Going Loopie

The hydrant today (see April 7 post)

Back to Custer State Park and the wildlife loop today! The birds are out in abundance, and this little Mt. bluebird actually posed for me...getting a clear shot was another matter. The 300 mm zoom works best on a tri-pod but when I happen upon a bird like this, it isn't about to wait for me to go to the back of the truck, pull out the 'pod, and set it up. We also saw and heard meadowlarks ~ they sing their hearts out! ~ and robins, king fishers (oh for the love of a photo, but they were zinging by at 50 mph while we sat eating our PBJ's), and the Canadian geese are heavily on the move. We also saw a mallard and drake on a creek, and we heard a woodpecker tapping out its two cents-worth. All signs of spring! Oh and we saw a yellow-bellied marmot; another critter that's hard to photograph. I didn't try. I was too busy trying not to drive over its head!

Jayne and I (it's a given she was w/ me) cashed in a two'fer coupon for milkshakes on the way home, throwing an order of fries in for good measure, at Arnold's, a 50's style diner, incl. waitresses in poodle skirts.

Did I mention that the So. Dakota wind has returned from its leisurely winter vacation? And, in a day or three, so will our hellacious lightning storms...I used to love the show, but we were struck last year and the garage-door opener was fried, so I'm not as big a fan as I used to be...or as brave.