South Dakota: National Grasslands

It’s 3:45 am, and I can’t sleep … however not because I am lying awake trying to solve the problems of the world. Rather my B&B (appropriately titled Eagle’s View) is located atop a hill and I am enjoying watching the flash of lighting across the sky as thunder storms march across the prairie from tens of miles away.

One might also ask if it is really 2:45 am, not 3:45 am. You see I am located in Fort Pierre, South Dakota which is on the western bank of the Missouri River and officially in the Mountain Time Zone (the river is the dividing line). Its partner town is Pierre, South Dakota … located on the eastern banks of the Missouri River, but in the Central Time Zone. The folks in Fort Pierre choose to run their lives by the Central Time Zone. Makes sense! Officially they are wrong, but I like their approach. This is what Google says if you ask what time time Fort Pierre is located within: “Although Fort Pierre is located in the Mountain Time Zone, most residents of the city use Central Time because of close social and economic ties with Pierre, which is located in the Central Time Zone”.

Now how does this affect my birding? The answer is in a great way. From Duluth I have moved quite a bit south and west, and by local agreement sunrise is at 6 am this time of year, not 5 am. Thus, I can leave shortly before 6 am … get in some great sunrise birding, but be back to my B&B by 9:00 am for breakfast.

Golden Eagle Sunrise

For years I have wanted to see a Golden Eagle (not an immature Bald Eagle) close-up. Tuesday morning I found this Golden Eagle using the only trees around for miles and miles for its domicile and hunting platforms. Its breakfast platform was the wooden poles / entryway to a local ranch. (observe on the close-ups of the Golden Eagle how its feathers go all the way down to its talons … unlike a Bald Eagle which does not have feathers all the way down its legs)

Now more of the sunrise. Just before I found the Golden Eagle I drove across the grasslands as the sun was coming up. Make certain you “listen” to my short video. The Western Meadowlarks were greeting the dawn. (video link for email subscribers)

There will be a lot more posts from the Fort Pierre National Grasslands. I am waaayyy behind in processing my images and experiences.

Friday I finished 40 straight radiation treatments for cancer. The family said I needed to do something to celebrate my life being on hold for the past two months (not to mention the stress … cancer markers have gone to zero!)

Anyhow, I decided to follow the adage: Go West, Young Man, Go West! The problem is I am not a young man, but who cares!! Thus, yesterday afternoon after a looonng drive from northeastern Minnesota I found myself checking into a delightful inn (Eagle’s View B&B) in Fort Pierre, South Dakota, but more importantly for me my lodging is very near the Fort Pierre National Grasslands. The grasslands are beautiful, and it is interesting to think that the Great Plains used to pretty much all look like these grasslands. I arrived in the area early enough to spend a delightful late afternoon, early evening birding in the grasslands. I hear horror stories about how crowded the national parks are this summer. Well guess what? I was the only human enjoying nature at this location. However there were thousands of birds.

On the drive over I kept my eyes pointed at any pothole I drove past, and was rewarded with super close-up views of this American Avocet.

Then it was on to the National Grasslands. I even had a pair of Burrowing Owls force their way onto my camera. I was definitely NOT looking for owls. Honest!

Some of birding friends from the National Grasslands …

Burrowing Owls