Birds and Bridges

The second part of my drive this past Monday, I stopped at a favorite look-out spot that has a fabulous panoramic view of the Hills. I enjoyed watching a white-breasted nuthatch going about his business among the trees in the parking area...

The nuthatches look like little sky torpedos when they do this pose...just before flying to another tree.

Doesn't look like a morning per...uh, bird, does he? Where's Starbucks when you need it?

Creeping upside down helps get the blood circulating to the brain...

Next, I drove into Horse Thief Lake, having only seen it from the road. Just W of Mt. Rushmore, it's a pretty, small lake with a campground, a wooden walk-way around one side, and a couple of path bridges. There was a thin layer of snow in the area, too.

And hey, yet another wasp/hornet nest...

On to Sheridan Lake, where I found this lovely mallard couple spending quality time together...

...And on up past Sheridan Lake to Spring Creek, where I followed this very busy, mouse-like wren skittering along the opposite side of the creek's shoreline...I couldn't get a good shot cause it didn't hold still for more than one second...I've looked and looked and it only seems to match the winter wren. If it is, then it was making a short visit before heading south. It definitely isn't the house or canyon wren, which makes it a 'lifer' for me.