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| in Gibbon, Nebraska |
The first full day of Migration of the Sandhill Cranes: A World-Class Experience had us meeting in the parking lot at 5:30 a.m. ~ anyone who knows me well knows that this wasn’t easy for me! It was impressive that everyone in our group was up and ready to go on time. Luckily the weather was warmer than usual so we didn’t need quite as many layers of clothing as had packed.
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| Sandhill Cranes stay in family groups |
We drove out to Rowe Sanctuary and sat through an orientation talk before heading out in the dark to a bird blind to wait for the sun. They have 3 blinds and each can accommodate 25 viewers, so there were a few extras with our group of 21 new friends.
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| at the edge of the sandbar |
I’m not sure if it was the early hour, but we all stood quietly at our blind window and waited for the magic - we were not disappointed. For almost 2 hours we stood mesmerized as the cranes took off for their day of foraging in the nearby corn fields. Each crane stays in the area for 3-4 weeks as they prepare for the rest of their northern migration.
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| taking off as the sun rises |
When we first got in the blind we couldn’t see the cranes, but we could certainly hear them. The sound was constant as they stirred from their night on the sandbars in the Platte River. There is a video at the end of the album of photos so you can experience the sound.
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| a sedge of cranes |
CRANE TRIVIA ~ a flock of cranes is called a sedge. The group can also be called a construction, a dance, a siege, or a swoop.
March 2015
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