"What a thousand acres of Silphiums looked like when they tickled the bellies of the buffalo is a question never again to be answered, and perhaps not even asked." -Aldo Leopold
I have previously discussed and shared a number of our photos from previous trips to Quivira NWR. Steve and I recently returned from a short trip to central Kansas and I wanted to share a quick photo. Last year we had sure looks and photos of Hudsonian Godwits. This year one of the highlights of the trip was finding a group of 23 Marbled Godwits.
Marbled Godwit
We were a bit earlier this year than last and this combined with a longer, cooler spring, bird species diversity and overall numbers were a tad lower. Constant abusing winds made the cool temperatures nearly unbearable to sustain for long, especially with two dudes who dressed for spring. But, we just worked a little harder and made the best use of good light, higher temps and calmer winds when we could find them. Another unforgettable trip.
Missouri is home to three giant white swan species that can be difficult to distinguish without a bit of training or education. All three swans belong to the genus Cygnus and rank among the largest waterfowl on the planet. The first species we will consider is the Trumpeter Swan (C. buccinator). Ranked as both the largest waterfowl species in the world and the largest flying bird of North America, the Trumpeter Swan is considered a conservation success. Beginning in the 1600s the birds were collected for their meat, skins and feathers. This unregulated slaughter lasted until the passage of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which provided the species some protection. Their population rebounded from a level as low as 32 birds documented in 1932 to 15,000 – 20,000 estimated today. Trumpeter Swans only winter in Missouri, spending their summer nesting season from the upper great plains up to Alaska. As many as 600 birds have been counted at Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary during a winter season.
Trumpeter Swans
The Tundra Swan (C. columbianus) are more widespread across North America compared to its larger relative, the Trumpeter. And, although they far outnumber the Trumpeter in total population, the Trumpeter is actually the more abundant winter resident in Missouri. For reasons unknown, this winter we have seen an unusually high number of the comparatively rare Tundra, giving birders something to be excited about.
In single species groups, especially at a distance, the two species can be challenging to tell apart. However, when seen up close and spaced closely together, the differences are more easily identified. On average, the Tundra is 1/3 to 1/2 the size of the Trumpeter. In addition the border of the black color surrounding the bill is different in the two species and the Tundra usually has a yellow spot on the lores, near the base of the bill. I’ll guide you to your favorite field guide for more specifics. With this information, can you spot the four Tundras in the image below?
Mix of Swans
Here is a closeup of the two species in flight. Easy to spot the Tundra here. Right?
Trumpeter : Tundra – 2.1
It was such a treat being able to watch a group of Tundras carrying on…
Tundra Swans
Finally, our last (and quietest) of Missouri’s Cygnus – the Mute Swan (C. olor). The Mute is native to the old world and exists in North America as a naturalized resident. Still raised and sold on the captive market, the Mute is typically a year-round resident in these parts, moving only to find open water in the dead of winter. These birds are easily recognized by the large, orange-collored bills, often with a bulge at its base. I photographed this pair at Binder Lake S.P.
Mute Swans
There you are, a quick overview of the Missouri’s white giants.
I’m finally ready to share a few more images from a float down the upper third or so of the Current River that Steve and I had the great fortune to experience this past October. We started at navigable mile 8.0 at Cedar Grove Access and pulled out three days later at mile 51, the confluence of the Current and that other, oh-so desirable, Ozark stream – the Jacks Fork. If one floats slow and quiet, the opportunity to see wildlife is very high in this National Park (Ozark National Scenic Riverways N.P.). I’v shared a couple of images of these guys previously. I believe we found 8-9 Mink during the first day of this float. It was enjoyable watching them busily hunt along the stream banks, mostly oblivious to our presence. As usual, Steve did a great job in keeping us quiet and pointed in the optimal direction for capturing some images.
American Mink
It was quite a challenge to keep up with these guys as they fished. This one below had caught a nice-sized crayfish and barely slowed to stop and enjoy his snack.
Ozark Lobster!
