Nebraska was a new state for both of us, and its inclusion in our travels was part of a larger project. Just a month earlier, I had posted a map on Facebook showing all the states we had visited, and in short order, we managed to tick off three of the missing eight: Nebraska, South Dakota, and Montana. Mike is a great travel planner, and our journey into the heart of the Great Plains was perfectly orchestrated.
The Pawnee National Grassland
Before crossing the border into Nebraska, we stopped at the Pawnee National Grassland in Colorado with a specific target in mind: our first longspur species. This self-guided birding tour is approximately 21 miles long and took us at least two hours to complete. As we drove, we saw a remarkable number of birds, including about 100 Lark Buntings, 50 Horned Larks, and 20 Western Meadowlarks. These national grasslands, managed by the U.S. Forest Service, are vital for preventing another Dust Bowl disaster and protecting a critical habitat for a variety of species.
The wildlife was amazing, too. We love visiting prairie dog towns, and this one also had Burrowing Owls! Check out the Hello World episode narrated by Aerosmith’s Steve Tyler about the relationship between these two species. A sighting of a Pronghorn and a Gray Fox made our day.
A fellow birder on the tour told us to look at the dirt road near stop number nine, and there they were—our lifer McCown’s Longspurs, standing right in the road!
The Oregon Trail and Ponderosa Pines
Monument Inn & Suites in Gering was our first stop in Nebraska. The whole town was gearing up for the 2017 eclipse as it fell within the path of totality. Next, we visited the Scotts Bluff National Monument to check out the sights and for some birding. We quickly saw a Spotted Towhee, Rock Wren, and Western Kingbird. Our evening was spent at the Union Bar, where the locals hang out for good burgers, wings, and beer. We’ve never seen a bar with its own ambulance.
The next morning, we were at Scotts Bluff National Monument when it opened. The ruts of the Oregon Trail are still visible at this major landmark that guided many wagon trains on their westward trek. We took the road to the top, which offers great views of the Nebraska plains and an opportunity to bird. We found Blue Grosbeak, American Kestrel, Lark Sparrow, and both Violet-green and Cliff Swallows.
Our next destination was Chadron State Park, which offered more car birding and a short hike. The park’s nearly 1,000 acres of Ponderosa pine-covered hills and open meadows are a great habitat for many species. We easily saw Red-headed Woodpecker, Mountain Bluebird, Western Wood-Pewee, and a variety of warblers. We were also mindful of the history of this beautiful landscape, which was a very important hunting ground for the Native American Sioux tribe for centuries.
A Fond Farewell to the Prairies
We wish we had more time to spend in Nebraska and on the prairies, but with a 5-day, 1,000-mile trip, we had to keep moving. We will be back one day for sure, as we still have our sights set on a few species of prairie birds we’ve been wanting to see since we began birding, including the Greater Sage-Grouse, the Sharp-tailed Grouse, and the Greater Prairie-Chicken.
Trip Summary:
Trip Birds: 35
Life Birds: 1 McCown’s Longspur
Next up: Colorado Ptarmigan
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