From Lake Pueblo Colorado to Salina Kansas

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May 21st. We find a beautiful campsite at Lake Pueblo along a reservoir. The lighting is beautiful and there are many wildflowers in bloom. As we drive east, we move into cattle country and see many cattle on the range--and many in muddy, smelly feedlots or cattle trucks. We stop for the night at an RV camp named Gunsmoke just outside of Dodge City. The tent area is nice--and deserted. We have our area of the park to ourselves.

The next morning we decide to skip the cowboy tourist stuff in Dodge City and head for Quivira Wildlife Refuge, a large marsh area that is an important stopping point for thousands of birds during the spring and fall migrations. We are there too late for the big flocks but see many birds and other critters and have a thoroughly delightful time with our binoculars and bird books. We drive north through Cheyenne Bottoms, another marsh area refuge, on our way to Abilene. We stop for the night in Salina, Kansas.

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Photos

Lake Pueblo State Park
Early morning light

Wildflowers
There are a variety of wildflowers everywhere we look.

Quivira National Wildlife Refuge
Our first destination is the Refuge which is on the major flyway for migrating birds.

marshlands
We are too late in the season to see any huge flocks of birds, but we spot at least 20 different types of birds...

more marshlands
...anywhere from white pelicans and kildeer to yellow-headed blackbirds.

Pond slider
We also see other critters like turtles cruising along the road...

Bullsnake
...a bullsnake in search of rats who seems irritated that we've disturbed his snooze on the warm road...

Missaugua rattlesnake
....and this little 3-foot rattler who coils as Leigh approaches with his camera (zoom lens used!)