Importance Score: 65 / 100 🔴
Spectacle of Sandhill Crane Migration Draws Crowds to Nebraska’s Platte River Valley
Vast flocks resembling pepper grains scattered across the heavens, transforming into sinuous black ribbons staining the sky above. This breathtaking scene unfolds each spring as hundreds of thousands of sandhill cranes gather in the Platte River Valley of central Nebraska. For approximately one month annually, these magnificent birds pause their arduous journey from wintering grounds in the southern United States and Mexico to breeding territories in the Arctic expanses of Canada, Alaska, and Siberia. Celebrated primatologist Jane Goodall, a frequent visitor to witness this natural wonder, has lauded it as “without a doubt one of the most spectacular events in the natural world.”
A Gathering to Witness the Crane Extravaganza
Recently, artist Sheila Berger, 65, whose personal journey mirrors migration from St. Louis to New York City’s fashion scene, orchestrated a reunion of distant companions to partake in this avian spectacle.
Crane Migration Rivals Global Wildlife Events
“This spectacle rivals any African safari,” asserted Ms. Berger, her hat adorned with a gilded frond of wheat. “Having witnessed gorillas in Rwanda, elephants in Kenya, and lions and wildebeest in Tanzania, I can attest to the comparable grandeur here.”
Notable Attendees and Local Connections
Among the observers were individuals such as Ms. Berger’s spouse, Michael Rips, a writer and former lawyer, Chelsea Hotel resident since 1994, and a Nebraska native who had long since departed. The group also included Grammy-winning vocalist Rosanne Cash, authors Kurt Andersen and Anne Kreamer, Museum of Modern Art trustee Thomas Tisch and Alice Tisch, artist and landscape designer Dana Westring with partner Trevor Potter (founder of the Campaign Legal Center). Martha Stewart, also invited, regrettably canceled due to pressing business commitments, expressing disappointment. “QVC can wait, but the cranes cannot,” she reportedly remarked, resolving to attend the following year’s migration, with proactive scheduling.
Art and Nature Converge: Meadowlark Sculpture Unveiling
The prairie excursion commenced in Omaha, featuring an exploration of the Joslyn Art Museum and a studio visit with sculptor Jun Kaneko, renowned for large ceramic works demanding month-long kiln firings. The subsequent day involved a westward drive to Kearney, where Ms. Berger was set to embellish a public sculpture inaugurated the previous spring at Yanney Heritage Park, an expansive public space established in 1998 by Michael Yanney, a local investment executive, on a former cornfield.
vCard.red is a free platform for creating a mobile-friendly digital business cards. You can easily create a vCard and generate a QR code for it, allowing others to scan and save your contact details instantly.
The platform allows you to display contact information, social media links, services, and products all in one shareable link. Optional features include appointment scheduling, WhatsApp-based storefronts, media galleries, and custom design options.
Commissioning the Meadowlark
Upon discovering Ms. Berger’s artistry – particularly her mirrored bird sculpture on Governors Island – Mr. Yanney commissioned a meadowlark, Nebraska’s state bird, for the park.
Sculpture’s Grand Scale and Impact
“She shared a preliminary sketch,” Mr. Yanney recounted. “My immediate reaction was to emphasize scale. I advised her to amplify her envisioned dimensions, and she masterfully did so, creating a truly magnificent piece.”
Meadowlark Mask Ceremony: Art Interacts with Crane Migration
Conceived in New York City, constructed from Chinese stainless steel, and hued with specialized automotive pigments, Ms. Berger’s nearly eight-foot meadowlark was erected during the preceding crane migration. This inspired Ms. Berger to envision an interaction between her state bird sculpture and the migrating cranes. Appreciating the cranes’ dual nature – “simultaneously ungainly yet exquisite” – and their distinctive facial markings, she crafted a stainless steel mask, akin to a superhero’s, to be donned annually by the meadowlark during the crane migration, symbolizing a temporary unity between resident and visitor.
Public Unveiling and Community Appreciation
Approximately sixty individuals convened at Yanney Heritage Park on a cloudy Sunday for the mask unveiling. Kearney Mayor Jonathan Nikkila introduced Ms. Berger within the park’s pavilion, adorned with Dale Chihuly glass chandeliers.
