pueblo,+Colorado&ll=38.303544,-104.859781&spn=0.033004,0.055017&t=h&z=14


Observation date: 6/9/10

Number of species: 5


Clark's Grebe - Aechmophorus clarkii   1

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/clarks_grebe/id 

Bank Swallow - Riparia riparia 10

Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica 6

Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus 2

Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula 6
 
    On the way to Pueblo we drove down several country roads to the Swallows State Wildlife Area.
 
    I looked for birds along the far-western side of the Pueblo Reservoir. I saw two species of swallows, Barn and Bank, soaring above the surface of the water in search of some insects to eat.
 
   I saw something dart underwater near the shoreline; I was unable to even guess about it's identity. Then, several minutes later, a Clark's Grebe resurfaced, looked around, and then dove back into the water in search of fish. The elusive Clark's Grebe takes his place as #181 on my Lifelist.
 
-Top photos courtesy of Shelli.
 
-Clark's Grebe Photo courtesy of Calibas, via Wikipedia
 
-SPQ 6/19/2010

Arkansas River - Salida, Colorado - June 8, 2010

Location: Arkansas River - W. Front St. & N. I St. - Salida, Colorado


Map:  http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=salida+CO&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=34.122306,56.337891&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Salida,+Chaffee,+Colorado&ll=38.538717,-105.992242&spn=0.004112,0.006877&t=h&z=17
Observation date: 6/8/10

Number of species: 4


Northern Flicker - Colaptes auratus   1

American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos   2

Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula   2

House Sparrow - Passer domesticus   1
 
    Before dinner we went down to the Arkansas River to sit and enjoy the fading day. 3 or 4 kayakers were practicing their sport in the river; it was fun to watch them churn around in the rapids.
 
   Not too many birds in the area, but I did hear the familiar call of the Northern Flicker while we sat on the bench. A pair of Common Grackle were patroling the area for food scraps.

-Photo courtesy of Shelli. 

-SPQ 6/19/2010