Here is a photo of one investigating the water prior to dipping back in.
Testing the Water
Not only does a float down the Current allow for great observations of wildlife, but many geological features are most easily seen by being on the river as well. Cave Spring can now be accessed via a nice newer trail, but it is much nicer accessing it by boat. The endpoint of a vast and interesting karst drainage system, Cave Spring rises from the back of a short cave. At the rear of this cave one can guide a boat over the vertical conduit of the spring, which is ~155 feet deep! What an eerie sensation it is to shine your light down and still see no more than a fraction of the length of the conduit shaft. In the image below, I am on a dry exposed shelf adjacent to the spring’s outlet and Steve is guiding the canoe towards the river.
Cave Spring
Pultite is a spring found on this upper stretch of the Current River that is surrounded on all sides except the river by private property. This means that one must boat or wade/swim to visit it. At only ~ 1/10 the output of Big Spring, Pultite is still quite a good-sized spring with and average daily output of ~ 25 million gallons. The effluent channel on this one is quite attractive and I hope to visit more often.
Pultite Channel
If day one was for the Mink, day two was our River Otter day. We had no Mink, but 5 or 6 of these large weasels were spotted.
North American River Otter
Not to forget the birds! These days, a trip to nearly any permanent Missouri water source will likely bring an encounter with a Bald Eagle. Observing these guys in the Ozarks will never get old to me.
Bald Eagle
Another constant companion on these floats are the Fish Crows, here pictured finishing up a little Ozark lobster.
Fish Crow
We were fortunate in having mostly clear and dry skies on this trip, which allowed us to throw our bags directly on whatever gravel bar that struck our fancy and sleep directly underneath the stars. A morning fire was necessary – not only to burn the dew off of our sleeping bags, but of course, for the river-water French-press coffee. Dark skies on these streams afford great opportunities for astrophotography. My only wish for this trip is that I was a little more tolerant of the cold, tiredness and laziness that limited my patience for getting better nightscape images… 😉
Nightscape on the Upper Current
I will be posting more images of this trip on my Flickr account in the near future. Thanks for visiting and I hope to post again in the near future.
One dream I have is to visit the tundra nesting grounds of the shorebirds in the arctic of northern Alaska and witness the territorial displays and nesting activities of these fascinating creatures. Probably the species I am most keen on observing would have to be the Pectoral Sandpiper.
Pectoral Sandpiper
The “Pec” looks like a larger, slightly better dressed Least Sandpiper, and are relatively common to see during migration in Missouri. It is when on the nesting grounds when this “pre-lek” species shows its true colors. Watch this video and this video. Their “thunder booming”, reminiscent of a Prairie Chicken, while in flight display is truly impressive and can be heard here:
As the above photo suggests, this is a species more comfortable with its feet in grass than on the sand or mud, such as typically found with other calidrids.
Many thanks to Connie and Jo Alwood who turned me on to this Virginia Rail they were watching this spring at BK Leach Conservation Area. The midday light was poor for photography, but the bird was cooperative as it hunted among the cattails. A couple of weeks later Sarah and I made a visit to BK Leach and found even more great rail habitat. We were able to watch three more Virginia Rails and of course I left the camera at home…
Please have a look at Jo Alwood’s YouTube Channel. I find it to be a treasure of Missouri wildlife documentary that ranks up there with the likes of Charles and Elizabeth Schwartz and Marty Stouffer.
One has to love a plover. These birds are often the only obvious sign of life in some pretty rough places. Adorable little fluff balls, Snowy Plovers can be found on salt flats and beaches on the pacific and gulf coasts as well as deep into the Caribbean. There are also populations that nest inland, such as the ones we encountered in central Kansas. I was quite fortunate to find these birds on salt flats in Kansas as well as Puerto Rico within a month apart… 🙂
Snowy Plover
Steve and I encountered somewhere in the neighborhood of 3-5 active nests during our early May visit to Quivira. Unfortunately, no chicks decided to hatch while we were there. It was difficult to leave without seeing the little chicks.
