As I stated in my previous post, while out at a paleo site today, we heard some really loud bird calls which we all immediately identified as sandhill cranes. They were so loud we thought they were on the ground, nearby. Instead, it was an enormous flock flying overhead. Today turned out to be an endless lineup of flocks of sandhill cranes flying overhead, migrating north. I saw one flock migrating over Palmer Creek last year when I was here, but nothing like this. Wondering whether they can sense the blizzard that's due in a day and a half and are working to get across the area before it hits.

I cannot describe how incredible it was. So many, and we were right under their path. It was continuous. They were lined up in varying rounded V shapes, overlapping but in a defined organization. As they would get closer they circled in places, different lines of birds crashing into larger groups, separating again, gliding past. Sometimes it was an enormous mass of chaos as they drifted upwards on air currents. I took some videos since they were so loud, and they turned out great. Wish I had the capability to upload video here. Still shots will have to do, though they fail to show the graceful aerial dance of these birds. Such an experience to watch and hear them all day in their endless progression north. I still have their sound echoing in my ears.

I realize I say this frequently, but what a great day! I was a little bummed that it didn't end up working to spend the day in Palmer Creek with Ryan, he ended up with a list of stuff he had to do, all in the north unit. He came by about 8:30 to let me know, and see if I would be willing to come help him with a project. One of his tasks was to measure the log ladder on the Notch Trail. He needed some help, and I happily went along. It was quite foggy this morning, and lovely out on notch with the layers of formations exaggerated by the mist. In addition to measuring the ladder, Ryan wanted to look for the anchor points that were supposed to be newly placed for rescue operations. We ended up hiking the entire trail, looking, but didn't find them. On the way out we measured the ladder: I held the end while Ryan climbed down until the tape maxed out, then I'd climb down to his spot and start over. I had read somewhere the height of the ladder as being 60 feet, but we measured 79 1/2 feet from top to bottom. I'm actually quite pleased to know that!

Came back to my apartment, and checked in with some neighbors about hiking. Ed suggested going out to a particular paleo site today. We headed out about noon with Dave, another quad-resident. The site we went to is one that Ed discovered last summer while monitoring the maintenance team that was replacing some old fence. The site we visited contained a nimravid (saber tooth cat) skull, and at this point it is referred to by what started as a joke: the nim-ravishing site. Such an abundance of fossils there. Some really nice skulls, a little horse leg and foot, so much more than I can list. Big, small, all kinds of animals. I discovered one teeny tiny little fossil bone while we were looking around, and when Ed came over to examine it, he got super excited. While we don't yet have an exact ID, what I found is a vertebrae from what Ed thinks is an amphibian. Possibly a reptile, but he's thinking salamander, and if that is indeed what it is, I discovered the first salamander fossil in the badlands! He'll be going back out soon to collect the specimen, and work more on a definite identity. I received several high-five's today for that find.

While we were out at the nim-ravishing site, we heard some really loud bird calls which all three of us immediately identified as sandhill cranes. They were so loud we thought they were on the ground, nearby. Instead, it was an enormous flock flying overhead. Today turned out to be an endless lineup of flocks of sandhill cranes flying overhead, migrating north. I have hundreds of photos from today, so they will be a separate post.

Also drove some nice back roads today, just because it was nice out and we had the time. Came back to the quad in the evening, heard and saw even more sandhill cranes, ate some quick supper, and painted some more.