Jolly greetings!
Today we surveyed the Central Platte between Chapman and Overton, NE, for Sandhill Cranes for the last time… for 2025. We estimated around 31,000 Sandhill Cranes, all of which were just east of the Alda Rd. bridge over the south channel. We weren’t able to calculate a confidence range (+/-) because the cranes were nearly all in one roost which doesn’t allow for decent photos for our calculations. Last flight we estimated 28,500 +/- 2,600. The upper end of that estimate (28,500 + 2,600 = 31,300) encompassed this week’s estimate. This validates our assumption that we have not received any new arrivals to the Platte and fall migration is not just running behind. We can’t be certain of the cranes’ intentions, but it does appear that these birds want to overwinter here. They must have looked at the woolly bear caterpillars and are expecting a continuation of this mild winter as well (link to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service FB post from Dec 5 th).
We will attempt 1 or 2 more winter surveys in January ’26. Then in mid-February we’ll be back for normal weekly spring surveys!
Till next year!
Forsbird and the Crane Counter
(Elsa Forsberg and Bethany Ostrom)
