Quote:
Originally Posted by palmtreepathos
I am amazed that I had never "noticed" these huge flocks before this year. Of course knowing what they are makes it an event, each time, worth seeing and sharing. Hopefully the wetlands will keep the distance between industry and us!
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The numbers of Sandhills in Minnesota and Wisconsin have increased alot in the last 20 years. Earlier this spring I was reading in a newsgroup about someone sighting one near albany New York and they were an experienced birder who had never seen one before. You are probably seeing something returning to an area that once was a flock of a few birds.
So anyways its very possible the action is increasing in your area from the successes going on around the northern tier and canada for these birds, and its not so much that you have missed this going on, rather you were deprived of it because of the losses these birds went through long before you were born.
I found out about the losses my own area endured back in the early 70s from an old farmer who told me stories of how the skies were darkened by the numbers of birds moving through and he told me of where the cranes staged back then. You are seeing the effects of the conservation efforts began with the clean water/clean air/endangered specie acts. Its not just the eagles who have benefited from these protections. Enjoy these guys, they are an impressive bird for sure!
