22-25 May 2023
Connecting the dots between the Black Hills and Denver, CO, my route was taking me through the panhandle of Nebraska. Until recently, I had no reason to stop in Nebraska, but my sister and her husband moved their cattle ranch to Nebraska last summer. First, I had to find my way into the sandhills…
Leaving South Dakota, I drove about half way to the ranch and camped out in Nebraska National Forest. I found the idea of a forest on the plains a bit odd, so a little research confirmed my suspicions – Nebrasks National Forest is entirely “man made”. The US Forest Service writes that, in the early 1900s, “University of Nebraska botany professor Dr. Charles E. Bessey, with the assistance of Gifford Pinchot, first Forest Service Chief, convinced President Theodore Roosevelt to set aside two treeless tracts of Nebraska sandhills as “forest reserves.” Dr. Bessey’s intent was to grow trees, which would offset what some thought would be a national timber shortage from large fires, unregulated harvest, and the country’s growing appetite for wood products. Thus began a pioneering effort to plant trees in what is now the largest human-made forest in the United States.” It’s probably debatable on whether this was good or bad overall, but I was happy to have a little public land where I could spend the night for free.
The next day, I continued south, entering the heart of the sandhills. About 20,000 square miles of grass stabilized sand dunes, the sandhills of Nebraska are a unique ecoregion of North America. Sitting atop the Ogallala aquifer, lakes and ponds dot the troughs between the dunes, which in turn attract all sorts of wildlife.
The dunes were never really any good for growing crops compared to the flat plains nearby, but there is a fair amount of cattle ranching around the sandhills. Nevertheless, the interior of the sandhills has largely been left untrammeled by human activity. Where humans aren’t, wildlife thrives.
Driving through the sandhills on a little single lane back road was one of the strangest experiences I’ve had. Never have I been somewhere so open and empty. The repeating grassy hills made it feel like I wasn’t covering any ground. Thankfully, I was not driving in circles, and eventually I made it to Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge. I prepared for this stop by installing the Merlin Brid ID app on my phone, since I was hoping to see a host of migratory birds.
I pulled over at the first lake and, when I stepped out of the car, I was immediately struck by the pervasive birdsong. Binoculars in hand, I walked a short ways to get closer to the water. The waterfowl I was looking at was unlike anything I had ever seen before! Smaller songbirds lined the branches of a nearby tree. The breadth of colors in thier plumage was simply amazing.
I drove a little further to the visitor center, which was closed, but there were a couple of picnic tables where I could sit and make lunch. Sitting still for a few minutes, the birds came closer to me. Notably, a trio of gold finches landed in the grass, two breeding males and one non-breeding male.
I ambled down to the lake where a short wooden boardwalk provided an awesome viewing platform. Flocks of cormorants flew across the water and perched in the snags. Terns whizzed around overhead with their elegant back-swept wings. I could have stayed for hours. I paused by one more lake on the drive out and got some pictures of a white faced ibis in flights and a flock of American coots wading in the water. An eagle bid me farewell as I drove away from the wildlife refuge. Suffice to say I was satisfied with this stop.
I arrived at the Madrid cattle ranch mid-afternoon and was greeted by the welcoming committee, Edie and Lenny. It is quiet out here, over 20 miles from the nearest town. You hear little more than the breeze blowing. My sister, Jena, found me and led me to their house, a large log cabin overlooking the property.
I spent the next couple days hanging out with Jena, Chris, and two year-old Haylee. The work never stops on a ranch, and I got a glimpse into that. I helped out where I could, often times just keeping an eye on Haylee while Jena and Chris did the hard work. My biggest accomplishment was helping Chris take out a short length of barbwire fence.
When ever they can take a break from the to-do list, the fall back task is to check cattle. Cruising around the sandy roads in the little four wheeler, I rode along with Chris and Haylee to see the expansive fields of rye and bovines. When we pulled up, all the cows were congregating near the fence, hemming and hawing like the world was ending. Chris was a little puzzled at first, but I could sense the gears were turning in his mind, figuring out what was wrong with the cows.
After inspecting a few cows, Chris said, “I think they just need to drink some water. See how their bellies aren’t very big? Let’s go check the the water tank.” The water was full, but a little murky. Perhaps the cows weren’t interested. Chris made some adjustments around the tank and we started herding some cows towards the water. Once a few cattle started drinking, the whole lot of them started trotting towards the tank. It was like magic, and I began to understand how Chris is truly a master of his trade.
Jena and Chris had gotten a small electric four wheeler for Haylee, but so far she hadn’t been very interested in it. While they were cleaning up the shop, I was tinkering with the little four wheeler and discovered that it has a sound system. There were a couple of preloaded jingles, and when I played one, Haylee suddenly became fixed on her toy. It was equally cute and hilarious to see this two-year-old driving all around the ranch.
Nebraska turned out to be a wonderful stop! It was a joy to see new places, go birding, and spend some time with family. I have a feeling I will be back before long…
Distance Over Time 