Home » NEBRASKAland Articles (page 7)

NEBRASKAland Articles

A Return to the Plains – Wolves in Nebraska

By Sam Wilson, Furbearer and Carnivore Program Manager, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission The howls of wild wolf packs have been gone from Nebraska for more than 100 years, but recently a few dispersers walked hundreds of miles into the state to return to plains where the species was once common. Few wild animals hold a larger place in cultures around the world than wolves. They are a symbol of the wild that has inspired legends, lore, fear, reverence, myths, …

Read More »

Mississippi Kite Comeback

By Julie Geiser The Mississippi kite (Ictinia mississippiensis) is a small raptor that many people don’t know about. After reading this, hopefully you’ll keep an eye on the sky as these graceful birds will leave you admiring them. The Mississippi kite is about the size of a peregrine falcon; their body length is about 13 to 15 inches, with a 3-foot wingspan. They weigh 7 to 14 ounces. Both the male and female are similar in appearance and have gray …

Read More »

Foraging for Wild Plums, Cherries and Berries

Story and photos by Gerry Steinauer, Botanist I began foraging as a youngster in small-town Millard in the 1960s. On July mornings, my sister Teri and I would hoof it down to Grandma’s house to pick luscious raspberries from fence line bushes, and when playing along the local creek, my friends and I often snacked on plump, ripe mulberries. Now much older, I still pluck wild fruits whenever the opportunity arises and strategically stock our shelves with enough jars of …

Read More »

Crossing the Platte, ‘the meanest of rivers’

By David L. Bristow, History Nebraska This is our experience crossing Platte River; the meanest of rivers — broad, shallow, fishless, snakeful, quicksand bars and muddy waters — the stage rumbles over the bottom like on a bed of rock; yet haste must be made to effect a crossing, else you disappear beneath its turbid waters, and your doom is certain,” so reads an 1862 emigrant diary quoted by historian Merrill Mattes in his landmark book, The Great Platte River …

Read More »

Branched Oak Through the Seasons

There is not a time of the year when Branched Oak State Recreation Area northwest of Lincoln isn’t busy. But there’s also not a time of year when a person can’t find their own little slice of nature so close to the city. Photos and story by Eric Fowler Branched Oak State Recreation Area is a busy place. Especially in the summer. Which makes sense considering the 1,800-acre reservoir is the largest body of water within an hour’s drive of …

Read More »

The Crankbait Canvas

Painting baits is rewarding, economical and fun. Story and photos by Justin Haag Many a fly angler knows the satisfaction of catching fish on a hand-tied masterpiece. For those more inclined to cast and retrieve for pike, bass and walleye, here is a way to emulate that remarkable experience: painting crankbaits. Quality crankbaits are some of the most expensive products to tie to the end of a line. At $5-20 each, losing one to a deep snag can put a …

Read More »

Three Outdoor Apps

By Renae Blum Wish your kids spent more time outdoors and less time in front of a screen? It’s a common concern. Rather than cutting out electronics completely, a phone can be a great tool in helping spark a child’s curiosity and interest in the outdoors. Give the three apps below a try. All are free, available on both Google Play and the Apple App Store — and can enrich your family’s experience of the outdoors. Merlin Bird ID Kids …

Read More »

Memorial Stadium Turns 100

By David L. Bristow, History Nebraska What’s the proper way to break ground for the new home of the Cornhuskers? With a team and a plow, of course! University officials broke ground on Memorial Stadium on April 26, 1923. An estimated thousand people showed up to hear speeches and watch Chancellor Samuel Avery ceremonially plow a furrow. There was a recent precedent for this. A year earlier, Governor Samuel McKelvie had plowed a furrow to break ground for the new …

Read More »

The Life of a Plover

1,500 Miles and Going By Elsa Forsberg I zoom in again on my computer screen, just to make sure the image is of a small shorebird called a piping plover. Two plastic bands decorate the bird’s legs like bracelets, one gray and one blue. The combination of different colored bands serves as a coded name tag waiting to be deciphered. Squinting at the blue band, I read the white engraved text. 56A. I sit back and gape at my computer …

Read More »

Life Follows Water

What makes a wetland a wetland? In Nebraska, a wetland is defined by three characteristics. One, a wetland must have a prevalence of water-loving plants adapted to grow in wet conditions. Two, the soil must be developed in these wet conditions. Three, a wetland must be saturated by water at some time during the growing season. In Nebraska, there are five types of wetlands that fit these characteristics: urban, playa, riverine, saline and sandhills, yet each of these do more …

Read More »