Conservation

A distinctive finch with an unusual beak The red crossbill is a distinctive finch whose crooked beak usually catches one’s attention. Rather than being a deformity, the odd beak is an adaptation that the bird uses to extract its preferred food source – seeds from the cones of conifers such as pines, spruces and firs. Although its specialized beak may give the red crossbill an advantage in foraging on its preferred cone type, its relationship with conifer cone seeds is …

Nebraska’s Threatened and Endangered Species In spring 2004, I was attending a National Association of Interpretation certification and training program as a naturalist. The daily workshops were interesting, but as is often the case, the most memorable part of my trip took place during the meeting off-hours. I was spending the night in a cabin in the woods. I was also tired and very pregnant at the time, only a few weeks shy of my due date. As I was …

I am not going to pretend to know when we will have safe ice.  If I did know, I would still tell you that it is up to YOU to be sure that it is safe every time you walk on the ice.  I am not going to take someone else’s word for it and you should not either.  You have to make that call yourself. I will tell you that we are getting close to seeing safe ice, but …

I am not going to tell you when we are going to have safe ice.  I learned a long time ago that you cannot point to a day on the calendar and say that will be when you can start ice fishing.  You have to check it, make sure it is safe, every time (topic of a lot of past blog posts, and will be for future posts). However, I do know this:  It is time to get ready, time …

MINATARE, Neb. — The public is invited to attend a special birdwatching event at Scout’s Rest Campground of Lake Minatare State Recreation Area. The Bird Conservancy of the Rockies and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission are conducting the Family Christmas Bird Count at the lake on Dec. 15 from 9-11 a.m. The lake is closed from Oct. 15-Jan. 15 each year as part of the North Platte National Wildlife Refuge, but is opening for this exclusive event. The Bird …

CHADRON, Neb. — Beginning Monday, Dec. 3, and as weather allows over the next few weeks, fire officials in forested areas of the northern Panhandle plan to burn slash piles. Both the Pine Ridge Ranger District of the Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission plan to ignite piles during the next several weeks. The agencies will notify the public about specific locations as the burning begins. At various times, smoke will likely be visible …

Took an extra day off over the long Thanksgiving holiday and missed the weather and bad roads coming home.  Need to catch up with another blog post. . . . I “called my shot” a bit last week expecting that I would spend some time both hunting and fishing with family over the long weekend.  We feasted, played games, enjoyed the time together and yes, hunted and fished. It always feels good to go for a little walk after the …

The holiday season is upon us and it’s filled with many hunting traditions as family and friends get together, especially in waterfowl hunting blinds. For most of us, hunting is about much more than a successful harvest. It’s about spending time afield bonding with family and friends, watching the sunrise over a river wetland on a crisp morning or watching the sunset from a harvested cornfield on a warm, windy evening, plus having exciting stories to tell when you get …

You all know I love to fish, year-round, love it all.  I love to ice fish, but have to admit my fall was really good this year and I hate to see it come to an end (updates and pictures coming in other blog posts, soon).  Yes, I was still fishing open water this past week; yes, my son and I did really well, but I am thinking that may have been about the end of it for this year. …

Like many of you, I will be heading out the door for “grandmother’s house” for a weekend of feasting and family.  I will also try to sneak away to walk off some of the feasting and see if I might rustle up a few of these: The extended Thanksgiving weekend is also a great time to combo up–some late fall fishing along with hunting.  Maybe I can dry off a few of these: Or some of these, have to see …