Bobolinks, Eared Grebes, Lazuli Buntings, Oh My!

I went for a round-about drive yesterday that totalled about 50 miles, E of the Black Hills out in the farming community, an area I really enjoy visiting this time of year. My head is still reeling from all of the amazing bird life I encountered, including three lifers! I've got it aaaaall here in one post, too, so grab a beer and get comfy..here goes...

Right off I encountered a male bobolink! I saw my first bobolinks last year at Bear Butte Lake, later in the year (they nest in the grasslands, not the Blk Hills)...the males looked ridiculous in the molting stage so it was on my wish list to see them during breeding w/ all their feathers still intact. Check!

After the heavy rain/hail we had a few days ago, there were many large rain puddles here and there in the dirt and grass along the roadside...I discovered a mallard hanging out on one...

As well as a blue-winged teal...

At the large (year-round) pond that one road splits in half, I stopped the car to get out, but before I could I realized that this brave killdeer was coming towards me, not running away as they usually do...got my best photos of a killdeer by far, hooray! Told you, there's one wacked bird in every crowd...

Lifer number one, the lesser scaup...this is a female coming for a landing at the large pond...had no idea what it was at the time...

Above is the main reason I went for the drive...in hopes to find the yellow-headed blackbird...I didn't get any great photos due to lighting and distance but you get the idea...also at the large pond...

The ruddy ducks are back at the pond, saw those last year...

Again, due to facing the 'wrong' way, I didn't get good shots of what I thought were merganzers...when I looked at the photos and saw the golden 'ears' on this cute couple, I was pretty excited...lifer no. 2, the eared grebe! Will have to go back to try to get better shots...

Moving on down the road, I saw several of the lark buntings...

Lots of butterflies are flitting about now, including the sulphurs...saw a pretty darker yellow and orange 'fly but unfortunately couldn't get a photo...(me in the car going one way, the 'fly in the opposite direction)...

Another large rain puddle, occupied by a lone Wilson's phalarope...I saw them last year, but didn't get as good of shots..the guide book actually shows the female in breeding plumage as she is colored more boldly than the male...this appears to be the female...she is standing, not floating...

I've been seeing the barn swallows for about 2-3 weeks now, but they are extremely difficult to take photos of...this one is near an older, abandoned house that many swallows were nesting in...

Ah yes, Mr. Mouthy...the grasshopper sparrows are back, as brash and vocal as ever...

Above/below: Two different red-headed woodpeckers, too far for good shots, but very exciting to see...I saw my first (and only) one last year...very striking birds with their bright red heads and black/white bodies...

Back at the large pond (long story...took a 'new' road that dumped me back near the pond)...managed to get this shot of the male lifer lesser scaup...thought it was a canvasback...the eye is yellow tho, not red...

Got a slightly better shot of the eared grebe...

...A piece of the view from the farming community E of the Blk Hills...there's a panoramic view of the Hills sweeping N and S...

I about fainted when I saw this bird (above/below) perched on fencing right by a farm house, lifer no. 3! The lazuli bunting!! Kazaam!

As if the lazuli wasn't hard enough on my heart...this golden eagle flew up from below the other side of a hill 'out of nowhere' and landed a good 200 yds from the road, so again no great shot...white patch means it's immature but lordie it was huge (they're bigger than bald eagles)...

A Swainson's hawk soaring overhead...

A great blue heron about 200 yds away, like the eagle...another bird taking advantage of the overly saturated grasslands...

I wish these gravel roads went on forever...actually some seem to...I venture E only so far...

Lastly...the upland sandpiper is one of few birds that tolerates intrusive birders fairly well...they go through a head-bobbing ritual that is amusing to watch, most likely a mating or territorial trait...the bird is considered the 'shorebird' of the grasslands.

Also seen but not photographed: yellow warbler (lifer last yr.), three American kestrels, Eastern kingbirds, red-winged blackbirds, other blackbirds, meadowlarks, robins. A great day!  :o)