Watery Wednesday--Brown Pelicans

While I was in Texas in February I enjoyed watching the Brown Pelicans. They are coastal birds, so we don’t see them in Nebraska. The difference in how American white pelicans and Brown pelicans forage and feed particularly interested me. American white pelicans feed by swimming, usually in a group , dipping their pouched bill for fish.

The Brown pelican forages by plunge-diving from heights up to 65 feet or 20m. The Brown pelicans I observed perched on piers or rock formations. Quoting from the Sibley Guide to Bird Life & Behavior

When diving, a Brown Pelican first brings its legs in against its body and retracts its head, then slowly extends the neck and angles the wings backward. The head remains stable during these maneuvers, so that the bird can sight prey along the length of its bill.

On contact with the water, the pelican draws back its wings and opens its bill, centering the prey between its jaws. Its pouch distends rapidly to an enormous size, capable of holding about 21 pints (10 liters), or about 17 ½ pounds (8 kg) of water, and closes around the fish.

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That's My World!--Here & There

I was feeling very uninspired about a post for That’s My World! as I looked through pictures this morning. So I’m posting some photos of things that tickled my fancy when I saw them. In most cases they evoked a giggle, or a "huh?" as in the last photo.

First up are these water towers in Pratt, Kansas

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These bales of hay were taken somewhere in northern Oklahoma. If I recall correctly the sign next to them advertised someone selling hay.

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This sign was on the road into Salt Plains NWR in northern Oklahoma

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I saw this sign in several Oklahoma State Parks

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Today's Flowers

Tulips taken on Friday

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Same tulips today

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Same Magnolia bud as last week

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Camera Critters--Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel

Awhile back I paid a visit to the used book store and among several other books that I came home with was the Kenn Kaufmann book on Mammals. I've had a lot of fun going through it and finding out interesting factoids.

I took this picture of a thirteen-lined ground squirrel a couple of weeks ago.


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There are 21 species of ground squirrels in the United States, with most of them are in the central and western regions of the U.S. The thirteen-lined are found in the central part of the U.S. and originally were a resident of short grass prairies. They have adapted and are now also found in places where the grass is mowed such as parks, golf courses, etc. They construct burrow systems where they will store food to feed on during bad weather. They hibernate from fall to spring.

I took this photo a couple of years ago and it's always been kind of a favorite


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Watery Wednesday--Tri-County Canal

The Tri-County Canal in central Nebraska

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Dam emptying the Tri-County Canal into Johnson Lake

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The Tri-County Canal is maintained and operated by the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District

The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District is a political subdivision of the State of Nebraska organized under public power and irrigation district laws of Nebraska passed in 1933. Central was created to enable the people of south-central Nebraska to develop the state's irrigation and electric power potential.

Central delivers irrigation water to more than 113,000 acres on the south side of the Platte River between North Platte and Minden and also provides supplemental water from Lake McConaughy (Central's main storage reservoir) to irrigation projects serving more than 110,000 acres along the North Platte and Platte Rivers.

Central generates electricity for Nebraska's homes, farms and industry at four hydroplants, one at Kingsley Dam and three on Central's Supply Canal.

Recreation is another benefit of Central's hydro-irrigation project. Nebraskans and visiting vacationers enjoy the excellent fishing, boating, swimming, camping and other recreational opportunities provided by Lake McConaughy, Lake Ogallala, Johnson Lake and many other small lakes along the Supply Canal.

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That's My World!--Gothenburg Pony Express Station

While in central Nebraska last week I paid a visit to the Pony Express Station in Gothenburg.

According to the plaque on the building it was originally built in 1854 on the Oregon Trail four miles east of Fort McPherson and was used as a fur trading post and ranch house. From 1860 to 1861 it was used as a Pony Express Station. From 1862 to 1931 it was used as an Overland Trail Stage Station, dwelling, bunk house, and storage house on the Upper ‘96’ Ranch. In 1931 the building was donated by Mrs. C. A. Williams to the city of Gothenburg. It was moved from its original site and restored in Ehmen Park by the Gothenburg Post 64, American Legion.

