Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge

"Like winds and sunsets, wild things were taken for granted until progress began to do away with them. Now we face the question whether a still higher "standard of living" is worth its cost in things natural, wild and free. For us of the minority, the opportunity to see geese is more important that television.".- from A Sand County Almanac  Aldo Leopold

Salt Plains is a favorite spot for birdwatchers and, not surprisingly, lots of birds.  It's location on the migration route of the Central Flyway lends itself to stopovers by a wide variety of shorebirds, geese, ducks, pelicans, and sandhill cranes.  Additionally, it lays claim to producing the selenite crystal formations, found nowhere else in the world!  Hiking trails and an auto tour road provide easy access to several interesting areas of the refuge. A shorebird viewing area is often occupied by long necked stilts, avocets, and occasionally, the endangered least tern. Call the visitor center at 580-626-4794 for the latest information.

Click on arrows to scroll through photos. Click on thumbnails for larger image.

American Avocet

Black-necked Stilt

Whitetail doe

Great Egret

Roadrunner

A Colony of Pelicans

White Pelican

The avocet sweeps its long, upcurved bill from side to side searching for aquatic insects. The female lays her eggs in a slight hollow but if the water rises, she may quickly add up to a foot of height to the nest.

The stilt uses a distraction display to draw attention aways from its nest. It has been observed to fall over as if it had a broken leg, then stand up, take a few more steps and fall over again.

Deer are a common sight on the auto loop but morning and evening are the best times.

Snaring a fish on the low water dam. This area is actually part of the state park which adjoins the refuge.

I don't know why the roadrunner likes this area so much, but if you stay around a couple days, you'll probably see one.

Thousands of these birds are a common sight during migration.

"Oh, a wondrous bird is the pelican!

His bill holds more than his belican.

He can take in his beak

Enough food for a week.

But I'm darned if I know how the helican."

Dixon Lanier Merritt

(1879-1972)

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American Avocet

The avocet sweeps its long, upcurved bill from side to side searching for aquatic insects. The female lays her eggs in a slight hollow but if the water rises, she may quickly add up to a foot of height to the nest.

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