Secrets of the Sandhills
A Nebraska Sandhills Novel
Hill Critters
Discovering Exotic Species in the Sandhills
The long-billed curlew
Traveling the Sandhill highways at sixty-eight miles per hour may be a quick way to see a lot of hills and lakes, but it's not the way to discover the creatures that inhabit this incredible land. You may get lucky and see a herd of mule deer or pronghorn from the road, or get unlucky and collect a whitetail that impulsively crosses in front of you at the last moment; this isn't the good way to grill venison. If you travel quietly and methodically, like the critters that live in these hills, then you will be amazed by the diversity of life that call this place home.
I've had the good fortune to explore hundreds of hidden habitats in the hills over the years. Regretfully, I didn't carry a camera along in my early adventures, like the time that I stumbled across a family of burrowing owls. Now, a camera with lots of zoom and tripod is crucial gear. My main goal is to capture these rare creatures on "film" so that I can share them with the world. Following is a short compilation of photos that you may find interesting.
The "baby on stilts" killdeer on Merritt Dam.
A Grant County short-tailed weasel, dressed in his winter coat.
The eared grebe on Smith Lake in Sheridan County.
Four and twenty (thousand) blackbirds, sitting on a fence.
A wily coyote considering his next meal.
A mule deer fawn, considering how close is close enough.
A trumpeter swan, soaking up the morning sun.
A majestic muley, in the heat of the rut.
A forlorn muley, after the rut.
Is it a "yucca buck?"
Nope, just Cousin Gene.
An elusive bittern, slipping through the cattails.
The great blue heron.
Chickens of the prairie, dancing for the ladies.
Texan immigrant.
(photo courtesy of Mitch Hunt)
