SquawCreek NWR

I spent 24hours near BigLake, MO sunday and monday- I visited places like the NWR, McCormack CA, and areas around big lake State park. My grandparents have a small lake house on the oxbow lake - just across a shallow cove from the State park.

McCormack CA is a 227 acre property owned by MDC. The area has forests and grasslands, and includes the Loess Mound Natural Area.

The area is beautiful- I use it for hunting, hiking and photography. the grassland is native and diverse, and the oldest trees reveal the fire history of the area- some still blackened. Its most beautiful in the early morning- after 2pm the area becomes shadowed from the sun by its neighboring mountain.

The area overlooks SquawCreek NWR and towers over hwy159. A rigorous hike to the top of the loess mound provides a gorgeous view of the NWR-

Squaw Creek was empty of people visitors- I found only a few others on sunday and none monday. The birds, however, were abundant.

I viewed sunset from my grandparents cabin, and spent the night there-

COMET HOLMES in between clouds. As of the 18th the comet is fading. - I could hardly get it here with my 300mm lens!

Geese- snow, blue, canada, and white-fronted flocked and swarmed areas of the NWR.

Ducks like mallards, pintails, gadwall,teal and shovelers were also common- I saw others too-wood ducks, ruddy ducks and widgeons.

The hawks were numerous and eagles were present. I found herons and pelicans. Monday's warm weather summoned hoards of reptiles and amphibians.

A heron snatches a bluegill from squaw creek NWR- a piedbilled grebe disappeared while i was watching him, and reappeared with a frog. Of all the places to grab it!
The Bullfrog was glaring at me- you would have been scared too!
Other critters also enjoyed the warm weather- muskrats and beavers were very active.

A JUVI BALD EAGLE was the only eagle I was able to take a pic of- He was on a beaver mound about 100 ft out when I drove by. I quickly stopped- eager to watch him. He lifted, dropping his meal, and flew at me. He flew about 10 ft above the truck- about 20 behind me.
WAY COOL!

I wondered past the "do not pass" sign on the side of the road by foot- I got this photo at about 4pm. I think its my favorite from the trip. (right)







MALLARDS and PINTAIL


For both of these photos, I changed contrast, brightness and midtones with office photo to enhance colors and shadows.