Day 25, Sunday July 3, 2022 At Billings MT

 Day 26, Sunday July 3, 2022 at Billings MT

One of the Wildlife Refuges we were going to see, was closed, so we chose an alternative target. In town there is a park (Shiloh Conservation Park)  that had potential (you never know for sure until you get there). It was just 15  minutes away so we headed there at about 9:30. We found a very “wildlife  friendly” park that has been created from the water overflow from the city and it has created a number of marshes and wetlands with bike and walking trails all throughout the Park. For us it meant only observing from the vehicle and the road was a very short one ,so just the “usual” birds did we see.

Many  long roads in Montana Range and crop land,

The Battle of Canyon Creek (Nex Perce) waas fought here in 1877.

How the Nez Perce escaped the Cavalry is shown here.

 We adjusted our sights and took aim at a large lake some 25-30 miles NW of the Park. It was mostly on gravel roads , but did pass by one of my favorite hero’s Battle sites.We stopped of course.  Chief Jose[h and the Nez Perce on the flight away from the US Cavalry (Col.Miles)  met the US Cavalry at Canyon Creek  and defeated them so badly they had to stop chasing the Nex Perce.  While the Nez Perce were holding off the Cavalry , the women and children escaped through a side canyon as they eluded the Cavalry. (See diagram). For me it was an exiting time to think of Chief Joseph, in this place some 145 years ago. (Sept. 1877)

We continued on past the Canyon and into the plateau that the Nez Perce used to head north. This opens up into range land and more crops especially lentils with some wheat and dry peas. We reached the village of Molt MT,  (saw two occupied houses) and continued west from there. We had just started down a road that appeared to be the one we were on, and a rancher stopped  (few cars out here on Sunday), and he said “No, go back to where you turned and follow that to the Big Lake.”  We did and eventually we saw the lake. Thank you sir!.
 

Big Lake as it is today from the south

Big Lake as it was filled in 2018 (airial)

 

 There was no access from the south side and the lake was a 1/2 mile away, so we continued to drive around it on the west side, and found a trail (2 ruts) that led to the lake. Here we were able to make out a number of birds and especially the Eared Grebes that were nesting on the lake in what we might consider “rafts”of nests all lined up together.  Excellent birding.
I carefully turned around in the grass as the one side of the road had solid turf in the grass, but the other side was a ditch.

Single lane road to Big Lake shore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pelicans on their "island". Big Lake.

A storm was brewing but we missed the rain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On our map it appeared that the road came close to the lake on the north side so we traveled the 3 miles to see. It was true and we also were able to see the island that had Pelicans nesting (many young) ,with Cormorants, and different species of gulls (Ring Billed, Herring and Franklin’s). This certainly did make this  trip to “Montana’s outback” worthwhile.. We did Identify 40 birds today. At the last viewing place some 1,000 yards from us was a figure sprawled out on the shore. It was a  photographer getting down ,prone, to get good shots with his camera.  Great stuff

The small village of Molt, MT we drove through.

Why do they stack the hay like this?

These are dry peas which we saw much  of.

 

A bonus on the way out was near the town of Molt, a car stopped and wanted to know if knew the way to Big Lake. Yes we did and they wee happy to hear the directions.

We came back through the small village of Molt, again, and found some blacktop  to drive smoother on the way back. We probably did 40 miles of gravel road driving today.

More Pronghorns

Many of the ranches have bee hives. Clover honey?

Saw this guy by the fence. Couldn't resist a photo.

 

Ruth caught this Mule Deer with tail up in the grass.

 

This is truly Montana’s “core  land “with the crops we saw and the cattle and the rock land.
The view of the Rocky Mountains was a plus. They are some 60 miles away.

Tomorrow we will head for a Reservoir named Cooper’s Reservoir. Stay tuned.