March magic: Nebraska's sandhill crane migration gives new meaning to 'flyover country'

Surveys asking travelers where they plan to vacation have consistently ranked Nebraska last among the 50 states. No wonder the state chose this for a tourism slogan: "Honestly, it's not for everyone."

But here's a reason (actually, hundreds of thousands of reasons) why Nebraska isn't just flyover country. More than a half-million sandhill cranes stop here each year as they migrate north. They arrive around Valentine's Day and disappear by tax day, April 15.

Peak season for the spectacle is mid- to late March, with massive flocks landing around sunset each day on the Platte River, a few hours' drive west of Omaha. As darkness falls, the birds