Snowy Plover
Most populations of Snowy Plover are doing well, relative to other Plover species. This inland nesting population is the only population that does any real migrating, coastal populations typically stick to one area of coast.
Snowy Plover
The little guy above is hiking through some of the salt tolerant vegetation that dominate these salt flat habitats.
Snowy Plover
Steve and I were tickled by the ability of these birds to live and work in constant 30-40 mph winds. Facing into the wind, the bird on its nest pictured above documents just that. We noted that when the parents left the nest, the eggs were placed such that they did not budge in the wind, although I am sure they lose heat quickly in such circumstances. Another one of my favorites… 😉
In that half-forgotten era, With the avarice of old, Seeking cities he was told Had been paved with yellow gold,
In the kingdom of Quivira-
Came the restless Coronado To the open Kansas plain, With his knights from sunny Spain; In an effort that, though vain,
Thrilled with boldness and bravado.
In the year 1540 a band of Spaniards led by ultra-badass Francisco Vasquez de Coronado set out to find the fabled “Seven Cities of Cibola” within the kingdom known as “Quivira”. You can probably guess why. The region was supposedly overflowing with rich mines of gold and silver, and New Spain was bound and determined to get some of that. Coronado’s righteous expedition, into what is now central Kansas, yielded no riches to return to the crown and was thus considered a failure.
Fast forward 475 years when a two-man expedition, this time based in the french port of Saint Louis, set out for the Kingdom of Quivera. This expedition would in fact find riches that Coronado wouldn’t have noticed unless they were hanging from his fire spit. Way back in early May (where in the world is time going?), Steve and I packed up the N.E.V. and headed west to Quivira NWR to observe one of the natural wonders of the great plains.
Long-billed Curlew
League by league, in aimless marching, Knowing scarcely where or why, Crossed they uplands drear and dry, That an unprotected sky
Had for centuries been parching.
But their expectations, eager, Found, instead of fruitful lands, Shallow streams and shifting sands, Where the buffalo in bands Roamed o’er deserts dry and meager.
This section of south-central Kansas (near the town of Great Bend) is a crossroads of different habitat type and is a critical staging area for migrating birds throughout the central flyway. Parts tallgrass prairie, shortgrass prairie, sand prairie, salt marsh, salt flats and fresh water wetlands – this region is used by birds of the east and the west. More than 340 species of bird have been documented within the NWR and it has been estimated that up to 90% of all shorebirds that use the Central Flyway (and up to 45% of all NA shorebirds) on their way to arctic nesting grounds will stop here and in nearby Cheyenne Bottoms Reserve to have a fill-up.
Blue Grosbeak
Back to the scenes more trite, yet tragic, Marched the knights with armor’d steeds; Not for them the quiet deeds; Not for them to sow the seeds
From which empires grow like magic.
For centuries the Europeans looked upon the prairie – particularly the short-grass regions of the great plans – as worthless desert. Although the livestock – cows and green-colored deere the Europeans introduced nearly extinguished these grassland habitats, these few low and wet patches were mostly spared and are now offered some, if imperfect protection.
American Avocet and Wilson’s Phalarope
Thus Quivira was forsaken; And the world forgot the place Through the lapse of time and space. Then the blue-eyed Saxon race
Came and bade the desert waken.
— Eugene Ware —
It has been a crazy spring, with this trip, a short sail along the Jacks Fork and a puddle jump to the enchanted isle of Puerto Rico (another former Spanish colony). I will be sharing much more about the birds and ecosystems of the Kingdom of Quivira as well as the rest of these locals over the coming weeks and months.
Thanks so much for paying a visit and keeping in touch.
OZB
You can email me at: handsomeozarkbillyboy@gmail.com
This past Saturday I headed up north on Highway 79. Knowing that the frigid temps and predicted winds of 30 mph + would not afford many great opportunities, the chance of snow in these areas made me think that something interesting could happen. Here are a few I thought worthy to share.
