What do Robins, hummingbirds, and chickens have in common?

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Early morning dune climbers Sand Dunes National Park.

I was just thinking today about another mini-vacation. Like my last mini-vacation, this one would also have a purpose, two purposes actually. One to see the leaves change and the other to see the annual Sandhill Crane migration in the San Luis Valley.

You may recognize that San Luis Valley is where I just came from and the area where the Sand Dunes National Park is. And it just so happens that the Sandhill Crane migration and the leaves changing occurs approximately the same time, somewhere around late September.

When I was in the San Luis Valley, passing through the small towns in the area, I was always seeing posters and signs talking about Sandhill Cranes. I didn't know what it was all about, and I doubt if I could tell a Sandhill Crane from a woodpecker. Still, when I got home, I looked it up on the Internet and found out that the Sandhill Crane migration in that area is a big deal for birdwatchers because, apparently, Sandhill cranes are fascinating to watch.

Now birds are like flowers to me, meaning I can't tell one from the other, and I can probably count the fingers on one hand of the bird names I know. I know a Robin when I see it, a hummingbird, and a chicken; anything else is just a wild guess.

For some reason, Sandhill Cranes interest me, and I think it's because many years ago, I was at a friend's house in Lake City, Florida. While standing in the yard, a large herd of Cranes flew right over our heads and started making a big circle in the sky, so they stayed right over our heads going around and around.

That was odd enough, but then one of the cranes broke out of the circle, flapped his wings a few times, and started rising up into the sky with no effort whatsoever. And then one after another rose up into the blue cloudless Florida sky until they were all so high they were just dots in the sky, and one by one, they all flew off in the same direction.

Now, of course, what happened is they caught an updraft that just happened to be right over our heads. And they rode it up to where the wind was blowing and let the wind blow them wherever they wanted to go. It was a fantastic sight to me, and maybe that's why I want to see the Sandhill Cranes in the San Luis Valley. But standing directly under 40 or 50 giant birds is very risky. I think this time I'll bring an umbrella.

                    theboondork

Old trolley car Silverton Colorado.

My boondocking spot at Mesa Verde National Park.

It's a very fancy bench on the Silverton Colorado Main Street, but it doesn't look all that comfortable to sit on.

An old Silverton Colorado building. If this building could talk it would be X-rated.