30,000 b.i.f.

30,000 is a pretty big number. If I lived modestly at home and traveled little I could get by with that as a salary in dollars. It is probably a lot of pickles, and although I am certain is a LOT of popcorn kernals, I bet it would fit in one or two 50 pound bags-like the ones for sunflowers.

Today, was a lovely day in Nebraska. I am in the south-eastern corner not far from Missouri, Iowa or Kansas. In spite of a short quick trip to Kearney yesterday, tomorrow will be my third day here. I am over budget on the equipment so I am saving by staying in a modest but nice smaller motel.

Day began with a colorful sunrise, but the wispy clouds gave way to a hazy greyness. The birds I was filming did not get the orange glow washing over them. They danced and fought a bit too far away at 120 yards. I could not move but learned about this booming ground.

The small town square is centered on a stunning Courthouse. I arrived about 5 pm and used the warm light to create a feel which I will continue to use as I shoot other courthouses for this film.

Dashing west to get the sunset, I found some abandoned barns and one old corral. These may serve for some night time scenes which I have planned.

The temperature reached at least 52 degrees and while I was filming melting snow... trust me- it will be more interesting than it sounds, I heard in the distance a familiar call. The sky was a deep blue above the yellow and brown prairie grasses. Far overhead, was the first line of several. Honking in some of the most perfect V's I've ever seen, were about 300 Snow Geese. For about 20 minutes (all of which I churned in torment as my camera was locked in a timelapse which I could not change and the second camera was - yes... in the charming motel where I had left it after a late breakfast...) skein after skein of white lines with the scattered blue morph passed over at nearly 1500 feet.

Now I am a counter. I love to know how many birds are in a flock. Over many years I have honed this skill. Lock in a group, rapidly assess the number, then working in "chunks" of roughly equal amounts one keeps a count. But today, it was so beautiful. The deep blue was perfect. The flying geese were in lines and V's and following each was another. Then the waves became wider and more closely packed. The V's merged and separated, but family groups of 2-5 seemed to always stay together. WNW - direct and determined they flew. Next stop- Rainwater Basin. Looking west I realized there were a thousand birds passing over in less than a minute.

While this was not the largest single group of Snow and Ross' Geese I have witnessed , it none the less had a label under it...

MIGRATION

Oh and a sub-heading of 30,000.