Mid afternoon and the thermometer reads 69 degrees F.  The sky is almost clear and the grass at our campsite is dry.  Great.  The heater ran and rain fell off and on all night.  We awoke at five, breakfasted, put on warm clothing and moved through the mist to our car.  This low-key campground has no restroom, but the state has a fine rest area next door along two-lane U.S. route 50.  So, we stopped there before heading to Quivira. 

This morning we entered at 140th Street and stopped first at a lookout across the Big Salt Marsh.  It was still misting and there was not much to see in the dim light.  We did hear the “ch ch bizzzzzzzzz” song of Grasshopper Sparrow coming from the grass along the shore.  We could not spot the birds (which are elegantly attired in various shades of brown, black, and gray) but added the species to our trip list.

The refuge was wet from the rainy night and some of the roads were sticky but safe for passage.  Fun birds were along and even upon the roadways.  Both Piping and Snowy Plover were all about the salt ponds.  The Snowies here are darker than those along the Florida Coast, the same shade as the sand here.  Still, they are as adorable.  In one place dozens of Black-necked Stilts flew back and forth across the road, calling furiously.  One pair landed some thirty feet in front of the car to let us admire their too long red legs.  Bold Swainson’s Hawks held their posts as we stopped alongside to gawk.  A flock of Franklin Gulls stood on a distant mud flat.  Many of these birds had bright pink bellies.  How nice!  They stop here to refuel before continuing to points north.

We did not hear Black Rail in the marsh but will be out even earlier tomorrow morning.  Perhaps they are arriving now and will call in the total darkness.  We also did not make it to the prairie dog town today.  The road was soft and pocked with puddles.  If it looks better tomorrow we will drive it.  If not we will walk the two miles.  There we may find Upland Sandpiper and Burrowing Owl there.

This afternoon we returned through St. John where we shopped for groceries in the tiny Kroger store.  We stay one more day here.  Spring is bursting out around us, and winged migrants are moving north.  Perhaps we will see them arriving.

On Monday we move to eastern Colorado.  We’ll follow route 50 to its lowest point where the Arkansas River flows into Kansas.  The elevation there is 3,300 feet.  Our next stop will be near Lamar in the prairie.  We’ll see what migrants are arriving there and look for rail in the river marshes they inhabit during the warm season.  We may be too early for them, but not to enjoy the scenery.  We’re following the spring west this year.  The ashes but not the willows are green here where the elevation is 1,850 feet.  At Lamar it will be 4,100.

So far we have seen 103 kinds of birds on this expedition.  Today’s additions were American White Pelican, Willet, Dunlin, Long-billed Dowitcher, House Wren, Orange-crowned Warbler, and Grasshopper Sparrow.