Bentley Birding Tours
Oshkosh, NE
(308) 772-3926

Don Bentley of Bentley Birding Tours has led tours at Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge for their Open House in June of 2007 at the request of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Participants were led through refuge habitats in search of the numerous bird species that call the refuge home.

Experience being a visitor to nature in the wide open spaces. Cedar canyons, wooded river bottom, tall and short grass meadows, rolling grass prairies, unique sandhills, and a beautiful winding creek are the existing habitats we are exploring.

To the south of the river and across the Oregon Trail, one would see the beautiful canyons. The canyons separate the river valley from the higher and drier farm ground. The area of the canyons we have access to is quite rough! You don't have to be a mountain climber, but it would help to be sure-footed. Wear your hiking boots! This is another beautiful place. Following the winding trails up the canyon, through the cedar trees, one may catch a fleeting glimpse of birds darting from the thicket to thicket. With some luck a sharp-eyed person may be able to spot a nest or bird tucked among the rocks along the cliffs. On this expedition one might spot one of the many hawks soaring over head.

Another habitat to appreciate is the meandering oasis of Blue Creek. Nestled between a meadow on one side and sandhills on the other makes an amazing sight. The wonderment of this place is the anticipation of what is to be found in the next grove of cottonwood trees or around the next bend in the creek. Perhaps a Kingfisher is perched on a willow branch waiting for lunch to appear or swans and many other waterfowl are found here during the winter. What a delightful place this is!

The Nebraska Sandhills is yet another place to enjoy! As the name implies,these are large rolling hills of sand covered with grass. Archaeologists believe this once was an ocean bottom. This is the short grass prairie where the Indian tribes and bison once roamed. Over 200 species of birds migrate through here. The sandhills are the summer home of the Curlew, the Bobolink, and the many L.B.B's (Little Brown Birds) to mention a few. The Sharp-tailed Grouse and Prairie Chickens are some of the year around residents.