Trails CLOSED due to hunting on adjacent PRIVATE property..Reopen January 16th
Trails CLOSED Sunday but opening Monday: Rock Creek Canyon, Sunrise, Sunset Loop and the far end of Black Jack Pass
Eagle's Roost ATV Area closed Oct 31
Trout Season Started Nov 1st
Please be courteous and do NOT drive to eagle viewing sites
at times/days when Eagle Watches are being given
Eagle Watches are Free and open to the Public on
January 21 & 22 and February 4 & 5
Alternate Dates are by Advance Reservation Only
Call (405) 319-8382 about alternate dates
Eagle Watches 2012 Season
9:00 A.M. Saturday January 7th
9:00 A.M. Sunday January 8th
9:00 A.M. Saturday January 21st
9:00 A.M. Sunday January 22nd
9:00 A.M. Saturday February 4th
9:00 A.M. Sunday February 5th
Join the park naturalist for an informative eagle presentation in the
Group Camp Community Building
(across from the Quartz Mountain Grocery Store).
Caravan to eagle
viewing locations around Lake Altus-Lugert.
Reservations NOT necessary.
Adults must accompany youth.
Inclement weather will cancel event.
Large groups may call (580) 563-2238 (ask for Sue) for alternate dates.
Additional self-guided opportunities are available;
stop by the Park Office or Nature Center for information.
Spotted at the Boat Ramps- Dec. 9th
@ Main Boat Ramp
22 White Pelicans and 2 Bald Eagles
@ Hicks Mountain Boat Ramp:
1immature Bald Eagle in cottonwood tree
6 White pelicans bobbing in the water
Spotted at the Feeding Stations
by the Nature Center- Dec. 9th
@ tube thistle feeders:
6 American Goldfinches and a variety of sparrows
On the ground:
11 American Goldfinches, 4 Blue Jays, 8 Dark-Eyed Juncos, 3 Spotted Towhees, 1 male and 2 female Cardinals, 1 Mourning Dove, 1 Brown Thrasher and 1 Fox Squirrel
@ screened hanging feeders:
7 American Goldfinches, 6 Carolina Chickadees, 4 titmice, 2 female Cardinals,
a good assortment of Sparrows,
Spotted at the Feeding Stations
by the Nature Center- Dec. 4th
@ tube thistle feeders:
American Goldfinches, Purple Finches and a variety of sparrows
On the ground:
1 Fox Squirrel, 2 Blue Jays, three or four Mourning Doves, innumerable Dark-Eyed Juncos,
3 Spotted Towhees, 1 male and 2 female Cardinals.
@ screened hanging feeders:
2 Blue Jays, 2 female Cardinals, 6 Carolina Chickadees, a good assortment of Sparrows, quite a few American Goldfinches and a Red-Bellied Woodpecker.
October 21 & 22 METEOR SHOWER
EARLY morning best time to watch
originating from the area of Orion’s club.
It is forecast that there will be 20 or so meteors per hour
On saturday october 8th, Quartz Mountain received approximately 1.8 inches of rain
In comparison, from Oct 1st 2010 until Sept. 30th 2011
Quartz Mountain had 8.32 inches of rain
TOTAL
Which comes out to about 32% of the amount of rain we normally get
This is the least amount of rain in 1 year on record for SW OK according to mesonet.org
“What is that greenish yellow STUFF on the rocks?
Those are lichens.
At Quartz Mountain, they come in greenish yellow, grayish green and yellowish orange.
Lichens are fascinating organisms.
Every lichen is actually composed of two distinct species.
One species is a kind of fungus.
Usually the other species is an alga,
This association of fungi & algae is so complete that they behave
and look like an entirely new being.
The fungus benefits from the algae because fungi, having no chlorophyll,
can't photosynthesize their own food.
A lichen's fungal part is thus "fed" by its photosynthesizing algal part.
The algae benefit from the association because the fungus is better able to find,
soak up, and retain water and nutrients than the algae.
Also, the fungus gives the resulting lichen shape.
Lichens will grow almost anywhere that is reasonably well-lit and stable.
They may grow on soil, rock, or even the sides of trees.
Now you know what that “greenish yellow STUFF” is on the rocks.
Its lichen- a cool association of fungus & algae!
by the Nature Center- Dec. 9th
6 American Goldfinches and a variety of sparrows
On the ground:
11 American Goldfinches, 4 Blue Jays, 8 Dark-Eyed Juncos, 3 Spotted Towhees, 1 male and 2 female Cardinals, 1 Mourning Dove, 1 Brown Thrasher and 1 Fox Squirrel
@ screened hanging feeders:
7 American Goldfinches, 6 Carolina Chickadees, 4 titmice, 2 female Cardinals,
a good assortment of Sparrows,
Spotted at the Feeding Stations
by the Nature Center- Dec. 4th
@ tube thistle feeders:
American Goldfinches, Purple Finches and a variety of sparrows
On the ground:
1 Fox Squirrel, 2 Blue Jays, three or four Mourning Doves, innumerable Dark-Eyed Juncos,
3 Spotted Towhees, 1 male and 2 female Cardinals.
@ screened hanging feeders:
2 Blue Jays, 2 female Cardinals, 6 Carolina Chickadees, a good assortment of Sparrows, quite a few American Goldfinches and a Red-Bellied Woodpecker.
October 21 & 22 METEOR SHOWER
EARLY morning best time to watch
originating from the area of Orion’s club.
It is forecast that there will be 20 or so meteors per hour
On saturday october 8th, Quartz Mountain received approximately 1.8 inches of rain
In comparison, from Oct 1st 2010 until Sept. 30th 2011
Quartz Mountain had 8.32 inches of rain
TOTAL
Which comes out to about 32% of the amount of rain we normally get
This is the least amount of rain in 1 year on record for SW OK according to mesonet.org
“What is that greenish yellow STUFF on the rocks?
Those are lichens.
At Quartz Mountain, they come in greenish yellow, grayish green and yellowish orange.
Lichens are fascinating organisms.
Every lichen is actually composed of two distinct species.
One species is a kind of fungus.
Usually the other species is an alga,
This association of fungi & algae is so complete that they behave
and look like an entirely new being.
The fungus benefits from the algae because fungi, having no chlorophyll,
can't photosynthesize their own food.
A lichen's fungal part is thus "fed" by its photosynthesizing algal part.
The algae benefit from the association because the fungus is better able to find,
soak up, and retain water and nutrients than the algae.
Also, the fungus gives the resulting lichen shape.
Lichens will grow almost anywhere that is reasonably well-lit and stable.
They may grow on soil, rock, or even the sides of trees.
Now you know what that “greenish yellow STUFF” is on the rocks.
Its lichen- a cool association of fungus & algae!
originating from the area of Orion’s club.
It is forecast that there will be 20 or so meteors per hour
In comparison, from Oct 1st 2010 until Sept. 30th 2011
Quartz Mountain had 8.32 inches of rain
TOTAL
Which comes out to about 32% of the amount of rain we normally get
This is the least amount of rain in 1 year on record for SW OK according to mesonet.org