Gr@y & Blue Fall Road Trip 06

I have arrived at Rock Creek Campground, Grasslands National Park, East Block, for the evening. Nestled in a coulee, the site is brand new – they have been open for one month with all of the neatly raked sites surrounded by dark brown earth waiting for plantings or to be filled in naturally from the surrounding grasslands.

This morning I had decided I had had enough of the overcast windy 8 degree weather and broke out my thermal underwear – a choice that paid off. A short hike from the Frenchman Valley campsite , at the crest of a lookout, Parks Canada has placed one of their Red Chairs. The Red chairs are paired, red, Adirondack chairs that are placed by Parks Canada where the vista is breathtaking. The view was incredible overlooking the valley below where yesterday I had seen a herd of bison. Saw a Brown Thrasher (below top), Yellow-headed Blackbird, Red-naped Sapsucker (juvenile below middle), and a Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel (below bottom).

As I was on my way out of the park I slowed down at the area where I had seen a Burrowing Owl last night and again, today, in lighting I saw more owl.

On the way to the east block I had to refuel and drove 60 km out of the way to Lafleche to get regular gas. The drive to Rock Creek and then later to see the badlands gave chance to see lots of hawks, sometimes a dozen standing spread out in a field - including Red-tailed hawk (below top) and Swainson's Hawk (immature below bottom). As well I saw many White-tailed deer and Sharp-tailed Grouse.

The badlands were in the southern most reach of the park and are areas that are comprised of dry grossly eroded sedimentary rock and clay soil with steep slopes and minimal vegetation. The weather was poor with rain coming at any moment and the road was just tracks in the clay soil in some places. I did not venture far for fear of getting the car stuck in a downpour.