Ranger Sarah starts her visit to Salt Plains NWR by heading to the Selenite Crystal Digging Area. Ranger Sarah hopes to find some nice crystals during her visit. You can dig for free selenite crystals during the Crystal Digging Season open April 1 through October 15 from sunrise to sunset. Crystal Digging is only allowed in the designated dig area.

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Ranger Sarah on the Salt Plains at Salt Plains NWR. The salt flats at the refuge has gypsum concentrations high enough to grow selenite, a crystalline form of gypsum.
— at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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Ranger Sarah with another view of the vast Salt Plains. The selenite crystals found there have an hourglass-shaped sand inclusion that is not known to occur in selenite crystals found elsewhere in the world.
— at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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No matter which direction Ranger Sarah looks, it seems that the Salt Plains go on for ever. Selenite is a crystallized form of gypsum. Chemically, it is a hydrous calcium sulfate. Gypsum is a common mineral that takes on a variety of crystal forms and shapes. These selenite crystals form just below the salt surface. Most are not found deeper than two feet.

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Ranger Sarah with the collection of Selenite crystals she was able to collect at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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Ranger Sarah studies the map of Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge. She learns a lot of facts about the Salt Plains from the sign.

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Ranger Sarah reads about Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge's Eagle Roost Trail which Ranger Sarah is about to hike.

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Ranger Sarah studies another trail sign and map before she heads out on Eagle Roost Trail in the Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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Ranger Sarah at the trail sign for the Eagle Roost Nature Trail at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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Ranger Sarah heads across the bridge to start her hike of the Eagle Roost Nature Trail. The Eagle Roost Nature Trail is a 1.25-mile loop beginning near the nature center. The trail goes through wooded and open areas, beneath towering cottonwood trees, past marshes and ponds, and to a shore and waterfowl watching area on Sand Creek Bay.
— Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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Ranger Sarah at a sign for a Nature Trail. She will not be going the way the arrow indicated as that is for the shorter Hoot Owl Trail, she is hiking the longer Eagles Roost Nature Trail.
— at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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Ranger Sarah at a sign for a Nature Trail. She will not be going the way the arrow indicated as that is for the shorter Hoot Owl Trail, she is hiking the longer Eagles Roost Nature Trail.
— at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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Ranger Sarah spots her first wildlife along the Eagles Roost Nature Trail in Salt Plains NWR. A turtle sitting on log floating in the water. Red-eared slider and ornate box turtle are typical species found on the refuge and in the refuge’s lakes, ponds and streams
— at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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A close up of the turtle spotted by Ranger Sarah. The turtle is to far away for Ranger Sarah to determine if it is a Red-eared slider and ornate box turtle.
— at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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Ranger Sarah has arrived at Sand Creek Bay on her hike of the Eagle Roost Trail.
— at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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Ranger Sarah heads up to the observation area at Sand Creek Bay to she if she can spot any of the wildlife at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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Ranger Sarah looks at the many birds on Sandy Creek Bay in Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge. During the fall through early spring months, geese outnumber all other birds averaging almost 50,000 each year at the refuge.
— at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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Ranger Sarah likes watching the waterfowl out in Sandy Creek Bay, she also loves all the music being made by all the song birds in the area.
— at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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Ranger Sarah reached Eagle Roost Pond. She will be sure to keep an eye out for roosting or flying eagles.
— at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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anger Sarah looks across Eagle Roost Pond. She sees lots of ducks but no eagles.
— at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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As Ranger Sarah hikes the trail along Eagle Roost Pond start flying out of the pond.
— at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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Ranger Sarah watches a lot of birds fly out of Eagle Roost Pond towards Sandy Creek Bay.
— at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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Ranger Sarah spots an eagle soaring high above Eagle Roost Pond. Maybe the birds left the pond because of the eagle.
— at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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The Bald Eagle flying above Eagle Roost Pond. Zoomed in a far as we could for the picture.
— at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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Ranger Sarah has reached Puterbaugh Marsh on her hike of the Eagle Roost Nature Trail in Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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Ranger Sarah looks for waterfowl out in the marsh. Commonly seen waterfowl in the refuge include mallard, northern pintail, wood duck, redhead, American widgeon, and common merganser.
— at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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Ranger Sarah enters a recent burn area along the trail. She doesn't know if it was a wildfire or a controlled burn, but the Nature Trail sign looks a little damaged from the heat.
— at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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Ranger Sarah heads up a small climb along the Eagles Roost Nature Trail. Things are starting to green up since the fire.
— at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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Ranger Sarah spots some Turkey Vultures circling above. Small, unfeathered head and hooked bill aid these scavengers in consuming carrion. Their weak talons are ill suited for grasping live prey. Vultures do not build nests, but lay their eggs in a sheltered spot; cliff ledge or cave, hollow log.
— at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

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