Our trip north covered 2,015 miles through the Hill Country of Texas to the Grasslands of the Plains, to the Mountains of Montana. We found many new year birds along the way, many common to all you northerners, but fun to see when they have been absent for many months for us.
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| Least Bittern, just arriving in S. Texas as we were leaving. |
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| Orchard Oriole, another new arrival |
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| Black-capped Vireo - a specialty of the Texas Hill Country |
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| Yellow-breasted Chat - calling everywhere in the Hill Country |
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| Eastern Kingbird, very high and traveling north |
After miles of driving on our second day, we planned to stay the night in a park (where we have camped many times before) in the Cimarron National Grasslands in Southwest Kansas. After we were sleeping over an hour, we get a knock on the door. It's the Sherrif and he says we can't stay here because of Covid 19 regulations, that the park is now only for "day use". Somewhere there was a very small sign that we missed and he made us move. So, in the dark, we pack up and move two miles up the road to a truck pull off and stay there. Didn't make much sense, but what does now days.
There were some nice birds in the park, like this beautiful Red-headed Woodpecker.
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| Black-tailed Jack Rabbit |
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| Horned Lark, with the "horns" sticking up |
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| Castle Rocks near Gering Nebraska |
Our last RV Park had this great view of one of the castle rocks. Then it was an 8 hour drive to Livingston, Montana where we will be for the next 2 months.
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| Cassin's Finch |
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| Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker |
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| Cliff Swallows building mud nests under a bridge at Sacagewea Park in Livingston, Montana |
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| One of our first American Robins of the year, they rarely come to South Texas |
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| A gem in the forest - Lazuli Bunting |
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| We put up a feeder in Ty's brother's yard, and guess who showed up? |
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| Common Yellowthroat |
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| Wood Ducks love the ponds at Sacagewea Park |
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| One female gets to choose one of her many suitors, looks like an argument going on |
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| God really did a magnificent job creating this duck |
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| Another new year bird came to the feeder - American Goldfinch |
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| The only swallow we were missing from our year list - The Violet-green Swallow |
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| A young Beaver was busy munching on some grass and collecting some for later. |
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| Time to take it back to the lodge |
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| A Pine Siskin is enjoying the new Dandilion seeds |
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| Evening Grosbeak |
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| Gray Catbird - another First of Year bird. |
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| Yellow-rumped Warbler - Audubon's race |
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| Our first Western Tanager |
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| Western Wood Pewee |
Here it is on Memorial Day weekend and we get a day of snow, thankfully it didn't last long and didn't hurt the Lilacs and the Apple Blossoms.
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| Daryl & Vicki, Ty's Brother |
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Abi & Rachel, Daryl & Vicki's Granddaughters
Coming from 100 degree S. Texas to as low as 31 degrees at night
is taking an adjustment but we are enjoying the visit,
the great meals, and the beautiful Yellowstone River area.
Love & Prayers,
Ty & Ida Baumann |
