Nature!

Yesterday I saw something I have never witnessed before.

I was driving my parents to another bull sale...

This one was located in the southern center of South Dakota. 

On the way, we became aware of a large number of birds in the fields and pastures along our route.

I, and my parents and my dad's brother that was catching a ride with us had never observed these birds before.  We immediately recognized that they were cranes - sandhill type.

Apparently none of us had ever been at the right place at the right time so see this before.

(Photo from the Nebraska Flyways website)

There were THOUSANDS of them within about a 10 mile area that we drove through.

We regularly see this volume of geese where we live.  Snows, grays and canada geese. But we'd never seen the cranes before.  We live outside of their route.

It was fascinating enough as soon as I got home yesterday to do some research.

What I found that surprised me was...

80% of the population migrate through the river valley every year heading to Northern Canada, Alaska and Siberia.

The flocks will fly from 170 to 450 PER DAY.

The most surprising to me was the lifespan of these birds.  They live 20 - 40 years!

 

We saw them midmorning on the drive.  On the way home, we saw only a few flocks.  The rest had taken off for the next leg of their journey.  

 

I am so glad I got to see this, even tho it was in drive by fashion. 

 

It amazes me what our creator has created.

 

All for now, JULIE