Theodore Roosevelt National Park - South Unit, Midwest United States (Center on Interactive Map)

National park in Southwestern North Dakota

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Trips

Moving the Car

7/11/2012: I arrived in the park early in the afternoon. After securing a campsite, I had planned on walking up to the "Big Plateau" area, but it was much too hot to try that hike until later in the day.

Finally, I got around to starting the hike. Nothing was too exciting in the lower elevations, but one I arrived on the top, I found myself in a prairie dog town the size of a small city. Prairie dogs were barking away in every direction. I looked around for a couple of hours for any predators, but they were not hanging around during the day time.

I was pretty tired and hot, and I had already drunk nearly a gallon of water, but I decided to keep pushing up toward the high point in the area. I am glad that I did. Above the prairie dogs was a prairie with longer grass in which I found a few grouse. I saw a bird off in the distance hovering, and upon a closer look, I actually found three Upland Sandpipers that were repeatedly doing a crazy flight display.

I stayed above with the Upland Sandpipers almost until night time at which point a lightning storm passed through. I was most definitely the likely lightning rod in this treeless area, so I high-tailed it back into the valley. Just before I reached the car, a juvenile Great-horned Owl was screeching about on a bluff. Its calls were answered by some "whooping" calls below. The owl led me toward the parking area, flying in front of me as I walked toward the car.

Back at the campsite, I had several bed-time cocktails in preparation for a long drive the next morning.

Birds 12, Scott 5

Previous Visit (McKenzie Slough: 7/11/2012)
Next Visit (Yellowstone National Park: 7/12/2012)

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