Harrier Still HuntingSnow Falling on PintailsFebruary
Hello again. Although I promised myself I would get this post out on time this year, here we are on Valentine’s Day. Of course, I still have not processed everything I intend to from 2014, but I think I’ve finished the major images by now. Like last year, this is not necessarily my “best” images of the year, but a list comprised of images that captured something special to me, while being at least a competent photograph. Once again, I was nearly frozen by the list of images to choose from. I had one fewer landscape and one more wildlife image this year compared to last, for whatever that is worth. Follow the links to the posts that each image was featured in.
Although it lacked a happy ending (see original post), Steve and I were absolutely thrilled in getting an opportunity to view and photograph a sought after nesting species. The nest location was poorly lit, being well concealed in the foliage at Hawn S.P. However, with a tripod and shutter release cable, it is something to see how slow you can take the shutter speed in these situations.
This one was from our last stay in the cabins at Big Spring S.P. for a number of years (due to closing during renovation work). It turned out to be a pretty interesting sunset, with just a couple minutes of fire.
From our vernal Big Spring trip. I was quite happy with this image, although I was hoping the white dogwood blossoms behind the bird would be a little more distinct. Oh well, always room for improvement.
Male Pine Warbler, Big Spring State Park, April 2014
From our literally unforgettable day in the canoe in the waters of Mingo. This image was taken later in the day and showcases what a sun-star pattern from a nine-bladed aperture diaphragm can look like. Kudos to Canon for putting this feature in all of their new f4 zoom “L” lenses in the past several years.
I had to place at least one image from my time in Brazil from this year. I was able to make images of quite a few species, but this patient Jacamar might be the most memorable. We came across this guy in Serra do Mar State Park in Brazil’s Atlantic Rain-forest while on a birding/nature hike. It sat while we got great views and some photographs.
Although I questioned why I would want to bring up the memory of not having an appropriate lens to shoot snakes on “Snake Road”, I still love this image and the memories it contains of shooting this Timer Rattlesnake with a 500mm “bird lens”. Shoot, I bet most of you are thinking I did have the most appropriate lens for the job. 😉
Taken on Sarah and My trip out west this past September. This image was taken inside the National Elk Refuge. In the waning light, Sarah and I came across these two cottonwood with nicely shadowed foothills lying before the Tetons.
It’s a usable photograph of one of the rarest nesting birds in Missouri. What else is there to say? What a memory. My only regret is always forgetting that my dSLR cameras are capable of taking great video. Video of this guys singing would have been the icing on the cake.
Steve and I had two great experiences with River Otters in 2014. This one was taken on the Eleven Point this autumn and shows mom and all four of the kids in one tight shot.
I could have picked a dozen from the weeks spent at the nest to put into my top ten. I’m not sure why I chose this one, other than it is among my favorites of hundreds of keepers from the nest. Although mom never stayed to feed the young while we were watching, she did often bring prey to the nest as is seen in this image.
Bald Eagle Nest Week Three – Mom Brings a Fish
Well, that summarizes a good bit of what I was fortunate enough to capture in 2014. Thanks so much to Sarah and Steve and everyone who was part of these experiences. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2015!
In case you have not heard, Missouri had it’s first documented visit by an Ivory Gull this past month. This species is typically found north – way north. We’re talking fighting with Polar Bears for scraps north. Once in a while a species like this gets way off track and can be found far from home. This bird was found in the marina and lock and dam areas at Quincy Illinois and Missouri.
Ivory Gull
Folks flocked from as far as Texas and Florida, to the Carolinas and New England. This was a potential once in a lifetime bird, unless you took a trip to their normal range.
Ivory Gull Hanging with the Locals
Although we were not fortunate enough to get super close looks in great light, Steve and I were thrilled with watching the bird for several hours over the course of an extremely cold and windy Sunday.
Ivory Gull
At least one photographer paid a local to motor him past the gull to get a closer shot. A truly surreal experience.
