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SANDHILL
CRANES
COUNTED
THE EVENING OF:
APRIL 2010
Thursday, April 15
Wednesday, April 14
30 Cranes were found by J Wallace the morning of the of the 15th up on the Figure 4 Ranch
I
don't know - You will start to see a pattern here - I don't
expect to see any more cranes of any sugnificant number so when it
warms up I am drawn towards vineyard and other farm work.
I'll keep making cursory checks to maybe document the last day of crane(s) stops at Fruitgrowers Reservoir
Tuesday, April 13
0 Cranes
9 Cranes were found by J Wallace the morning of the of the 14th on the Figure 4 Ranch
Monday, April 12
0 Cranes (Later, J. Wallace reported he managed to find 5)
If the migration is not over, the end is near!
Sunday, April 11
70 Cranes
Saturday, April 10
210 Cranes.
So the crane migration will last a little longer.
Friday, April 9
I
just found an email from J. Wallace and he estimated 850 Cranes -
with more small groups landing while he left the reservoir this
evening.
500 Cranes?
Well, at least 400.
I made the count at 25 mph, so that's as precise as I could
get at 6:00. There will be enough to make it worthwhile in
the morning. Let's see what we can find then and I'll
adjust the number as appropriate.
The White Pelicans are back at the reservoir.
Thursday, April 8
1.800 Cranes
Or
perhaps a cool 2,000. In previous years I would have said
THIS has got to be the last big group of the season. But I
won't. But Tomorrow morning has got to be one of the best
liftoffs!
Wednesday, April 7
400 to 500 Cranes
A special night
Tuesday, April 6
280 Cranes - Likely returnees from this morning's liftoff.
Monday, April 5
600 to 700 Cranes. (J.Wallace)
800 is the revised count from the next morning (April 6)
It looks like the wind blew in more than pink dust today.
Sunday, April 4
27 Cranes
Saturday, April 3
180 Cranes made it through this evening.
Friday, April 2
77 Cranes.
The weather forecast from Monte Vista suggests Saturday may be a good day for cranes.
Thursday, April 1
1,300 to 1,400 Cranes.
The
"cars at liftoff index" confirms that the weather today was
miserable. This morning, the number of cranewatcher cars to the number
of cranes was the smallest I've seen in years. I don't know if
tonight's birds tried to fly and returned or if they just stayed put -
I'd be surprised if these were "new" birds.
Wednesday, March 31
2000? - Would you believe it?
This
is among the most difficult conditions in which to count Cranes.
This impossible wind blew them in many small groups. They
came in early and kept coming. They hunkered in tighter
groups among the cattails and brush seeking relief from the constant
high winds.
Given the nature of the winds and the forecast for rain, who knows what liftoff will be like in the morning . . . and when?
Tuesday, March 30
500 Cranes (E. Horn)
-This after a long day of headwinds for the cranes!
Monday, March 29
800 Cranes tonight
This morning's liftoff was wonderful.
Note:
For those of you who got a Water Conservancy District page when
you went to eckertcranedays.com, we apologize. In addition to
doing my own website work I also do my own plumbing and some days I'm
afraid to flush the toilet! And to those of you who took the
Grand Mesa Water Conservancy District announcement to heart, if you
come to the meeting you will not see any cranes.
Sunday, March 28
2,750 Cranes. So says Evey and I don't doubt it.
Wow!
This could be the biggest night of the season. - Certainly
the prettiest with the rising near-full moon behind the landing cranes.
Saturday, March 27
4 (Up on the Figure 4 Ranch)
A great day of presentations sponsored by Colorado Art Ranch. Many Thanks.
Friday, March 26
700
+/- Cranes from a quick assessment at 5:30 p.m. I'll check
with Evelyn later in the evening and defer to her count at that point.
EVELYN AGREED WITH THE 700
p.s. Saw my first Western Grebes
Thursday, March 25
1,200 to 1,300 Cranes.
J. Wallace estimated 1,800 to 2,000 Cranes at 7:30 Friday morning.
What a difference a day makes !!!
Wednesday, March 24
0 Cranes
Today was the first day of zero ice on the Reservoir - what ice that was there this morning was gone this evening.
Tuesday, March 23
190 Cranes
I saw about 115 (+/- 5) around 6:00 pm. The rest were late arrivals spotted by Evelyn.
Monday, March 22
90 Cranes - all reletively later arrivals.
Today,
according to conventional wisdom, was a perfect day day for hundreds of
cranes. A winter front is supposed to be coming tomorrow and be
in the region through the day. What could THAT possible mean?
Sunday, March 21
0 (or 1)
Somebody reported they saw 1 crane but neither I nor those I talked to at the Reservoir saw any.
Saturday, March 20
7 Cranes.
I
am sure glad I didn't bet money on the count today. And my
apologies to those at the afternoon Crane Days presentation when I
suggested it might be a good evening to watch the cranes land.
Friday, March 19
320 Cranes. Thank you Evelyn.
Note:
As
I listen to the cranes flying over our place as they leave Hart's
Basin, (11:10 am) I realize I will be too busy with our (Surface
Creek Winery) winemaker dinner this evening to post tonight's
number until quite late. Sorry for any inconvenience to those who
go to bed early.
This storm front was not enough to
keep last night's cranes on the ground. It's partly sunny -the other 30% and not the 70%
chance of rain according the the NWS - which is also showing on their website that there
isn't much in the way of prohibitive weather between here and Monte
Vista, should the cranes decide to leave the San Luis Valley today.