It is dedicated to all the Pioneers who passed this way to win and hold the West.


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Today's Flowers

Aaah, it appears spring has sprung….

Today’s photos were all taken yesterday afternoon.

The daffodil was taken at Sunken Gardens.


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The remaining photos were taken at Maxwell Arboretum. Maxwell Arboretum is on the East Campus of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

I don’t know what kind of flowers these are, but they were pretty and very dainty. Any help identifying them would be greatly appreciated!


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Last, but certainly not least is a Magnolia bud

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UPDATE: It was bugging me not to have id's on the three flowers so I did some research today (which I should have done before I posted the photos). Anyway, the purple flower is a Glory of the Snow, the white one is a Common Snowdrop which Babooshka id'd, and the blue and white one is a Striped Squill (what a strange name!)

Camera Critters-Sandhill Cranes

Every year, during March and early April, more than 80% to 90% of the world's population of Sandhill cranes pass through the Platte River Valley. It is the largest assembly of sandhill cranes in the world. The cranes come to rest and refuel as they prepare to journey to breeding grounds in Canada, Alaska, and Siberia.

The cranes using the Platte River is not a new phenomenon. Fossil remains of a sandhill crane date as far back as 8 million years.

During the day the sandhill cranes feed on waste corn in corn fields adjacent to the Platte River. The corn is about 90% of their diet. The remainder of their diet consists of insects, earthworms, snails and plants. During their stop in Nebraska, cranes will gain nearly 10% of their body weight.

The cranes spend the night on sandbars in the Platte River. The river offers the cranes protection from predators during the night. Being in a blind along the Platte River to watch the cranes come back to the Platte at night, or to watch them lift off in the morning is an awesome experience. I did neither this year. But watching them feeding in the corn fields is interesting also.


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More about Sandhill Cranes can be found here

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UPDATE: Sunday morning March 22.
The Lincoln Journal Star has an article about the sandhill cranes in todays paper.

Skywatch Friday

Last Sunday morning I headed west on I-80 to do a little Sandhill Crane watching. Before I left the house, I checked the weather and it showed a little patch of rain between home and my intended destination. I was baffled as there was no rain forecast, but what can you say? It's Nebraska.

Sure enough, I hit the patch of rain. Just as I came out of the rain, I looked back and decided to get off the interstate. Headed down a side road and here is what I captured


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After I flipped a u-turn and headed back to the interstate I captured this photo showing blue skies with puffy clouds


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Watery Wednesday---Cozad SWMA

I came out to Central Nebraska today...and fresh out of the camera are two photos I took while Miz Winnie (see photo in sidebar)and I took a stroll in Cozad State Wildlife Management Area.


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The beaver have been busy...


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Nary a duck to be seen, I did hear some Red-winged blackbirds.

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That's My World!--Pawnee Lake State Rec. Area

It feels kind of strange to post these first couple of photos on a day that it is 75F, and the furnace is off, the slider to the deck is open, as are a couple of windows. Hopefully this will be the last of the wintery photos!

Last Thursday I went out to Pawnee Lake SRA. Tuesday we had freezing drizzle, Wednesday was very cold and windy. It was somewhat warmer on Thursday, with no wind. The effects of the wind are evident in these two photos.


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I noticed there was a fair amount of bird activity around a couple of trees, so I parked and waited to see what I would see. My patience was rewarded by this Northern Flicker.


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Today's Flowers--A Dewy Sunflower

It's been a lovely sunny day, so a Sunflower seems appropriate


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Camera Critters

Yesterday I went out to Branched Oak Lake to see what was going on. This is what I saw

Thousands and thousands of Snow geese

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My bonus for the day was an Opossum out and about foraging. I think they are so ugly that they're cute.

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