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 Bird-watchers in Southwest and south-central Nebraska are rewarded with collectible pewter pins created by Cambridge sculptor Gary Ginther. Ginther's pins are sculpted, molded and patina ed one-by-one in his Cambridge Lake studio. Each pin is a work of art, not a mass-produced replica. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette) |
A pin may be obtained with a coupon generated at www.chickendancetrail.com and redeemed at retail outlets participating in the promotion of bird-watching in Nebraska.
Retailers along the "Chicken Dance Trail" include Strikers in Benkelman; Kramer's Hardware and Steamer's Coffee Shop and Lunch Center in Oxford; the Chief Motel in McCook; the Nebraska Prairie Museum in Holdrege; Brewer's Coffee House in Minden; and the Red Cloud Opera House in Red Cloud.
 Gary Ginther |
The idea of the Web site was developed by Angus Garey of McCook and Don Brockmeier of Eustis, both avid bird-watchers and members of the South Platte United Chambers of Commerce.
The Chicken Dance Trail has created these self-guided "adventures":
* The Rainwater Basin: The rainwater basins of Central Nebraska provide spring migration habitat for about 6 million snow geese and a million Canada geese as well as 5-7 million ducks, and well over a million Sandhill cranes. Nearly half the mallard population rests in the rainwater basins before continuing north to nesting grounds.
* Loess Canyon Adventure: Rivers, rains and winds dissected and eroded the high tablelands south of the Platte River in central Nebraska to carve the rugged, scenic Loess Canyons. The prevailing northwest winds blew in silt (loess) and deposited the mineral-rich dust across the deep canyons and uplands. The loess mantle nourishes thick growths of prairie grasses and a variety of wild flowers. Here, in April, May and early June, lucky birders can see prairie chickens "dance" on their traditional breeding grounds.
* Sandsage Prairie Adventure: Harry Strunk Lake offers canyon, sky and water vistas as well as miles of walking trails for wildlife viewing. On this loop, visitors drive along the scenic Republican River to McCook and Red Willow Reservoir. The Republican River basin and floodplain offer a rich habitat for wildlife, and prairie wilderness draw birds that soar as well as many other animal species.
* Republican River Adventure: The Republican River Valley is where Willa Cather, one of America's literary giants, grew up and gathered material for her seminal novels, "My Antonia" and "O Pioneers!" Here, visitors will find broad vistas of rolling hills carpeted with sage and long grass. Travelers can look for birds in virgin prairie and croplands, along the river and riparian wetlands, and on the shores of Nebraska's second largest lake.
* Medicine Creek Adventure: A habitat mix of towering cottonwoods, brushy seed and fruit-bearing perennials, moist bottomlands and moving water draws a mix of wildlife. Water birds may be spotted along the river and many species of woodland songbirds nest in the deciduous, ancient trees along the Republican. A careful birder can make a big dent in their bird list in many of the scenic spots along this loop.
Chicken Dance Trail project sponsors include the Nebraska Division of Travel and Tourism (www.visitnebraska.com); GROW Nebraska (www .growneb.com); South Platte United Chambers of Commerce (www.spuccne.com); Nebraska Rural Living (www.nebraskaruralliving.com); the Nebraska Environmental Trust (www.environ mentaltrust.org); and these Southwest and South-central Nebraska counties -- Chase, Dundy, Frontier, Furnas, Kearney, Phelps and Red Willow.