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Re: Sandhill Cranes Flying South

I think not only is it possible to double-claim, but it is really interesting to see Kristin's report too. It would be fascinating to know if anyone else also saw the Sandhills this afternoon.

Perhaps the Sandhills were skirting along the Wasatch Front mountains east bench. When I first saw them today here in Salt Lake County, they appeared to be coming more from the area just West of Grandeur Peak (look on a good map), as if they had perhaps flown just prior over the mouth of Parley's Canyon. Perhaps they flew from the Ogden East bench roughly to the Bountiful East bench and then over the area of Ensign Peak and City Creek Canyon, then over Parley's Mouth and then to the point I saw them at just West of Mt. Olympus... My hunch here is that they were lined-up to head to Clear Lake WMA South of Delta... Again, just a hunch.

Last year when I saw the Sandhills, they were directly over-head at my house. Also a group number about 50. This year they were about a mile East of last year's route, numbering about 50. The pattern is striking. I have a hunch, no proof, but just a hunch, that these are a group following a distinct annual migration path. Essentially the same group from year to year, with some new yearlings, and missing a few older members who succumbed along the way. I wish I knew more about them. I certainly feel a connection.

So, if Kristin and I saw the same group of Sandhills, and the span of 1 hour 15 minutes sounds reasonable to fly from the Ogden East bench to the Salt Lake East bench at the rate I saw them flying at, I think perhaps we did. And, yet to think that now with our two snippets of observations, we have a good idea of part of their actual migration route. I can't help but wonder, where did they actually come from today? where and when did they start? Grey's Lake in Idaho, Island Park, Cache Valley, Rich County, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming or Montana)? Where are they actually going? Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Mexico? Ah, but that is part of the exhilaration of bird-watching. It is why so many of us, in our own ways, at our own levels of skill, are so enthusiastic about this hobby we call bird-watching.

I'll tell you, seeing those Sandhills today made my day! May the Sandhills have safe travels, and may the buck-shot miss every time.

Matthew Wallace.

Kristin Purdy wrote:

Is it possible to double-claim Matthew's Sandhill Cranes?

This afternoon at about 1 pm, I was awakened from my beauty nap to the sound
of Sandhill Cranes through the open window.  I ran out on the deck and
counted exactly 50 Sandhills heading south.  This was in Ogden up on the
east bench.

What are the chances that my flock was the same as Matthew's?!?

The nap didn't do much for me, but the cranes were a beautiful sight.

Kris
----- Original Message -----
From: "M. H. Wallace" <pooder@xmission.com>
To: "BirdTalk" <birdtalk@utahbirds.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 09, 2005 2:37 PM
Subject: [BirdTalk] Sandhill Cranes Flying South




At 2:15, here in the East Millcreek area of Salt Lake County, I was just
at the kitchen sink when I looked up, out the window, I saw what
appeared to be a line of birds flying high over Millcreek Canyon here in
Salt Lake. I first thought they were Geese. Then, it dawned on me,
they might be Sandhills. I quickly got my binoculars and went outside.
Immediately I could clearly hear the characteristic sound of Sandhills.
Wow! What luck! Sure enough, it was a group of about 50 Sandhill
Cranes flying South. They were flying just West of Mt. Olympus in a
southerly direction, I'd guess they were coming from the Cache
Valley/Logan area, and are heading toward Delta, Utah. What a great


sight!


Last year, on October 13, (2004) I made a similar post about seeing
roughly the same number of Sandhills flying South.  The next day, I
received a note from Richard W. in Brownsville, Texas indicating that
Sandhills were arriving.  If Richard is out there, please drop us a line
at BirdTalk to let us know how they're doing.

Happy Birding,

Matthew Wallace.

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