April 2005, a 2500 mile RV and 500 mi car trip to OK(+ edge of KS, NM). 125 species seen. Highlights: The Greater Prairie Chicken lek at Newton, IL is closest to Nashville (_ssimpson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (mailto:ssimpson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) ) handles12 people on each of 10 days, reservations need, a wonderful experience. In Elkhart KS the Forest Service (DOA) has two blinds open any time, check the office in Elkhart (316-697-4621). They can also guide you to Mountain Plovers, Long Eared Owls and good localities, such as the sewage lagoons and the â??Work Areaâ??. We had splendid views of many raptors (Peregrine, Harriers, Rough Legged, Swainsons, Ferruginous, Broad winged, and Red tailed hawks, Prairie Falcon, Mississippi kite, and more), nesting owls (Great Horned, Long Eared), also Short Eared Owls over the Prairie Chickens, and Burrowing owls. Long-billed curlew, Upland Sandpiper, Bairds Sandpiper were seen, as well as Curve-billed Thrasher, Townsendâ??s Solitaire, Rock Wren, Scissor-tailed and Vermillion Flycatcher, Sayâ??s Phoebe, Spotted Towhee, Lazuli Bunting, Canyon Towhee, and many more familiar birds like the hords of House Sparrow north of Memphis. The history of pioneers on the Santa Fe trail is very evident, as is the Chisholm Trail and the Dust Bowl disaster. State Parks are fascinating, from Great Salt Plains, Beaver Dunes, Boiling Springs, in OK and Clayton Lake NM (dinosaur footprints fantastic). Birding this neglected area is tremendous. For more details, contact Ralph and Kay Brinkhurst, Lebanon, Wilson County. =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation. ----------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------- To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ----------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ========================================================