In addition to the Harriers and the Short-Eared Owls, several other prairie inhabitants were seen during my recent trip to Prairie State Park and Shawnee Trail Conservation Area (southwest Missouri).
Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) were spotted seemingly everywhere along the roads and often sitting in prairie trees/shrubs, or soaring over the open prairie:
A coyote was traveling across the open prairie early one morning:
And a group of Eastern Meadowlarks (Sturnella magna) flew around me one evening, while awaiting the Short-Eared Owls to begin their hunting:
Another interesting prairie inhabitant at Prairie State Park is the American Bison (Bos bison), which roam freely around the park:
I think the last few blog posts show that this area of Missouri is a wonderful place for the outdoor nature lover! I’m planning several visits here this spring and summer to capture the wonderful wildflower displays, along with all the prairie critters!
Tomorrow’s post is another “Fun Friday” post … another, cute animal found during my Short-Eared Owl weekend trip!
