Whitewater Draw I

Our friend Katherine suggested we might want to visit Whitewater Draw where thousands of Sandhill Cranes spend the winter. We did and found it fascinating and amazing.

We arrived about 11:00 in the morning when the birds were just returning from their morning feed. Thousands of birds were swirling in the air. Some landing and taking off again in massive groups. The noise from their calls and the beating of their wings made it hard to talk and be heard. As the day went on they settled down and walked and talked in the fields.

In the afternoon we walked out onto a raised berm that took us out for miles into the marsh. I have never been on a walk when I saw more animal footprints than human ones — deer, javelina, coyotes, and raccoon or raccoon-like animal.

-- Janet (text) and David (photos)