March

Call of TheWild AnimalsSeeing GreatCongregationsOf Wild CrittersFeeds Need ToTravelBy Donna IkenberryWatching animal life in the wild isalways amazing, but recently Irealized that seeing large numbersof animals, great congregations ofthem, is even more of a thrill. Take, for instance,sandhill cranes. They migrate inthe thousands and can be viewed inmany places throughout the country, includingColorado’s San Luis Valley wheremy husband, Mike, and I live.Believe it or not, there are actualterms for great numbers of animals. Forinstance, the name for a group of elk is agang. Giraffes form a tower, porcupinesmake a prickle, and seals form a pod orherd. Birds in general make a flight whenthey are in the air and a flock when theyare on the ground. Some specific groupsof birds have their own terms. For instance,cranes make a sedge, eagles forma convocation and geese make a gaggle.Regardless of what you call them,seeing large numbers of animals in anyone place is an awesome experience,and it gives you a great excuse tochoose a destination for your next RVadventure.MIGRATE TO COLORADO,LIKE THE CRANESOne of my most beloved places is righthere in the San Luis Valley in southernColorado. We live on the western edgeof a humongous valley with an averageelevation of 7,500 feet. Every spring andfall more than 20,000 sandhill cranesvisit the area around Monte Vista NationalWildlife Refuge to feed and rest.TRAILER LIFE March 2012 39Go To:.comUser GuideContents