The trip to kick summer off has come and gone.
It started over two weeks ago, on the twenty-third of May, 4am. An early alarm put me southbound on I-29 as the first light of day crept onto the horizon. It would be a long and boring drive, straight and flat through South Dakota, Nebraska and deep into Kansas before I arrived to Arkalon Park.
I checked in with the camp site's host, quickly threw a tent together, and hurried to check out the campground and surrounding trails. It was actually a pretty cool spot, and there were plenty of active birds. I heard Northern Bobwhite for the second time (still waiting to actually see one) and saw lots of Red-headed Woodpeckers. Other first birds of the year included Mississippi Kites, Western Kingbirds, Bullock's Orioles and Great-tailed Grackles.
Arkalon Park provided good birding and (by far) the trip's best sleep in a tent.
