Bumble Bee Surveys in Grant County

August 27, 2020. Grant County News 136(4): 1. With a courtesy photograph.

An effort is underway to survey bumble bees in Grant County to assist in a project to understand their distribution throughout the state.

Plans are to conduct “potentially five surveys,” according to Lexi Hingtgen, a resource technician and education specialist with the Upper Loup Natural Resources District.

“The NRD was interested in assisting” with survey efforts “because conservation of our pollinators and their habitat is vital…,” according to information provided by Hingtgen.

A survey protocol grid for the county was established “due to the minimal data recovered from the surrounding area as well as the high potential for various species data collection,” according available details. “Surveys are conducted on various public highways where plant species, landscape, bee species, and other environmental details are recorded and submitted to the database.” Each survey is done using a “catch-and-release” method so the bees are not harmed.

The first survey occurred August 14th, though no bees were seen because of windy conditions, Hingtgen said. She did complete a habitat evaluation.

Collecting information on the occurrence of bumble bees is underway by volunteers and contributors throughout Nebraska as was started late in the 2019 growing season. In addition to depicting current occurrence, the Information gathered will be compared to historic records – notably from the 1880s - to evaluate any apparent changes in species distribution.

Twenty species of bumble bees occur within Nebraska and are dependent on a diverse variety of plants – very notably sunflowers and thistles - to thrive and survive. There are four known species which are species of “greater conservation need.”

“Studies have shown that population numbers are declining likely due to habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, low genetic diversity, and the transfer of pathogens through use of commercial pollinators,” indicates information on the bumble bee atlas web site for the state.

“The Nebraska Bumble Bee Atlas is a statewide community science project that aims to use information gathered to track and aid in the conservation of Nebraska’s native bumble bees.” Since the project is community based, this means “that anyone can be involved,” with requirements indicated on the survey website.

There are several “grid cells” available for adoption with the sand hills, including a few “high interest” cells in southwest Cherry County, northward of Hyannis.

“The Atlas is a collaboration between the Xerces Society and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and is supported by funds from the Nebraska Environmental Trust.” Further details are available at www.nebraskabumblebeeatlas.org” where in addition to a indications of the first results, some photographs taken by “Bumble Bee Watch” participants are featured.

Fish and Wildlife Service Fails Its Responsibility

September 20, 2020. Fish and Wildlife Service fails its responsibility. North Platte Telegraph online edition. Letter to the editor, as edited.

A federal agency responsible for natural resources within the sandhills and elsewhere is doing its best to diminish conservation and important refuges valued by residents of Nebraska and elsewhere in our great nation.

This has happened several times lately. This is the reality associated with the deplorable U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Consider first, supposed approval of the R-Project industrial powerline. At least this action was subsequently revoked by a knowledgeable federal judge due to failures of consideration by the applicant. The FWS decision said okay to ruination in multiple ways.

Then there is the very recent approval of increased shooting on national wildlife refuges within the so special sandhills. For example, hunting will be allowed on Seier NWR, donated by a ranch family to establish a legacy to conserve wildlife, while bird-watching and even taking a hike to enjoy nature continue to be illegal. What lunacy.

At other important refuges, including Fort Niobrara, Valentine and Crescent Lake, rare birds can now be killed by whomever. Just pay for a license that gets money into the coffers of a Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Other resident animals will be subjected to new seasonal threats.

The "federales" obviously do not truly realize the meaning of the word refuge.

Some self-proclaimed conservation groups and their minions applauded imposition of the decision because it increases places where they can shoot and kill. And the response from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission was a sordid effort and indication of idiocy by state bureaucrats.

Then the least is not the last but is dramatically prominent. To downgrade the status of the American Burying Beetle from endangered to threatened is completely deplorable. Bureaucrats of the "Federal Whatever Service" twist and turn reality, science and opinion to suit their chosen decisions. Public comments were vaguely considered.

The Fish and Wildlife Service should instead be called the "Federal Conversion Service." They do not promote conservation.

A preferable option is to defund the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service whose bureaucrats issue rulings that damage natural lands and features. Let states' reesidents of states decide through effective local discussions and consensus. Especially keep the federales away from the great Sandhills.

Cloudly Wonders of Sandhill Skies

August 13, 2020. Cloudly wonders of Sandhill skies. Grant County News 136(2): 6. With appended notes by Sharon Wheelock.

Whilst looking northward out a primary window of my residence on nearly any particular day during these summer times there is a wonderful contrast of reality so dramatically scaped as one feature or another. There is being shown another super fine and vast cerulean sky with adornments on another stupendous August daytime.

