A historical marker at a viewing platform in central Nebraska tells the story of the sandhill crane migration, which brings hundreds of thousands of birds to the region each year between late February and early April. (Beth J. Harpaz/for the Chicago Tribune)
For nature lovers, a long weekend in March to witness the migration makes for a magical spring getaway.
A flock of sandhill cranes dots the sky at dusk near the Platte River in Kearney, Neb. (Beth J. Harpaz/for the Chicago Tribune)
The Archway museum in Kearney, Neb., is built inside an arch that straddles Interstate 80. The museum tells the story of pioneers who traveled through the area on the Oregon Trail as part of the 19th-century westward migration across America. Exhibits also explore the rise of the automobile and road tripping. (Beth J. Harpaz/for the Chicago Tribune)
Flocks of sandhill cranes, in the top left of the photo, can be seen at dawn in the Platte River. The birds were observed from a blind hidden from the reedy shore in Wood River, Neb. Access was provided by the Crane Trust, which offers guided tours to see the birds. (Beth J. Harpaz/for the Chicago Tribune)
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A delectable feast of Indian food, including home-style butter chicken and garlic chili naan bread, is laid out at Taste of India restaurant in Overton, Neb. The restaurant is tucked inside a truck stop called Jay Bros. off Interstate 80. (Beth J. Harpaz/for the Chicago Tribune)
Birdwatchers gather just before sunset last March on a rail-trail bridge in Fort Kearny Recreation Area overlooking the Platte River in Kearney, Neb. (Beth J. Harpaz/for the Chicago Tribune)
