After the movie I was ready for dinner and a rest so I headed to Bottomless Lakes State Park and my campsite for the night..
.I neglected to get a photo of my site I got there at dark anyway and headed for the shower house. After that I had a sandwich and worked to upload a few photos to Flickr. They had free WiFi there. Another storm hit in the night but it too was in the distance we got the wind but not the rain. In the morning I took some photos of the park on my way out..
.I neglected to get a photo of my site I got there at dark anyway and headed for the shower house. After that I had a sandwich and worked to upload a few photos to Flickr. They had free WiFi there. Another storm hit in the night but it too was in the distance we got the wind but not the rain. In the morning I took some photos of the park on my way out..
The swimming area in the park
There is a tower that birds find handy...
an English House Sparrow had a nest in there somewhere..
nearby white crowned sparrows vied for a good perching spot...
There's a brackish hint to the Lazy Lagoon, it reminds me of Salt Lake...not as big but the way it smelled...
Other pools in the park are like this the Devil's Ink Well. These were created by volcanic forces, when sink holes opened up and water filled them...original measurements done with cowboy ropes so even tho they determined no bottom, the Ink Well is actually 50 ft in depth.
Devils Ink Well
I noticed the beautiful work of the CCC in these buildings...
After a quick trip around the park I headed back toward Roswell to visit Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
Just a few miles away from town and back toward the direction of my travel. This hawk had me pull over to take his photo of this Swainson's Hawk.
Just a few miles away from town and back toward the direction of my travel. This hawk had me pull over to take his photo of this Swainson's Hawk.
the Visitors Center is nice it was staffed with volunteers...when I asked what was around he told me people had reported some dragonflies, I don't think he understood my question. He and his wife were extremely nice people.
Barn swallows had a nest under the porch there and I spotted a yellow warbler in a tree out back and more scaled quail on the back overlook
barely got this quail as he zoomed out of sight...
There is an approximately 8 mile auto tour around the lakes so after a quick visit to the VC I got a stamp in my passport book, then headed around the loop drive.
...the lakes level is down but still vast!
I spotted a greater roadrunner in a tree...
and another western kingbird...
and lots of western meadowlarks and lark sparrows...
and on the water, I saw all sorts of ducks...Northern Shovelers
n shoveler
lots of coots, blue winged teals, american avocets, wilson's phalaropes, black necked stilts, and ruddy ducks.
ruddy duck
I took a Boardwalk...
I took a Boardwalk...
white faced Ibis and black necked stilts
AND finally a new bird for me showed up and in great numbers the Cinnamon Teal. Here is a pair with a B N Stilt in the background.
here is another pair...
Many Blue Winged Teal were present also...
I have waited a long time to see this DUCK! Finally..another shot of the cinnamon teal pair..
And on the way out of the Refuge 2 Mississippi Kites up in the tree.
As I headed north toward Ft Sumner, A storm was brewing...
Next my stop in Ft Sumner, NM
PEACE
Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.
You found lots of birds on this link of the trip. Love the little yellow warbler almost hidden in the tree. The Cinnamon Teals are beautiful. Had to laugh at how the cowboys tried to figure out how deep the lake was. That storm doesn't look all that friendly.
ReplyDeleteSure did it was nice to find out there was a Wildlife Refuge right in the area where I was I got that tip at the Visitors Center in Roswell...I find taking advantage of such places is normally a great idea as they know the area and if you ask the right questions, you can get some great tips. I asked where is a good place to go look at birds, and she knew exactly where to point me.
DeleteAs Jo says you saw lots of birds and many new sightings so all in all a very good trip. Maybe if you had gone when you originally planned you may not have seen so many. Who knows!!
ReplyDeleteGreat last shot, it just sums up the trip. It would make a nice header too.
Sure did, it was a very successful trip when it comes to seeing new birds! I am just happy I got to make the trip...early this yr with mom and her broken arms, it was not looking good for me to get away so I was happy my Sis stepped up to do her part.
DeleteHow cool do the Kites look! It's always nice to see a new bird too :)
ReplyDelete