Day 15 Wed. June 22, 2022,at Minot ND

Day 15  Wed. June 22, 2022,at  Minot  ND .

We had planned to visit the Sayler NWR, but plans changed as we did want to get a load of laundry finished in the afternoon, so moved to  a closer venue... the Minot Sewage Ponds which are located about 7 miles east of the city. (Smart 'city fathers' as the wind usually blows from the west!!!).

Sewage ponds all over the USA are traditionally a good magnet for bird life because of the food located there. June is not the best season as most birds are with their young, on nest, or teaching the young chicks the vagaries of survival. These ponds are 5 in number, cover about 100 acres each and have gravel roads around them to travel, Most sites have a one lane, one way road, but these are very wide two lane, for the most part. It was a pleasant drive all around.

More ND Beans

Some of the sewage ponds

More ND ponds at Minot

 

 

 

 

 

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Almost all of the ponds were filled with water so there was not much chance for birds to  congregate  for food. Birding is best when the ponds are releasing their water, before cleaning. These ponds as a result did not have many birds, and although we did identify 33 species all day, the ponds did not yield what they might have.

Female coming out, male heading in

Female waiting for male.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two events today, stick out on our minds.

1. The feeding of a male and female Tree Sparrow in a cut off stump, that had a  hollow they were using as a home. Ruth was able to photograph some of the action there, as we waited for the "changing of the guard" many minutes when the male and the female would switch  places. Fascinating to watch. It happened so fast!

2. At lunch we decided to watch the wetland area where 100's of Yellow Headed Blackbirds were nesting and busy flying about and perching on the few small willow trees that were there. Again Ruth was able to get many photos of those beautiful birds, and they appear on this page.  They have that yellow head and when they fly, a white patch appears on their wings.

Yellow Headed Blackbird

Another Yellow Headed Blackbird

The Ringed Necked Pheasant was escorting  two females.

 

Outstanding birds for us today were, the aforementioned hawk, the Vesper Sparrow and its song, Ring Necked Pheasant (abundant in ND),and the Sharp shinned Hawk.

After lunch we started back to town, but stopped by a hawk that perched in a spar tree. (They love those spar trees). It was new to us as we had not seen that one in a long while. With a very white tail and white under the wings we identified it as a Ferrugenous Hawk. It is found mostly in the western USA. A beautiful bird that was in our sights for a minute.

We had brought our laundry with us to stop at the laundromat, but found that one was closed, so headed back to the campground where there were 6 washers/dryers ready to use. About 1 3/4 hours later we finished the clothes and at 84 degrees worked up a sweat before returning to the trailer to cool off in the A/C.  A few articles still needed some additional drying so are hanging in the trailer this evening.

We had not eaten out in the evening but once, so this was the night. Our choice was a restaurant that we had never eaten at before and that was a Culver's. I had loved the ads for their  Pacific Cod so we both ordered that with... as Ruth said "very good mashed potatoes and gravy. I had the same. It was a good meal with friendly staff.  We thought it lived up to the ads.

Some ask how Ruth  takes most of her photos. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SOmetimes we use the tripod outside the truck.

A FIRST for Jim happened today. I was in the shower and noticed a strange "bump " on my upper leg in the back. I seemed to be able to grasp hold of it but it was stuck tightly. I asked Ruth to look at it and we discovered that I had attracted my first MITE. It was clinging to the skin so I lost a little of that when we pulled it off. (It was intact). Good thing to catch it on the skin and not "in" it. How do you kill a 'mite'?

Yes I was wearing long pants and long socks the day before.

Tomorrow we head for J.Clark Saylor NWR as it is called. A one hour drive  (straight north and east) and has the makings of good shorebird concentration. It also has a long (22 mile) auto tour. (self drive) along the upper part of the Souris River.

So we will let you know how that goes. --JIm

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