The massive flocks of Sandhill Cranes that stop over in Nebraska on their way north are becoming a bigger and bigger tourist attraction.  Tourists are so attracted to the cranes that the roads can actually become dangerous:

The biggest worry for area residents and police are bird watchers who may pay too much attention to birds and not enough to driving safely.

The concerns include drivers who stop vehicles in the middle of a road, rather than pull over to the side or in a designated parking area, or those who miss or ignore driveways posted as private property.

In those situations, Nebraska State Patrol Capt. Chris Kolb of Grand Island said, bird watchers only become safety hazards. “They can’t let the view of the birds overwhelm their common sense,” he said.

Remember, if you are taking a ride and see a flock of Sandhill Cranes at which you want to get a better look, pull over!

Written by Corey
Corey is a New Yorker who lived most of his life in upstate New York but has lived in Queens since 2008. He's only been birding since 2005 but has garnered a respectable life list by birding whenever he wasn't working as a union representative or spending time with his family. He lives in Forest Hills with Daisy and Desmond Shearwater. His bird photographs have appeared on the Today Show, in Birding, Living Bird Magazine, Bird Watcher's Digest, and many other fine publications. He is also the author of the American Birding Association Field Guide to the Birds of New York.