Right now, until the first part of April, you can visit the Rowe Sanctuary in Nebraska from the comfort of your computer and see first hand 500,000 Sandhill Cranes!

You can watch them, listen to them, and interact with others on the forum.

Who’s doing this…National Geographic of course.

Here are the best viewing times:

March 21-March 27
Morning: 6 a.m.-7:45 a.m. CT
Evening: 6:15 p.m.-7:45 p.m. CT
(450,000-500,000 cranes expected along an 80-mile [130-kilometer] stretch of the Platte River)

March 28-April 3
Morning: 5:50 a.m.-8:30 a.m. CT
Evening: 6 p.m.-8 p.m. CT
(500,000 cranes expected along an 80-mile [130-kilometer] stretch of the Platte River)

April 4-April 10
Morning: 6:30 a.m.-9 a.m. CT
Evening: 7 p.m.-9 p.m. CT
(100,000-400,000 cranes expected along an 80-mile [130-kilometer] stretch of the Platte River)

Where: CraneCam

Cost: Priceless!

Don’t miss it!

Lots of birders plan vacations specifically to see birds. While I’ve not done exactly that, I do make it a point to go bird-watching where I go.

One place that has not been on my radar for birding is Africa. What a mistake. The more I ready about Africa, the more excited I become. Right now, I work with a woman from Tanzania, and I’ve spent hours listening to her talk about the wonders of her country….another place that is now high of my list of places to visit.

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Travel To Uganda - A Kingdom Of Birds: ”

Uganda is an equatorial country with an amazing diversity of Habitats. Truly a Kingdom of Birds, Uganda hosts over 1000 bird species, both Albertine Rift endemics as well as rarities with half of the species known on the African continent, and over 10% of those on record throughout the entire world. For a birding safari, Uganda is a perfect destination.”

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I suppose this should have been on my radar. The end of last year, National Geographic magazine was operating a 24/7 wildlife cam at a watering hole in Botswana. I was completely enthralled watching the animals come and go to this particular watering hole - which included many birds - many which were obviously new to me.

So the next time you think of a birding vacation - or any vacation - think of the wonders of Africa.

Are you looking for information on bird watching in Toronto?

Having spent some time in the region, I know there is lots to see there - especially around the lakes where I tend to hang out.

Here is a site that may interest those of you in the North.

Bird Watching in Ontario

When you are just starting bird watching, the general guides can be somewhat confusion.

I really like the idea that many locations are coming out with their own guides. Here is one such guide for Kentucky, geared toward the beginner.

Lexington Herald-Leader | 02/18/2006 | A birding guide for beginners

Another good way to start is your own backyard. One of the reasons backyard birding is a great place to start is because as you watch all the birds, you begin to recognize them, their behaviors andhow they are similiar or not to other birds.

As you compare them to the guides you are using, you learn to quickly look for certain details as new birds come into the yard. To learn more about getting started, visit Backyard Bird Watching.

2,000-mile birding trail awaits tourists - OrlandoSentinel.com: Tourism

Wow…rare hummingbirds; endangered wood storkes, burrowing owls. What a treat.

If you are in the Florida, or heading in that direction, it would be worth it to check out this new trail.

Happy Birding!