Hi all!!
On the morning of Tuesday December 2nd I had the opportunity to participate in our first winter crane survey! On this chilly morning Bethany Ostrom, lead biologist and professional crane counter, recorded 28,500 (+/- 2,600) sandhill cranes huddled up together between Highway 281 and Alda Rd. viewing deck. The vast majority of these birds were found right in front of our vip blinds while a small group of a few hundred were found down the river closer to the Alda bridge overlook. It feels likely that these birds will stick around as they were hunkered down on the ice and snow all over the Platte river well after many other fall birds (firbs!) have migrated through.
Being my first morning to ever go up for a crane flight, I was lucky to have such an incredible experience. Due to the recent snow and ice from the previous weekend, the landscape was absolutely stunning. Everywhere was a melody of white snow and ice mixed with the browns of the trees and grasses. The snow accentuated the disking marks along the sandbars of the Platte, ground movement patterns of the cranes in the corn fields, and the grazing of our bison on the prairie.
It was a quick and easy flight, with mild winds and few clouds to interfere with our counting. Special thanks to Travis, our pilot, for an excellent job. This was truly an experience I will never forget!
If you look on the river you can see the cranes!!
William Hamson
Saunders Conservation Fellow