Great Salt Plains – an Oklahoma treasure

There are three special days each year when I simply have to hit the road and chase birds. It’s non-negotiable. October 23rd is the third of those dates and, just like a migrating bird, I headed to the Great Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge on Sunday to hear the calls of the Sandhill Cranes and the Canada Geese, a journey I first took on the same date 34 years ago with my late husband. We were dating then, and driving to the Salt Plains on my birthday — just because it was the opening day of goose season — was not what I had in mind for that special day. A lot has changed since then and I now make the journey to celebrate how much I learned about birds and the Oklahoma countryside from Rick. This was the third birthday I’ve marked since his death and the drive to the salt flats has made each of them special.

Terri Underhill joined me and the day was cold and gray when we started our 2-hour drive. The sky cleared as we headed north but the wind stayed strong. We got our first glimpse of the Sandhill Cranes about 20 miles away from the refuge. There were hundreds of them in the air, making the most beautiful sounds. We stopped at the Great Salt Plains State Park and had a great time photographing American White Pelicans (pictured to the right) and American Avocets in their striking black-and-white winter plummage. In late October, there’s always a chance of seeing Whooping Cranes that are heading from Canada to their wintering grounds in Aransas, Texas. We saw several last year and I was able to get a picture of them in flight but we didn’t see them this year. After spending time driving around and birding with our friend from Cherokee Phyllis Hammer, we did get to see several thousand Sandhill Cranes on a bay at the refuge. We were surprised to see a Bald Eagle flying just above us and watched a falcon chasing shorebirds. We also saw a Winter Wren. This was my first sighting of the little bird and I’m still angry that didn’t get any photos of it. A big regret but a good reason to head back to the Salt Plains.

The journey home was filled with scenes of winter wheat growing in the fields of Alfalfa County and Red-tailed Hawks on utility poles along the road. There’s no better way to heal a broken heart than sharing the day with friends, an eagle and the magnificent birds of the Great Salt Plains.