Bird of the Month:  Northern Pintail

Thousands of Northern Pintails will soon be arriving in the Rainwater Basin region, a critical stopover en route to their breeding grounds farther north.

Northern Pintail is a Nebraska Bird Partnership priority species for conservation during the nonbreeding season.  Visit the Northern Pintail species profile to learn more about Northern Pintail in Nebraska.

Conservation Calendar

• February/March: Prescribed Burn Training Workshops are being held across Nebraska.
• Feb 3: Rainwater Basin Joint Venture 15th Annual Informational Seminar, Hastings.
• Feb 4: Nebraska Environmental Trust will release the preliminary award list for 2010 grants.
• Feb 6: Pheasants Forever 2010 State Habitat Meeting, Kearney.
• Feb 23: 4th Annual Nebraska Tern and Plover Meeting, Lincoln.
• Feb 26-27: Educator Workshop for Project WET, WILD, Project Learning Tree, and Leopold Education Project, Omaha.
• Feb 26-28: Photograph Nebraska Symposium, Hastings.
• Mar 5:  North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant proposal deadline
  
• Mar 18-21: 40th Annual Rivers and Wildlife Celebration, Kearney.
• Mar 19:  Nebraska Bird Partnership 5th Annual Awards Ceremony, Kearney.
• Mar 19:  Nebraska Bird Partnership Steering Committee Meeting, Kearney.
• Mar 20-21: Botanical Illustration Workshop, Omaha.

Q&A Corner

Question:  Where and when is the best time to view Sand Hill Cranes ? Best viewing sites ?  Dorrance, Nebraska

Answer:  You can see cranes anytime early/mid-March through early April, with migration peaking in late March. You have a variety of options for crane viewing destinations, but most people visiting central Nebraska for crane viewing will stay in Kearney, Grand Island, or Hastings. Nebraskaflyway.com is a great resource for planning your trip. There is also a nice blog post at Nebraska Birding (not affiliated with the Nebraska Bird Partnership) that reviews some of your considerations.