Two weeks ago Monday (that's right 10th August 2009) I started off driving north out of Lawton, stopping at Tom Steed Reservoir before heading to the Selman Ranch. Birds were a little slow but I did pick up a few, including but not limited to, a Ladder-backed Woodpecker, ten Upland Sandpipers, and a number of common shorebirds. I actually fared better with dragonflies/damselflies, I managed to get
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWO1bcu5rpAW5jnX0gWOTpH7C5p0CVVSxfQx2B92rEiIRCh6f9Z5v-VOprufDy6j3E-tuVKFez-BE-w8JfSGMOVVsbm9RdrwAmKyTGb1saBh_h0l908yoNeadIAmINVS9OHXT-Xw2hpNA/s320/Female+Powdered+Dancer.jpg)
I made it to the Selman Ranch that evening, and the next morning I watched the sunrise on the Buffalo Creek Salt Flats. Sue Selman and I watched the adult and young Least Tern pitch and dive for the little morsels of minnows that were still pooled up along the stream bed. After a few looks at Snowy Plovers, Black Tern, and both Greater and Lesser Yellolegs we moved on. Stopping here and there along the way back to Selman Ranch Headquarters we managed a few more common bird species and had a spectacular time chasing bugs around, some of which are shown below.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6VBeHhzPcf31QwhQYFy3BOG6YnMD3OdQ7vo2RVGTJgEtqmXSuqtCSZXN4dVbOMV39oPnmG_Ax6H3aLzQIOfftBF1GkkqZiQr_t5010vatO2eJMF1feOiDxzF87_tC_IyaghhxxMBaIE/s400/Selman+8-11-09,+variable+dancer2.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZak5TOhoJYmUMoJlytUt8S3EYuBr_iF2WH-7IEa58t_HrR7u7gu6yhEfW-Z8rqMAOM5gAQ0i_c-xqr_kXvWVqO4N3pVgsPSjOZiFpL_g3uo3TBg3Qg4gg-kU7CJXW4v-y9fOkuOa0lE/s400/Selman+8-11-09+078,+Blue+Ringed+Dancer.jpg)
Ok, I figured why not throw this Sachem Skipper in for kicks, the photo just turned out so nicely.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqeMv0Ao-43e-NhR0uspvxiO-nX-X9pvr_9IPWJQo0iOmjkXyRC7JSlCkBZ4Yce5H9V7nh6UV1BJvDN6BZnl8akMiV76uJSf8JNby_37m_rFhl1GrkXeV-AIf-GCnbH4PcVrkpwPgjwv0/s400/Selman+8-11-09+,+Skipper.jpg)
I still have a number of photos to identify so that dragon/damselfly county record count may continue to rise. After a nice visit with Sue I moved on west to Laverne, but not before stopping at my favorite pond in Harper County, which followed a visit to Doby Springs. The springs produced a Great-crested Flycatcher, multiple Blue Grosbeaks, female and young Orchard Orioles, as well as a smattering of other more common species (BGGN, NOCA, ect..). The odonates weren't all that bad either. In the shaded spots were loads of Ebony Jewelwings (25 or so now that I think about it), and as I picked through them and others I was able to locate a Great Spreadwing (pending county record). I mean this guy was really neat looking, at least a quarter size or more larger than the Ebony Jewelwings, and a little more difficult to spot, a more cryptic color pattern and clear wings.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQHE7AjUNzc21vTaVk13TesXqDtsehJTBF9DWeQ03mMfalxKNUanF5-Me6NKedPeCNg7pOFoDAHUGKe2GYdqgJLof_1Dp9CcP6RTxn6MNF5XLqQR_Bgv9H1cEKHcfN0fL349VMXTW3g8/s400/DobySprings+8-11-09+Great+Spreadwing.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKo33O-lxD5KIlNAWMGleM66L4Rymnp0N-NPoW4xm3HQeG0Agyauz-IbmrPy6BlnD6HUHbl24MzYg4j27Zmk4437Nm9UTU5z80IH7UHKFa7ty2asIXmT3sYW2dzIDmxWHg10ICuiaVDxU/s320/Cottonwoodburrower090814_0777-1.jpg)
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After Doby Springs it was on to my favorite pond (Marty and George know the one). Just like always (or at least it seems that way) a great bird was awaiting me. It took some patience and a little good luck, but the molting adult Sanderling (owing that correction to Michael Patten, I thought it was a juvenile but you can definitely still see a tiny tinge of "rufous" under the birds chin) was a welcome return to the bird world.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1BiVv6jfAdyNMiYr8SsHFcoCFZ1PfP85UqSGxe_2BBJi7M3Y1I_C9yCQ6qiy7-0hW379OLfVuy5-Id9YaopuiH1urJ4L28kKhAqyy4RAIf9c9kwApQrBz8IpfzoZHEZ0OhO3b6gKkZs/s400/Harper_Sanderling.jpg)
It made me work though (probably because it was a state bird for me), constantly flushing and flying across the pond. I'd get my scope out and everything set-up for a digi-scope photo and then a truck would come by and off the bird would go, again. Just before I was ready to leave and after having spent entirely too much time working for a documentation photo, I noticed two birds flying straight at the truck from across the pond. Wouldn't you know it one of them was the Sanderling, the other a Semi-palmated Sandpiper. I couldn't believe it. I took photos, some from only 20 feet or so and then headed for Laverne and a quick gas up and visit to Oklahoma Lesser Prairie Chicken Headquarters. About twenty minutes later I stopped at Fort Supply, I scanned the lake and nothing. Soon after I headed east.
This seems like just the place to stop....stay tuned for part two of the story..Henslow's Sparrows and the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve.