EXPLORING NATURE: BATS & CRANES

Let us consider bats and sandhill cranes — I have something to say about each of these.

First, I was surprised to learn that little brown bats are in hibernation this time of year. After eating lots of bugs and insects in late summer, they find a cave to settle down for the winter.

They reduce their metabolic rate to about 1% of the normal rate. This means their heart rate, which is normally about 210 beats per minute at rest, falls to only 20 beats per minute. They commonly go for 45 minutes without taking a breath.

Can you imagine going that long without breathing? I can’t. Okay, that’s the oddity for

Okay, that’s the oddity for today. Now, let’s consider sandhill cranes, the four-foot tall birds who don’t get near as much attention as their snow-white relatives, the whooping cranes.

I have taken a boat tour to see the whoppers at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge and they are a noble bird worthy of admiration.

But I have also visited the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge some 20 miles south of Muleshoe, just off Texas Highway 214. It is the oldest national refuge in Texas, founded in 1935, and it covers some 6,440 acres.

The featured bird here is the sandhill crane. These cranes overwinter here among small lakes and ponds, standing in water overnight to avoid predators.

I visited this refuge both at dawn and again at dusk, to see thousands and thousands of cranes take off in the morning and then come honking back around sunset. The sight of those large birds taking off and landing was one of my all-time favorite encounters with nature. Wow.

Two caveats if you go to Muleshoe: First, it can get awfully cold so be sure you dress warmly. Second, be sure to check before you go to make sure the refuge is open. These COVID-19 days, nothing can be taken for granted.

The number to call is 806-946-3341. Good luck.