Basic blue can be nice, even okay most of the time, but not especially nice during languid summer times with rain and dramatic storms.

Clouds add texture and perspective which results in so much more. The light of the day very often illuminates a palette of always changing shades of white and gray that can overwhelm the blah background blue during one or more and some other regularly magnificent sky view.

With imagination by anyone gazing upward or outward at the horizon at a particular time as the clock ticks, there is an ever-changing realm to personally consider.

Clouds readily present one more and new aerial aspect while the temperature are summer hot or spring cool, etc., within the expanse of the sand hills range.

Cloudly shapes as ever-changing can be sublime. The seen situation readily changes minute by minute. One wisp might mean an imaginary wonder moving about. Then there is a shift in air action and some shown shape at a particular place undergoes a revision. Shapes may become an obvious cognitive feature. Maybe an elephant might be realized. Bird silhouettes occur on a regular basis. There are shapes which can only be appreciated because of some itty-bitty lines and forms so variable. Then there might be something even more amorphous, like a dragon or big fish if one wants to truly imagine.

Just a bit of imagination might mean sharing some past times when young girls and boys left the kitchen because Mom was busy cooking supper in the country kitchen. Dad was taking care of the livestock. Where were the cows grazing on their range?

As the youngsters were shooed away, perhaps they ran up to the top of a hill, laughing and being excitedly vibrant with life. They then sat down amidst the sandhills prairie grass gently swaying in the breeze of their one day or more. They went prone and looked above into the skyscape. Perhaps nothing was said as they continued their respite at a place which was special to them? The meadowlarks sang about their home. Perhaps a nighthawk coursed above. There may have been dragonflies?

The reality of a kids’ time meant looking upon a grand sky of the grassy hills covered by grass and flowers and where critters jumped and roamed amidst shelter. Free and easy it had to have been. What animal shapes were shown to them? When once seen did the tykes return to see another shape a few days later? With no school in the summer they learned vivid appreciations from the sky and land. And so importantly ran home to share around the supper table.

What does one portion of a cloud or others nearby convey? Wait just another minute, and there is a different seen. Each and every perspective can be unique and special and indelible. It has been this way for eons.

Cloudscapes can be personally appreciated. Look up from your porch perch in a comfy chair to see ever-changing views, during some may days, or another time if you are busy. Sometimes there might be a dramatic and vivid colorfully rainbow arcing ground-to-ground across a real close horizon. Dramatic clouds of some thunderstorm can be vitally expressive, and sometimes even dangerous due to intensity and a tornado of windy nature that might sprawl and include pounding hail that means damages to land and people places.

Vast or sublime special wonders of myriads of ongoing sky presentations are eternal, and something to appreciate any time of the year as they have always been.

The great American Sand Hills are a bestest place of our great world to get a glimpse of the land with its magnificent skies above. Arrive to initiate or live to continue your gaze upon the skyly wonders. Pervasive hilltops of pertinence are well known where a complete sky-scape can become a norm of wonder if patience is involved. There is a message that can be appreciated by any and every one that cares to look. Vast horizon and unfettered sky are a perfect combination.

The sand hills superbly reign as a place necessary to enjoy the land and sky on so many days now and hopefully on more days for generations not yet realized. This is a perfect land to view spaces where cattle roam and there are birds and mammals that prevail on a natural landscape.

Clouds are one of the best features of another summer time.

Night views are an entirely different optic that deserve a distinct consideration.

A Note by Sharon -

One day Jim Ducey, upon hearing I had to go to Alliance, said out of the blue, "Look at the clouds." He does at times have to drag me from the fact-based issue of the moment (at that time the pre-fair and rodeo paper), so he repeated it again, "When you go to Alliance, look at the clouds." A third time even. "Not the hills, look at the clouds."

Actually as it began to sink in, my first thought was "I plan to look at the road; wait till I'm riding with someone and am free to gaze."

But when I turned the car to head east, what an amazing sight. I guess you would call them shelf clouds. Very unusual, reminding me of one huge one hanging over my vehicle once enroute home from Alliance, like a giant dark spaceship but except for it, the skies to all sides were blue. Not so this day, amazing shelves of firm clouds, wood-like in appearance, clear across the sky. Finally past Ellsworth they changed to beautiful stiff whipped meringue, then to soft-whipped cream, but, oh, so beautiful. Did I see a kitty? What if I'd missed this! All the way that day, the clouds were a breath-taking show.