It is Sandhill migration time and there are about 500,000 of them passing through central Nebraska. These are massive birds and that many of them make a lot of noise.

Right now there are several of them grazing in my front yard. They are easy going and not scared of humans. The fact that they are about four feet tall with a seven foot wingspan might have something to do with this.

Yesterday there were two Whooping Cranes that had failed in with them. Seeing these rare birds in the front yard was different.

Lots of out of state license plates driving around since people come from all over to view them.

They do keep down the bugs. They collectively eat about fifty million insects a day so I have not had to do a lot of exterminating since moving in.

We used to see them flying overhead in large numbers in my childhood home Roswell, New Mexico. I got a kick out of them flying in formation.

There’s a wetland not too far to the north oddly enough, part of the Pecos river system. We drove up there once during the season, saw a lot of them all about.

By the way, you notice how when they’re flying in the V-shaped formation often it’s longer on one side than on the other? Do you know why that is?

It’s because there are more birds on that side.

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Those cranes that are passing thru by you come here for an 8 month stay. I could thief the eggs. The juveniles are fun to play with, I have photos of me holding them. the folks do not like this.

I call them ribeyeofthesky so darned noisy. The whoopers are less frequent and it has been a while since I had to kick any of them off the front lawn. Those cranes also eat the frogs which if not subjected to digestion would be eating the bugs. Therefore I harass the cranes to try to keep them 400 yards away from the house.

They are a treat. I have nesting pairs that return annually, but the big flock hangs out about a mile away keeping proximity to a series of ponds on the neighbor's place. his problem

They are cool! They fly over here a lot. They can be heard at very high altitude....I am guessing a mile.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

They are a big tourist draw here. Hotel price jump by about 15% due to the cranes.

They are illegal to hunt in Nebraska. Some people say that's why they spend so much time here but I find that hard to believe. They are on the lookout for predators no matter where they are.

Here their biggest problem would be foxes and the occasional mountain lion.