I've always had a special fascination with Sandhill Cranes,
and Don & I have enjoyed them in Alaska, Florida, New Mexico
and now in AZ. So we went for a 2 day outing and here's where
we went.
Day 1 Mon Nov 16 was a clear blue day as we headed south towards
Tucson with a few stops before we arrived at Whitewater Draw
to see the Sandhill Cranes.
We always stop and pay our respects to an "Old Time Western Star"
who died here 50 years ago according to the Oct 11, 1990
newspaper clipping which actually meant that it was 80 years ago...
After passing thru the Oro Valley, on our way to Tucson, we took
Historic Route 80 south to revisit Tombstone.
The 1887 Cochise Court House was looking mighty good for it's age.
Don stopped to take a picture of the O.K. Corral Gunfight Site
location before he strolled across the road so I could take his picture
standing below the sign. This was the first geocache of the trip and
was a virtual cache where he needed a photo to prove he had been there.
The last time we were in Tombstone was in 1984... that's 36 years
ago in case you'r e counting. We roamed the streets and had fun
stepping back in time again. Last time we were there we went into this old
bar & restaurant to meet a friend named Charlie. All the men sat at the bar,
but their wives were not allowed to, so they had to sit at a table.
It was 11:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning when I joined the ladies.
I placed my order and asked the waitress to bring
a round for the ladies (who looked liked they were drinking small glasses
of water). Not... Their glasses were filled with straight VODKA!!!
As our walking tour continued, it was fun to see some of
the places we visited before and remember the stories of Wyatt Earp
and Doc Holliday, Virgil Earp and the Clantons & McLowerys.
Well that takes care of the "etc" part of Day 1. Time to continue
south a few miles to the main event... the Sandhill Cranes. They were waiting
for us, as promised, over 25,000 of these large birds who make
Whitewater Draw (near McNeal, AZ), their winter migration area.
These magnificent birds stand from 2' 7" up to 4'3" , with wingspans up to 6 feet.
They have a history dating back to the Pleistocene Epoch,
nearly 2 million years ago.
They can fly up to 50 miles per hour depending on wind speed and
direction. They circle skyward on rising columns of warm air (thermals) to
help them gain altitudes of up to 12,000 feet. Generally, however, they
migrate at altitudes of less than 5,000 feet. Averaging 25-35 mph cranes typically
travel 200-300 miles in a day, but can reach 500 miles with a good
tail wind!!! Now its time for you to witness the sights and sounds of
Sandhill Cranes. I'm adding 4 short video clips for your enjoyment.
Click on "full screen" to view up close and personal.
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