We’ve been working at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary along the Platt River near Kearney NE for almost two weeks now. The temperature roller coaster continues. Today is a deliciously blue, sunny day in the low 50's. Our lake is thawing - and I apologize to my sister in CO and Erv’s mountain friends in CA that find photos of ice and snow bedecked landscape interesting mostly for comparison to how much deeper and colder it is in their locales - but I’m attaching a photo of the view from our “summer” house earlier this week anyway!

Birds are beginning to arrive. I’m enchanted by the waves of geese - mostly Snow, Canada and White Front - that undulate and cris-cross the broad skies of these plains like schools of fish, rank upon rank of an endless army, or small clouds. Locals are heartened by these sights and sounds of spring ( the noise of these quackers and honkers is amazing) after enduring a long, hard winter. To a person, however, they remind me that I’ve not seen anything yet - the Sandhills are beginning to arrive and that’s the main event.

Thus far, Erv and I have been involved in manual labor as we spring clean the grounds and buildings; add plywood to blinds; build sheds, etc. I’d forgotten I had some of these muscles!
There’s plenty of time for exploring, however and we’re getting to know the surrounding countryside and small towns. Yesterday we spent the afternoon birding along the back roads with a local teacher and Rowe volunteer. We saw large flocks of wild turkey (eat your heart out, Jerry!), whitetail deer, raptors including hawks and bald eagles- at least a dozen eagles yesterday alone, two of whom were sprucing up and old nest for this season’s chicks. (that photo from apx. 1/4 mile so as not to disturb the birds.) The smaller songbirds - robins, bluebirds, horned larks, goldfinch and sparrows- are now in evidence as well. Lovely to see the earth awakening to Spring!