the "Honkers" have arrived!

[mellowyellow]

a sure sign that spring is upon us, the annual<br />migration of Canadian Geese. I live right in the<br />flight path and we saw the first flocks on Sat.<br />amazing just how loud a big flock overhead can be.<br />just love that sound! <br />maybe this long cold winter is over?<br />M.Y.

 

[dkondelik]

Re: the "Honkers" have arrived!

we've got a few different flocks(? heards?) that winter-over here at the lake.<br /><br />dang birds iz a nusince! poodle terds iz every where. <br /><br />But yep! spring iz spung and life is lukin' bedder day-by-day

 

[JB]

Re: the "Honkers" have arrived!

The Hideout is on a Sandhill crane flyway.<br /><br />Many thousands passed over last week.<br /><br />Their bugling is not as charming as the big Canadas, but sweet news, nevertheless.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: the "Honkers" have arrived!

This small lake over here by the house is home to about 100 or so of them things.<br /><br />They stay year round.

 

[Barely_Legal]

Re: the "Honkers" have arrived!

I watched the geese heading back north about 10 days ago. For 20 years my Mom and I use this as her indicator that in one month just about to the day, spring will arrive for good in Upstate N.Y.<br /><br />Galveston Island is a landing site for the sandhill cranes and this year there are plenty. Just this past week they have banned hunting them here.<br /><br />

 

[NOSLEEP]

Re: the "Honkers" have arrived!

Haven't seen any large numbers here yet. Although<br />we are expecting them any time. We have a good<br />number of geese that stay here year round.Even<br />at -30 you can see them along the rivers huddling<br />on the the banks and near open water.

 

[gonfishn]

Re: the "Honkers" have arrived!

Here in ridge runner country we don't monitor the cranes or geese but when the turkey buzzards arrive spring is getting close. They are the uglest bird you ever laid eyes on but they come back the same time every year.<br /><br />Back in the hills we pretend thay are real turkeys and eat em once in a long while. Ask Bubba he knows how tasty they are...........

 

[Hooty]

Re: the "Honkers" have arrived!

Coonasses don' even eat Turkey Buzzards!!<br /><br />c/6<br /><br />Hooty

 

[gonfishn]

Re: the "Honkers" have arrived!

Now Hooty you know it was just a jist on the eatn. But the buzz bird is is a reality in Ohio. BTW you might be surprised on what you will eat when the hunger comes on and there is nothing to eat. Been there done that......

 

[Scoop]

Re: the "Honkers" have arrived!

The Sandhills arrived the end of last week here. There are always a lot of them around here int he summer. Have seen more than 40 in one field before. 20 is common. I would assume it is the same for you guys in the south during winter.

 

[ebbtide176]

Re: the "Honkers" have arrived!

we're a warped bunch i guess...<br /><br />the buzzards are flying around here now. i wonder if its got to do with the doe on the side of the hiway down by the holler yonder <br /><br />speaking of eating whatever, we've seen posts here of old soldiers eating some stuff... eeeee<br /><br />but my mother was brought up during times when they'd 'beat the brush'. during 30's winters when they'd use pine knot torches in one hand for a light, and a stick in the other to beat brushpiles in the pasture and beat down birds that flew out for dinner...<br /><br />ya never know whacha will eat when you're hungry <br /><br />but we get the flocks of geese coming over in the fall bigtime . i'll have to take notice this time of year. spring is here right now! grass getting really high in the backyard...

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: the "Honkers" have arrived!

was 71 here yesterday, warmer than most of y'all.<br />(gotta brag when u get a chance )

 

[cotterman]

Re: the "Honkers" have arrived!

spring must almost be here. snow is melting, can almost see dead brown grass and mud on the lawn.<br />its a beautiful sight!

 

[LadyFish]

Re: the "Honkers" have arrived!

Huge Crane Gathering Draws Bird Watchers<br />Bird Watchers Flock to Nebraska to See World's Largest Convergence of Cranes<br /><br />The Associated Press<br />GIBBON, Neb. March 24 —<br /><br />The morning sun illuminates the Platte River, revealing thousands of Sandhill cranes crowded on sandbars.<br /><br />The laugh-like calls of the tall, thin birds grow louder as more awaken. Some wade into the shallow water. Others dance, hopping with their long greyish-brown wings spread wide and their red-capped heads bobbing.<br /><br />Suddenly the flock is spooked, perhaps by a bald eagle or an accidental flash from one many cameras. Tens of thousands of bird watchers visit south-central Nebraska each March to see the world's largest gathering of cranes.<br /><br />"They're amazing," whispers Jim Rintoul, a retired Denver auto technician peering through binoculars pressed against his bifocals.<br /><br />With more than 500,000 Sandhill cranes 90 percent of the world population covering an 80-mile stretch of the Platte River, it has one of the greatest concentrations of any animal species on Earth.<br /><br />More...