Travelers

13 years ago

Among the hundreds of thousands of sandhill cranes in the area now there are at least 55 whooping cranes. The most the game commision has ever seen at one time but the real unusual ones are a hooded crane, a native of China and Siberia plus two common cranes, natives of Eurasia. You have to wonder at the mystery, how did these wind up in Nebraska on the Platte waiting to migrate when the weather warms a bit. Hooded crane are a bit smaller but still a large bird. Body is black except for it's head.

Seems like there is a birdwatcherfor every bird. Restaurants are crowdesd and the motels all look like the have [plenty of cars around and I'll bet some of the cameras we see probably are worth a months income

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

User
13 years ago
Bird watchers are an enthusiastic group. Fun seeing some interesting diversity among the cranes. Wonder if some were brought by humans as pets or 4H projects and just answered the call of the wild.
0
pamven
13 years ago
Do you suppose the massive earthquake last month might have caused some birds to stray off their course during migration?
0
Related Discussions
Traveler/Traveler 76/Arkansas Traveler
Q
Comments (20)
"Large crops of pink, 8-10 oz that have a full, old-fashioned tomato flavor. Smooth, blemish free fruit are borne in large numbers over a concentrated time period, making this variety a favorite in Southern states for canning and eating. Strong determinate. 80 days, #4515 (30 seeds) $2.55" [Tomato Growers Supply seed blurb] My opinion is that description comes from somewhere other than a grower of Bradley, if you get my drift. I mean it seems to ape other seed blurbs for Bradley rather than the results I've experienced over the past 4 years growing Bradley. First of all, I agree with the 80 days to maturity from transplant. But I don't think I ever got a 10-ounce tomato off a Bradley plant. Maybe 8 ounces with plenty of them running 6 - 7 ounces. "Full, old fashioned flavor" maybe in a hot, dry summer but I'd describe it more on the sweet side of old fashioned and down right bland and watery if the season goes overly wet. Tends also to get soft inside with skin splits in overly wet conditions. I had some excellent results in containers, though, where I did get truly blemish free, 8 ounce, tasty fresh slicers. Concentrated set? Not so much. And surely not like many determinate canners that set one huge crop with maybe a second wind smaller crop then peter out completely. The Bradleys I've grown started yielding at 80 days from transplant and continued with reasonably generous yields until cool, low light conditions in autumn tended to shut them down or render the fruit tasteless. Bradley definitely is a producer though, and does have genes that are useful for increasing yield and standardizing fruit size when crossed with an heirloom like Cherokee Purple. I did that in 2007 and in 2008 grew the F1 that yielded more tomatoes of a uniform size (about 6 - 8 ounces) than any other regular size tomato in the garden ... like 8 - 12 fully ripe tomatoes per picking with two or three pickings a week at the peak season. Awesome. And in no way was the F1 Bradley x CP semi-anything. It was robust indeterminate and grew as long or longer than JD's Special C-Tex and Cherokee Purple as next door neighbors. Out produced them both, too. See below: Bradley x CP, one vine, one day.
...See More
Travel, travel, travel___keep those wheels spinning.
Q
Comments (3)
Good to hear from you. So sorry to hear about Shannon's health issues. There's a really nice rv resort in Spring, TX. We liked the one in Galveston but really love the rv park on the beach at Bolivar Peninsula. We were supposed to be sitting out there in June but since the house went under water we are living in the rv which is in the driveway instead. Tell Mike we said hi.
...See More
Ideas for small-bite appetizers that can travel and wait
Q
Comments (51)
The apricot bites are fantastic on their own but I would not call them savory— at least mine have not been, even without vanilla. The sweetness of the apricots one uses must be the difference? In whatever form they are a crowd pleaser. Glad they were a hit for you, salonva, I’m sure they were delicious. Regular cream cheese is a bit more tart than marscapone, and buying it already whipped is a great idea I’ll try for Christmas! Those spinach bars’ recipe sounds like mini crustless quiches, another great idea. Back in the 90’s, bacon wrapped prunes or dates were a staple at cocktail parties. That combination of sweet and salty is a great foil for drinks but I suppose they’ve fallen out of favor. We love prunes and they make a regular appearance around here in oatmeal and in lekvar prune butter on toast.
...See More
Air travel......
Q
Comments (14)
chi, I pretty rarely fly these days. It's almost exclusively for vacation (I have flown when moving homes, and for business, but these days, I am settled with both of those). How is airplane pollution better/worse than bus, train, or car pollution? I would think the fraction of the time it takes to get from point A to B would make it at least comparable, if not better. Not trying to be contrary, just curious. I can't see that being an issue. Though, you are right. I have a work acquaintance who said after COVID, air travel was being utilized by "bus people", more often. And, I noticed, the next couple of times I flew, yep: the class of people has absolutely changed. What I really dislike is how many are creating disturbances on flights. I can't say that I ever remember something like that, much less at the level it occurs now. I guess that's due to people recording it these days? But I will say the civility is gone, more than ever.
...See More
anneliese_32
13 years ago
Belonging to the birdwatchers, even if it is just locally, its interesting what sometimes shows up. The Siberian crane most likely went astray last fall, since some of the sandhill cranes cross over from Alaska to Siberia and back.
I would love to see that huge congregation of cranes in person, not just on the computer or TV.
0
rob333 (zone 7b)
13 years ago
Wow Anneliese, that's really astray! Cool Gandle. I want to hear them in person some day. Enjoy.
0
kathyjane
13 years ago
When I visited friends in AZ some winters back, I was amazed at the tens of thousands of Sandhills which always gathered in a huge dry lakebed nearby.
I've never seen so many birds; EVER!

