South Dakota and beyond

Strong winds from the west really decreased the gas mileage today. Highways in western Iowa and eastern South Dakota are under much re-construction. Bird sightings were sporadic: A Red-tailed Hawk in the top of a young slender tree holding on against the winds, Turkey Vultures nearly blown across the highway, and 3 Great Egrets in a flooded field along hwy 90. Swallows are nesting under the bridges of highway overpasses. I saw 2 Ring-necked Pheasants from Hwy 90, in different places. Again today, many dead raccoons, badgers, and deer along the highways are not being found or eaten by the Turkey Vultures.
Elk Horn, Iowa is a small town proud of its Dutch heritage with a large windmill, a Dutch museum, and many Dutch souvenir shops. Elk Point, SD has a sign remembering the campsite of Lewis and Clark along the Missouri River. Laura Ingalls Wilder's homeplace near DeSmet, SD has a highway sign inviting visitors. World's Only Corn Palace is still attracting tourists in Mitchell, SD. Billboards for Wall Drug start as soon as you cross the state border into SD. A few decades ago the bumper stickers read "Where is Wall Drug?" Today they use a Wild West: theme, "Wall Drug or Bust."
The flat lands of eastern SD are still being planted in crops. After the town of Oacoma hills appeared, and so did the cattle. Several young frisky calves played in the green fields near their Moms. Rain has been heavy at times. The landscape is very green.
I stayed overnight in Murdo, SD. While planning this route I had dreams of Prairie Chickens, Longspurs in breeding plumage, and grassland sparrows doing their song-flights. Prairie Chickens and Grouse are more easily seen earlier in the season, if you go out to their leks. The weather across South Dakota has been such that any grassland bird would take cover.
A nice warm shower, some Internet, and I am ready to drive into the foggy gray morning. Mountain Time Zone, another state split into 2 time zones. Missouri River was running high and muddy from alot of rain and dirt washing into the river. Cheyenne River is running over its banks as well. Geese and Mallards are taking advantage of flooding in low laying fields.
About 2 hours from Rapid City the sky lightened, and the wind blew the clouds out. Blue sky !! To the south the rugged landscape of the Badlands appeared. I remember well our family trip in this area, and camping overnight on the prairie.
Finally past Wall, the advertising billboards were beginning to look like too much clutter on the edge of the highway.
At Rapid City the landscape undergoes a dramatic transition from rolling prairies to western forest. The Black Hills are sort of a "sky island" for forest creatures. I drove into the Black Hills under sunny, altho windy skies. Yesterday and today, I have seen many old old weathered cabins and barns abandoned for decades. Some are still standing, some have collapsed. The gray wood is eroded from years of wind.
BIRD NOTE A birder had reported Juncos at the KOA along Hwy 244 in Black Hills. I was able to find White-winged Juncos among the pine trees. Hooray for Juncos, and for ebird.
also seen: Golden-crowned Kinglets, Audubon's (yellow-rumped) Warbler, Chipping Sparrows, Barn Swallows, and a Yellow-breasted Chat.
I ended the day driving across Thunder Basin Grasslands in Wyoming. The eastern portion is green with grass and bushes. I saw Lark Buntings, Clay-colored Sparrows, Western Meadowlarks, and more Chippings. The western portion is drier. I drove for 30 miles along an open pit coal mine, after that the landscape was dry grasses and sagebrush.