~60 miles out from the Great Salt Plains I kind of knew things were going south. The gusts really picked up and and I tuned into the radio. Evacuation orders were in place for several counties across central and northeastern Oklahoma due to wildfires, including the one I'd left that morning. I went ahead and at least tried the Sandpiper Nature Trail at the north edge of the lake. I could hardly stand let alone set up my scope, so I brusquely left there with a formidable count of 2 killdeer and 8 duck sp. Before this I got a brief but ID-able look at a ferruginous hawk (lifer) diving on (probably) a meadowlark!

It was simply too windy to try camping in the state park, so I tried to find a motel in the surrounding town of Cherokee. No one was in the lot, no one answered the office door or phone. Next up was another inn just south of the selenite dig site. For Sale sign in the window, looking improbable. No one answered the office door or phone. 

I sat there planning my next move and a car pulled up in front of me. An open-carrying man came up to my window to ask what my deal was, he had been told of my presence by someone around the motel. Maybe he was an off-duty cop or just a community watchman, either way after explaining myself he informed me through teary eyes that the couple who owned the motel had just passed away within weeks of each other and one of their funerals was earlier in the day.

I've carried on the Guymon. My fuel economy suffered a 1.5 mph average loss due to the buffeting crosswinds. There are scores of Great-Tailed Grackles all around (lifer).

TODAY: 8?

LIFE LIST: 182