Close to home, I wander occasionally at the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, primarily to see birds and wildlife and just to enjoy the prairie. I’ve posted some images from there. A good friend was instrumental in helping to convert that land from use as the Joliet Arsenal into the current state as a major intermodal transport center, Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery and the Midewin Prairie.
On the far western edge of North America’s prairie another army post, the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, sat, unsurprisingly, near the Rocky Mountains. Much of that land has been converted into a National Wildlife Refuge.
American Bison at Rocky Mountain National Wildlife Refuge
While Midewin has also introduced bison into the refuge, I don’t think they have prairie dogs yet. Plenty of those critters wander through Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR.
Prairie dog in Asters
I added a few birds to my life list while enjoying the trails, such as the Swainson’s Hawk soaring above. I still am surprised to see White Pelicans in the West, thinking they could only be in Florida waters where I saw them growing up, as they swam in a big circle and then closed the circle to trap fish.
Swainson’s Hawk and American White Pelicans
More birds are in the trees. The wonderful Merlin App can even identify them by their songs which helps tell me if I should stop and search more for birds I’ve never seen before.
Spotted Towhee, Blue-winged Warbler, Northern Flicker
And many birds forage on the ground and walk along the trail with me or just to the sides.
Horned Lark and Lark Sparrow
Providing habitat for all are the western prairie grasses which always seem to be swaying in the wind.