Mayor’s Emphasis on Nature and Art
“I commend our community’s appreciation for progress interwoven with the understanding that human fulfillment extends beyond basic necessities,” Mayor Nikkila stated. “Today, we celebrate nature and art – beauty from human creativity and divine inspiration.”
Artist’s Vision and Poetic Inspiration
Ms. Berger, attired in a shearling coat, Prada boots, and blue-tinted sunglasses reminiscent of Robert Downey Jr., expressed gratitude to the mayor. She characterized her sculpture as whimsical and childlike, referencing Nebraska poet Ted Kooser’s lines about “Driving along / with your hand out squeezing the air, / a meadowlark waiting on every post.”
Welcoming Cranes and Community
Ms. Berger posed, “What is this meadowlark anticipating?” She then declared, “It awaits this very day! To don its mask and greet not only the cranes, but all of you.” She thanked attendees for participating in the “extraordinary endeavor of masking a bird!” Her daughter, Nicolaia Rips, a memoirist and editor, embraced her.
Ambient sounds of wind and Interstate 80 traffic were punctuated by distant crane calls. The audience watched as Ms. Berger, assisted by Kearney Parks Director Eric Hellriegel, secured the mask to the sculpture using an Allen wrench. She stepped back, admiring the result.
Ritual and Invitation
“Although not conventionally religious, I value ritual,” Ms. Berger reflected, referencing a Passover prayer: “Let all who are hungry come and eat.” The meadowlarks, she elaborated, “extend an invitation to the cranes to partake, affirming their perpetual welcome.”
Nebraska Modesty and Artistic Transformation
Mr. Rips described a pervasive Nebraska modesty rooted in pioneer history, where survival depended on empathy. He characterized Nebraskans as “almost incapable of self-promotion,” attributing this trait to his wife and her project, which he saw as “transforming an unassuming bird into something heroic.”
Martha Stewart’s Admiration for the Artist’s Work
Ms. Stewart, a longtime friend who frequently attends Ms. Berger’s art events, lauded the artist’s dedication to elevating ordinary birds into monumental artworks. “No bird is ‘every day’!” she exclaimed. “Her ability to craft a delicate bird form at such scale with such exquisite finish – I understand the technical feat of achieving that in stainless steel.”
Crane Viewing at Rowe Sanctuary: An Evening Spectacle
Following the park ceremony, the group proceeded to the Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary as twilight descended. Rowe, celebrating its 50th anniversary, has expanded significantly since its 1974 inception, now encompassing river channels, meadows, and agricultural land. After an orientation and binocular distribution, the group proceeded to the bird observation blind, a structure with minimalist design evoking mid-century modern architecture.
Anticipation at Dusk
By 7:35 p.m., the sky and river mirrored a dark gray hue. Distant crane silhouettes appeared high above, accompanied by coyote calls.
Predicting the First Crane Landing
“There’s often a moment of anticipation as guests wonder,” remarked Lizzy Gilbert, National Audubon Society development director. “We often wager on the first landing; my prediction is 8:02.”
Subtle Costume Party: Warmly Dressed for Observation
The group, instructed to dress warmly and inconspicuously, gathered in down jackets – participants in nature’s subtle spectacle.
First Crane Sighting
“Crane on the ground!” whispered Dudley Fiskopp, a guide in camouflage. Time: 7:42.
The Crane Arrival: A Meditative Experience
By 8 p.m., cranes descended from all directions, darkening the sky like ink, landing in the shallows in slow motion, the twilight casting the scene in monochrome.
Record-Breaking Crane Numbers
The previous week recorded 736,000 cranes – an unprecedented count. This evening felt equally populous.
Rosanne Cash’s Reflection on the Spectacle
“It’s profoundly meditative,” whispered Rosanne Cash. “It resembles an etching.” Her breath misted in the air. “If someone else proposed a Nebraska crane expedition in freezing conditions, I’d hesitate. But because Sheila invited, I accepted without question, and it’s exceeded all expectations.”