tomorrow's count

Tomorrow's weather is really not looking pretty. Definitely less favorable than we've enjoyed last couple years. Long-range forecast looked decent, but not now. It's a cold drizzle now, Friday, and we could see snow tomorrow.

Enough about the weather.

Like the crane migration, most of our counters have returned for another year. We are thrilled with the tremendous response from first-timers, including several Arrowhead biology students!  We're also happy to see the several girl scouts return for another count at Site 24.

Every year I seem to get a lot of activity, mainly new volunteers offering to help, in the last week or just days before the count. This year was the same, but in a very good way. My last group email contained an attached map of all sites taken. I'm glad counters were checking this and notifying me, because I had missed a couple.

I've been coordinating the Waukesha County count for a few years now. I've changed jobs and shifts since the last count and am working a lot more weekends, including tomorrow after the count, but as long as I have time and enjoy what I'm doing...

One benefit to coordinating is the flexibility in picking my own site. I'm definitely trying out more sites, both good and bad, as coordinator. Every time I think I find a great site and feel like keeping it I end up giving it to someone new so they can enjoy it also. Then I try a different site and feel like keeping it...  Though thankfully few, there are some unproductive or inaccessible sites, and I will discourage new counters from taking those.

I just picked my own site yesterday. The latest I've ever done this. I've discovered a neat feature on Google Maps showing state natural areas.  You can go to satellite view and see if it's marshy or wooded. Cranes don't hang out in trees. You can read visitor reviews and, comparing it to the Waukesha Crane Count site map, can see if the state natural area overlaps a site. (Even if it doesn't overlap, we still have the option of counting it.) But one of the best features of State Natural Areas is the public aspect of it. No tresspassing! I'm going to be counting at the Newell and Ann Meyer Nature Preserve just south of Eagle tomorrow. It's going to be a challenge visiting a new site for the first time while still dark, but won't be the first time.

The last five or more years those counters interested have been meeting after the count at Deb's Diner for food and fellowship. Sadly, Deb's has closed. We were looking for a replacement in the same general vicinity, and my wife and I enjoyed several Sunday excursions trying the possibilities. We wanted a place somewhat centrally-located and priced right for our group. We have settled on Sunny Side Up Family Restaurant in Dousman, not far from Deb's and just as easy to get to. I enjoyed it, so we'll see tomorrow what the others think.

Well, I wasn't planning to say so much, but when it's been a year since my last post...