Bird Watching By Wheelchair

Where can people disabilities go for an outdoor adventure or to pursue a favorite pastime? Here is an idea.

One fall, my husband and I visited two National Wildlife Refuges (NWR). Because I have post-polio syndrome, I walk only short distances with leg braces and use a folding wheelchair. My husband and I are both backyard bird watchers, so we set out to view the flocks of migrating shorebirds to be found on both refuges. We were not disappointed.

Quivira NWR near Stafford, Kansas

We explored much of the 22,135 acres of flat prairie land at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge on our self-guided auto tour. For persons with mobility limitations, Quivira's auto tour is ideal. We crept over the roads at idling speed, while we observed flocks of feeding birds through the car windows.

A 1.2 mile hiking trail, Migrant's Mile Nature Trail, looped through trees and grasslands and crossed a wetland via a boardwalk. Our excitement mounted as the wheelchair rolled over the accessible part (3/4 mile loop) of the nature trail, On the wetlands we found whooping cranes. They are an endangered species. And swarms of mosquitoes found us. We wore protective clothing but forgot the insect repellent. My husband pushed my wheelchair while I swatted, so we suffered amazingly few bites. I would caution others to arm themselves with repellent.

Hunting is permitted on the refuge when there are no endangered waterfowl species present. We even saw a handicap-accessible hunting blind. Fishing is allowed year round on all the lakes of Quivira.

The refuge visitor center offers wildlife displays, public meeting rooms, and accessible restrooms. Don't miss the center's unique, 1000-foot concrete trail called Birdhouse Boulevard.

Rock Hounds

As amateur rock hounds, we were excited to learn that all we needed were old clothes and a shovel to dig rock-salt crystals on the Salt Plains NWR. We found hourglass sand inclusions, particles of sand trapped inside crystals within the transparent rocks. The 32,000-acre refuge, established in 1930, is adjacent to Oklahoma's Salt Plains State Park. Getting into the refuge visitor center was difficult because the entranceway was not ramped. It took the tilt-back, lift-push maneuver to get my wheelchair onto the sidewalk. Once in the center, I found accessible restrooms.

The refuge consists of headquarters, hiking trails, and the salt flats. The State Park offers swimming, boating, fishing, and campsites with semi-modern RV hookups.

Salt Plains NWR 2.5 mile self-guided auto trail took us through the woodlands and by the marshes. As we drove this trail, we spotted a spruce grouse and a tiny sedge wren in the underbrush, scurrying along beside us on the 1/4-mile wheelchair accessible nature trail.

With pre-trip research and a willingness to drive extra miles, visitors can locate accessible lodging near Salt Plains but should avoid the Vista Motel in Alva, Okla.

Bottom Line

We drove 967 miles over the three days, stayed within 350 miles of our southwest Missouri home, and spent less than $300. We added several birds to our lifetime bird list and had an exciting adventure. We set our own pace, avoided crowds, and visited with people as we traveled. Will we do this again? You bet!

COPYRIGHT 2000 Cheever Publishing, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group