We stopped at the parking area below the dam and an adult Bald Eagle was spotted sitting in a snag on the opposite side of the water. By the time I got my camera out, though, it had taken to the air and headed away from us.

The Bald Eagle turned as it flew away and I got this fuzzy photo of it showing white head and tail.

Below us in the water were several American White Pelicans.

Back across the water where the adult Bald Eagle had been perched, a juvenile Bald Eagle remained.

Back at the spillway were gulls, including this Herring Gull and Ring-billed Gull.

There were also several Double-crested Cormorants in the area.

And several Greater Yellowlegs.

Pectoral Sandpiper and Greater Yellowlegs below the dam at Great Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

Least Sandpipers at Great Salt Plains NWR

First winter Ring-billed Gull at SPNWR, per Bill D

American Avocet at SPNWR

If you look closely, you can see the green stripe on the russet head of the right duck, indicating a male Green-winged Teal.

Ruddy Ducks in the water near one of the park campgrounds

Ruddy Duck at SPNWR

Three Sandhill Cranes in flight at SPNWR

Little Bluestem Grass with golden spikes of Indian Grass. When we weren't seeing birds, Bill identified some of the flora for us.

The grass with the large golden plume in Indian Grass, per BD, with Little Bluestem in the background.

We walked along the Nature Trail that starts near the refuge headquarters and saw a variety of leaves in the water below the dike.

Leaves from Black Willow (according to signs) and other trees along the dike and water

Black Willow leaves along the Nature Trail

Leaves on water at SPNWR

Leaves on water

One of many groups of Sandhill Cranes that flew over us during the day.

At the blind on the lake, we could look across and see a line of American Avocets, a line of ducks to far to identify, and large numbers of Sandhill Cranes.

Avocets, ducks and Sandhill Cranes at SPNWR

In one of the bayous along the dike were a number of Greater Yellowlegs.

And more Least Sandpipers

Also next to the path was this beautiful Banded Garden Spider guarding its small prey in a web that had also captured several feathery seeds.

Back side of the Banded Garden Spider at SPNWR

Poke Weed berries at SPNWR

Switchgrass at SPNWR

Leaves on water

Sandhill Cranes in flight over SPNWR

Sandhill Cranes in flight

Sand Bluestem grass, Andropogon hallii, per BD
see http://www.kswildflower.org/grass_details.php?grassID=66

Purpletop, Tridens flavus, per BD

Fungus on a Cottonwood Tree trunk

More interesting fungus, Oyster Mushroom, per BD

Another angle

And another angle

And another

Buckbrush or Coralberry or Indian Currant, Symphoricarpos orbiculatas, per BD

Coralberry close-up

Skunkbush Sumac, Rhus aromatica, per BD

Carolina Snailseed

Mulberry

Leaves on the path of the Nature Trail at SPNWR

Little Bluestem along the path

A metallic-looking fungus along the Nature Trail at SPNWR

A Darkling beetle (Coleoptera Tenebrionidae) on a concrete barrier in the Refuge Office parking lot
Eleodes tricostatus, per BD and bugguide.net/node/view/798792

More grass

A Red-Tailed Hawk soaring on the wind, above us where we parked along Highway 11 on the north side of SPNWR
The locally breeding type, lightly marked underneath with a light rufous wash, per BD

There was a second Red-Tailed Hawk flying near this one, which seems to be turning its head to get a look at the other bird.

A female Belted Kingfisher (note the russet feathers along the right side) sitting on a snag overlooking a creek on CR640 where we turned south after looking at birds from the west viewing platform at SPNWR

Vesper Sparrows in a lot alongside an east-west road at SPNWR

Vesper Sparrow

Another look

And another

One more

Vesper Sparrow

Pennsylvania Smartweed

Pennsylvania Smartweed

More smartweed

Grasses

Savannah Sparrow that had flow down from the fence to the bar ditch at the side of the road. Mary said it looks like it's been bathing.

Savannah Sparrow at SPNWR

Vesper Sparrow

Vesper Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow on barbed wire at SPNWR

Bill and Deanne found a Barn Owl in a building at the side of the road. The owl flew out a window, circled, then landed in a nearby tree. But before I could take a photo, the bird flew again and went out of sight to the north. This is the first of two recognizable shots I got of it as it flew away.

Second photo of the Barn Owl flying away

Female Brewer's Blackbird

Cowbird; several more blackbirds and cowbirds flew into the tree then away to the south.

We got back to the viewing platform/blind at sundown, as more flights of Sandhill Cranes began to fly in to roost for the night.

Sandhill Cranes coming back from surrounding fields to roost in the shallow lake for the night.

Sandhill Cranes flying over the water at SPNWR

Sandhill Cranes at dusk

Sunset over Sandhill Cranes at SPNWR

Sunset at SPNWR

Sandhill Cranes at sunset

It was a beautiful end to a great day of birding at SPNWR.

More sunset and cranes

Sandhill Cranes settling into the water at SPNWR

Sandhill Cranes at SPNWR

More Sandhill Cranes flying in the sunset sky over SPNWR

Sandhill Cranes silhouetted in the sky at dusk

Some high-flying cranes at just after sunset

More beautiful sky

Another group of Sandhill Cranes moves over the water.

Hollis, Bill, Mary, Marilyn, Jerry and Carla taking last looks from the observation deck.

Hollis using her scope for a last look.

Deanne and Carla looking through the viewing slots on the observation deck.

Last light

The moon came up while we were ending our viewing.

Bill, Mary, Jerry and Marilyn discuss our successful birding day before walking back to the cars by flashlight and moonlight.