Retired Nomads: Pirogue Island State Park & Spotted Eagle Recreation Area

Sunday, July 29, 2018

Pirogue Island State Park & Spotted Eagle Recreation Area – Miles City, Montana

July 26

Today our goal was to check out a couple of different birding hotspots near Miles City. We started at Pirogue Island State Park.

On the drive into the area we startled a Grouse that flew out of the field. Then, a little farther down the road we saw another one fly up and then a huge orange house cat jumped up behind it. We watched the scene play out....Grouse - Cat - Grouse - Cat - up and down up and down. We think the Grouse got away.

We arrived at the trailhead for the Island, but discovered that we couldn't get to the island because the water was too high for us to cross. If we would have had knee high boots or water shoes we could have waded the short distance. So, we birded the area and walked along the road.

we needed to cross this to get to the island

American Redstart

Mourning Dove

Yellow Warbler

Field Sparrow

Swainson's Hawk

Lark Sparrow

we startled this little guy as we drove by and he jumped up to stare at us

It was time for a lunch break and the number 1 place in the area was a Mexican Restaurant so we headed there. Mexico Lindo was very good and lots of customers. Greg had a chili relleno & taco plate and I had one of their specials of enchiladas chihuahua. Really flavorful and spicy hot sauce and the shredded beef was very tasty. Even the cheese enchilada was really good. Glad we tried it.

chili relleno

enchiladas chihuahua

From there we went to Spotted Eagle Recreation Area for some more hiking and birding. There were a few families enjoying the sunny hot day in the water. We walked quite a few of the trails (all easy ones) the Cottonwood trees were producing lots of white fluff floating by us. Oddly enough we saw one lone Prairie Dog way in the distance of a field. Only one burrow.