Migration

Fall brings the migration of Sand Hill Cranes around our place. If you drive a quarter of a mile up the road past our house you come to a 30,000 acre wet-land conservation area. I like to say we live on the edge of the earth; if you drive past our house you fall off the edge. To go North out of our driveway you could literally get lost and drive for hours without seeing another house or car. It really is a beautiful area that we should take much more advantage of.

Year round we see a lot of flying critters. Daily now we get to watch as portions of the 7,000 cranes that call Crex Meadows their home start on their migratory flight down south. In the spring we hear the trumpeter swans, and see them flying low over our pine trees. The Canadian Geese sometimes stop at our pond looking for a good nesting spot. There are common sightings of pheasants and ducks as well.

As beautiful as all the birds are to watch, they are also a mockery to our hunting fanatic boys. See, it is illegal to shoot any waterfowl on our side of the road because of the conservation area. But, step across the road to Russell's field, and you can shoot all the Geese you want.