-Jim Durr
Thursday, March 18
700. All in the NW wetlands tonight.
Wednesday, March 17
650 +/- 33 800*
Or maybe more or even less. - Wonder what the count tomorrow morning will tell us. *J. Wallace morning count.
Beautiful,
quiet sunset. Before sunset most of the Cranes were in Velas'
fields West of the reservior. But it was one of those nights
where the cranes flew low and noisily back over North Road into the
wetlands on the Figure 4 Ranch as long dark shadows backed by a pink
and orange sky.
Morning
note: I was not able to count the cranes this morning to confirm
the 500 number from last night. J.Wallace thought there were 400
at 8:00 a.m. but they were bunched up at that point and not easy to
count.
Tuesday, March 16
400 to 500 cranes (maybe a little more)
My latest report (decided to caucus with the cranes and not the party) is that lots of smaller groups came in after 5:30.
Many
landed into areas with denser cover and then later flew over to
different locations. By dark it was certain we weren't going to see all
of them for a precise number. Still, 500+/- cranes is respectable.
Monday, March 15
<100.
Strange evening for counting - several small groups (the
largest I saw was 33.) They kept moving from one area to another
and it was hard to keep track - even with all the help out there.
Followup
- This morning the concensus was that there were 40 cranes-
although we saw perhaps twice that flying and landing. This
brings up the notion of accuracy - the point of this page is first to
give you a sense of how many cranes you may expect to see the next
morning. Regarding the accuracy of the actual numbers of birds,
we try to fix any mistaken estimates whenever we can.
Sunday, March 14
125
+/- Cranes this evening - I didn't get there until late. I don't
know if these were new birds or if they returned after turning back
from the heavy overcast over the Grand Mesa. - It generally was a
cold rainy heavy overcast day.
[Jim W. wrote by email: I counted 180 cranes this evening, Sunday the 14th. Looks like the weather kept most of the birds here.]
Saturday, March 13
160 +/- at 6:00 (7:00 pm Daylight Savings) [We were informed at the Winery/Gallery today that there were 190 Cranes Saturday evening. Won't argue with that - there very well could have been that many.
Let the games begin!
The cranes were on the West shore and fields at Vela's. Dave Galinat gets the heads-up award for the season.
Friday, March 12
Evening
No
cranes this evening - I checked right after sunset between 6:00 and
6:30 p.m. (7:00 - 7:30 p.m. Daylight Savings time.) I guessed as
much as I crested the hill and saw no cars stopped anywhere along
the road.
A noticeably large part of the
reservoir ice became liquid during the day. This long cold
Winter has imposed a false patience - we (I) need an affirmation of
cranes so that Spring will start!
Morning
This
morning looks like the first crane season morning of the year.
The Reservoir is mostly iced over with the edges melted along the
West and North (Road) edges. The wetlands north of North Road are
clear of ice as well.
If the skies stay clear, will
tonight be the first evening of migrants? (This morning- one time
I thought I heard Cranes, but saw none - were some local cranes messing
with me or is the anticipation playing with my mind's ear?)
More, later
Thursday, March 11
Good Morning.
It's been zero so far.
I
know I said I'd start this kind of update before now, but though it's
been a bit warmer, the weather still does not suggest the migration
will crane up. So, we'll see what happens this evening
Sunday, March 7 -
Good Afternoon.
Those
of you who live at a distance will have to forgive our slow start
to our Crane Count narrative. Winter came early here and has
stayed in a fashion we are not used to. I am not aware of any
Sandhill Crane activity at Fuitgrowers Reservoir. (I may have
missed something and will relay any information I that others want to
provide.)
So from Tuesday on I'll start logging in a crane count - even if it's a zero. - Jim
PARKING: PLEASE
find a place to park that is off the pavement and PLEASE do not set up
your tipods on the pavement! The Sheriff's
Department join
many of us with concern about safety from less than responsible
behavior
on the county road (drivers and bird watchers) while crane watching is going on. Thanks.
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PARKING: PLEASE
find a place to park that is off the pavement and PLEASE do not set up
your tipods on the pavement! The Sheriff's
Department join
many of us with concern about safety from less than responsible
behavior
on the county road (drivers and bird watchers) while crane watching is going on. Thanks.
OTHER
BIRD SPECIES SIGHTED 2010
at,
or adjacent to, the RESERVOIR:
Great Blue Heron
American Bald Eagle
Mallard
Canada Goose (2 sizes)
Western Meadowlark
Common Merganser
Redhead
American Coot
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
American Wigeon
Northern Shoveler
Golden Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Mountain Bluebird
Downy Woodpecker
Gadwall
Killdeer
Cinnamon Teal
Pintail
Robin
Red-winged Blackbird
Mourning Dove
Northern Harrier
Hairy Woodpecker
Song Sparrow
Ring-billed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Sora?
American Kestrel
Bufflehead
Swainson's Hawk
Eurasion Collared Dove
Common Goldeneye
Black-billed Magpie
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Western Grebe
Greater Yellowlegs (If you don't agree I'll send you Nancy's phone number)
American Avocet
American White Pelican
White-faced Ibis
A good on-line bird ID guide:
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/search
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Crane Sightings and Other Observations at Fruitgrowers
Reservoir and the Surrounding Area
