theboondork's RV blog

at least today I have an excuse

8/20/2023

Click the pics.... But only the ones that don't explode when you click them.

I not only don't have much to write about today I also haven't taken any pictures....that's how bad the Summer doldrums are getting for me.

But fortunately I hang on to some of my old pictures from my Winter travels that didn't get used in my blog just for emergencies such as this.

figuring that my next mini-vacation will be sometime in September when I will head to southern Colorado and try to find some migrating Sandhill Cranes, I figured I would look at some of last year's Sandhill Crane pictures to get me in the mood.

Can you imagine how difficult it is for me to repeatedly say that nothing is going on in my life right now, but I'm going to write about it anyway?

I don't remember a time when I've been in Denver for the summer, and I've been so lazy that I haven't been doing anything of interest for weeks at a time, but apparently, that's what's going on now.

Normally I would find a project to do that I was really interested in, and that would keep me busy and give me something to write about. But this time, I've got things I need to do but don't find them particularly interesting, so my procrastination can easily put them off for another time.

But I don't need an excuse for not doing anything today since it's Sunday and officially a day of rest; I have no problems resting for the entire day and putting off all of the things I should be doing because Sunday being a day of rest gives me a cover story without having to say it's too hot or too rainy.

Theboondork

the Sandhill Cranes all look the same, but the way I was feeling when I took the pictures comes flooding back to me in the wonderful memories of how I felt being around these huge birds.

I go to where the cranes are, mainly to take pictures. But also just to be around the birds. Sometimes, such as sunrise when the cranes start flying off the lake to feed in the fields. The scene of thousands upon thousands of Cranes scattered for miles across the sky, with the sun just coming up on the horizon Is so inspiring sometimes I forget to raise my camera and take a picture.

Wherever you find the Cranes you will also find birds of prey. they hang around looking not only for Cranes that are weak or dying, these birds wouldn't stand a chance against a healthy Sandhill Crane, but for injured ones it's possible to find a meal.

But the predatory birds are also keeping an eye out for the small critters that the Cranes scare up as they walk around the fields.

11 Comments

OFM

8/21/2023 10:58:29 am

Here is a Canadian sandhill crane report I ran across this morning.
https://seasonsinthevalley.blogspot.com/2023/08/in-search-of-sandhill-cranes.html

Tom

8/21/2023 11:21:18 am

Thank you for that Barney. I hope I have better luck spotting Sandhill Cranes next month in southern Colorado than The Furry Gnome had in Canada, it appears that logs and leaves was the best that he could do. Spotting Sandhill Cranes is iffy at best. it seems like there either there in great numbers or they're not there at all.

Indigo

8/21/2023 12:51:06 pm

In a desperate attempt to change the subject ... a QUESTION for all birders here. For the past several nights, I could swear I've spotted straggler geese headed due south. We have a large lake nearby here in cenTex where they could gather. Are these geese getting ready to migrate south? Does this mean a new season is on the cusp? Is this a sign of hope?

8/21/2023 06:31:16 pm

You can change the subject as often as you want. I can make up an answer for anything.

I guess it's possible. In another two weeks or so, I usually find some Geese and Cranes in southern Colorado where they spend some time eating and resting before they continue heading South. I don't think I've ever heard where they come from, but I know migrating geese don't spend the winter in Colorado, even a Goose is smarter than that.

My oldest son used to be into Goose and Duck hunting and since he was the Colorado state trap shooting champion the Geese didn't stand a chance. And the area where he hunted the Geese and Duck, hunting season started on September 30th which means that by then the migratory waterfowl were already pouring into the Colorado on their way south.

So are the geese leaving Texas already? Could be! I don't think there's a head Goose that makes a decision on when everybody leaves so I would imagine the Geese straggle out of Texas, and straggle into Arizona about when I get there.

Is a handful of Geese leaving town a sign that Texas weather is going to improve anytime soon? Probably not. Since I've seen geese with their feet frozen in a Lake, tells me they're not very good predictors of weather.

But should you have hope? Absolutely! Every day is another day to enjoy life no matter what the weather.

Tom

8/22/2023 05:02:59 pm

LOL !!! I do enjoy your attitude - maybe why I enjoy your writing and your pictures! Thanks, Boondorker.

8/22/2023 05:09:35 pm

Thank YOU indigo. Every once in a while I get a comment that makes my day, and that was one of them.

Tom

Larry Worsham

8/22/2023 05:13:26 am

You might find this site interesting. https://dashboard.birdcast.info/

You enter your region in and it show migration patterns of birds. It must be totally magic or AI but interesting anyway.

8/22/2023 08:10:34 am

That is weird Larry. How do they do that? Even A. I. has to have something to go on, it can't make up numbers out of thin air. Maybe there's 10,000 birdwatchers scanning the sky with binoculars day and night counting every kind of bird that flies by.... But even Birders can't be that nutty.

Maybe with a little more reading they would talk about how they come up with those numbers but with what little reading I did this early in the morning I have to agree that it's the magic.... But it is interesting. I wonder if it will help me find some Sandhill Cranes when I go looking?

Tom

8/22/2023 05:06:36 pm

Oh Larry, this site is a real jasper. Last night, 198,000 birds were in the air in my county. Holy Toledo! I agree with Tom: this is gonna keep me wide awake for several nights trying to suss out the possibilities. Thank you very much for this, Larry. No help with the goose question, but who cares any more? ???

8/23/2023 05:00:35 am

Here is how they do it! It is way over my head.....AI and computer modeling.

https://birdcast.info/news/frequently-asked-questions/

How is radar data converted into an approximate number of birds?
The strength of a radar return is measured by a metric called reflectivity factor (Z) and is typically measured on a logarithmic scale (dBZ). The higher the dBZ, the greater the amount of energy returned to the radar. We also use these reflectivity factor values to estimate the number of birds in the airspace. Just like with meteorological phenomena, the higher the dBZ, the higher the bird density.

However, dBZ does not give us a precise number of objects; we have to take additional steps to come up with a head count. One large bird can show up with the same signal strength as several smaller birds. Many different species—and different sizes—of migratory birds can travel at the same time, without us being able to distinguish them. Although radar data can tell us a lot about migratory behavior, we are still unable to precisely determine bird species from radar alone. Therefore, we need to use an assumed average bird size when converting reflectivity into the number of birds.

8/23/2023 08:11:56 am

Your explanation made it very clear and understandable, you get Z by measuring on a dBZ scale, adding in the unknown of the FBI, NAACP, and CNN, and you end up with LGBTQIA+ Which can't tell a Hummingbird from an Ostrich.

Tom

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at least today I have an excuse

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