About a year ago, my mother moved away from Scottsbluff, to pursue some job opportunities.... It's been a little rough, but anyway, it turns out she moved to a part of the world a national geographic photographer called "exotic!"
Kearney Nebraska! Lol!

The reason its so exotic, is because, there is an 80 mile strip of land, between Kearney and Grand Island Nebraska, on the north platte river, that is a stopping ground for some 500,000 sandhill cranes. They stop here on their way to canada and beyond, to stock pile more body fat for the long journey. Corn and snails.... Mmmm.....

Anyway, we packed into a blind yesterday and watched the birds come in for the evening... It was kinda surreal! Thousands of cranes packed into the river bed in a matter of hours, and they are noisy! Their call is similar to a rolled 'r' in spanish... So a few thousand of them at a time calling out, it's nuts!

Its strange, the older I get, and I'm not really all that old lol, i enjoy the time I get to spend outside more and more... Even if it is just watching birds dance lol! (cranes dance btw)

80 miles? I'm wondering if there is a flat clear spot in there to buggy! The birds are cool all by themselves though.

I drove right through there last fall. That's where the state trooper followed me for 3 miles with his spotlight on my buggy! Spent the night in Lincoln after driving from Salt Lake.

not my video... but you get the idea

not really any buggy spots... lots of random trees... i did see a few good flood plains, since the river is so high, that would be a blast to surf or winch on :wee:

those are some very cool pics..............

That is very cool. As a confermed out doors man, (not hunter) but prefer to be in the mountains hiking for 10-20 days at a shot. I can totaly apriciate your excitement of this. This moring a pair of Trumpeter Swans flew over the yard while we were out side. Thay are amazingly HOOJ I think the biggest birds I have ever seen flying in this area.

We get alot of Sandhills around here as well.

Taste just like chicken! :D

We have a close relative called the Brolga here but they're not very common in the south of Aus. I occasionally see a nesting pair on a neighbor's dam. I once witnessed a fox get too close to their nest and the Brolga's held their wings out and charged the fox which beat a hasty retreat. They are the largest and most impressive bird around here except maybe for the Wedgetail eagles. anything that flies is good....

While kayaking on the Seneca river near Onondaga lake I was attacked by a trumpeter swan. It paddled out toward me from its home in a little marina then took flight and bee lined for my face. They are big and mean and can blot out the sun, I dont think I hurt him but he did take a paddle to the chest.

Meh ... they look like they'd be all stingy to me ... I mean, Plovver just sounds like "plump" and juicy - how can you go wrong? :D