Smaller groups would gather in the high desert
(near Wilcox) right outside the home of my friends.
Their music followed them downwards as they set up for their landings, covering acres at a time.

The early mornings would bring an
increasing volume of excitement
as they readied for their take-offs
and the days' feeding areas.

As their calls became dimmer,
I could see their flight patterns become the
printed-out notes of their flying songs!
Double whammy.

Must've been the high desert air,
or the trip to the little Benedictine Monastary
we visited some miles down the road......

I'll never forget those comical, yet beautiful birds
as long as I live.
0
kathyjane
13 years ago
Gandle, thank you for this beautiful thread---I forgot to thank you in my first post---sorry!
KJ
0
west_gardener
13 years ago
Talking about birds and travelers. I realize that this thread is about cranes, but we here in Silicon Valley ,CA are innudated with geese.
Gandle said:" You have to wonder at the mystery, how did these wind up in Nebraska on the Platte".

I'm wondering how all the geese ended up on a tinsy-winsy man made lake with brackish water here in CA.
0
west_gardener
13 years ago
Geese. I'm not a bird watcher but when we went to a local "man made" park and saw the all geese, I wondered where they came from and why they decided to stop at this place. Anyone have a guess?

Here is a link that might be useful: Geese
0
kathyjane
13 years ago
Canada Geese.

Forty years ago, they were sensational to watch and listen to, as we assumed they wre just passing through.
We are part of the Mid-Atlantic Flyway, with a very convenient pass through the mtns. nearby.

Be prepared.
If Canada Geese like your man-made pond, they'll probably stay; just as they did here in VA. They are the most common water bird in these parts, now.
0
posieh
13 years ago
The Canadian Geese are a real problem in our area. They are here in the thousands! They do their best to spoil crops and lawns. Not too many years ago they were pretty much a novelty, than folks started feeding them amd now they are here by the thousands! If they land on your dock in the lake or on your lawn, it becomes so covered with excretment that you literally cannot stand up! They do remain a beautiful bird to be admired, now if we could just train them to poop in one spot!
0
west_gardener
13 years ago
Oh the poop. Big round thingies about an inch and a half long and slippery. Lol,posieh, if we could just train the geese to poop in one place, collect it and sell it as green fertilizer we could make enough to wipe out the national debt. Just don't try to train the geese in spring time, when they are mating. They are very aggressive in protecting their territory. I speak from experience.

Our particular park and lake was built for people, now we have to figure out how to live together.
0

Travelers

Comments (11)

User

pamven

Related Discussions

anneliese_32

rob333 (zone 7b)

kathyjane

kathyjane

west_gardener

west_gardener

kathyjane

posieh

west_gardener

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US