Don Jorge - 4-3-2015 at 07:10 AM
Over 500,000 Sandhill cranes migrate annually stopping on the northbound journey to rest on the Platte River in Nebraska for a few short weeks from
late February until late March. We spent 3 nights in 4 ft by 8 ft blinds at the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary in Kearney Nebraska March 22-24, 2015.
If I get some time I hope to put together an edited video. Here is some raw video of a few thousand birds coming in to roost for the night in front
of blind in the late afternoon.
Whales and cranes have a bit in common.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLi6DEY9RIA&feature=yout...
Russ - 4-3-2015 at 07:23 AM
Truly amazing!
tripledigitken - 4-3-2015 at 09:13 AM
Beautiful! Would love to have been there with my camera.
AKgringo - 4-3-2015 at 10:16 AM
I share a migration pattern with the Sandhill cranes. I see and hear them in Fairbanks and Anchorage in the fall as they start their migration south.
I am in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada range when they arrive there, and get to see them again.
They have been passing through here again lately headed north, and next month I will rejoin them in Alaska.
Pompano - 4-3-2015 at 10:43 AM
Great thread and that's a truly awesome video, amigo. I know the thrill of these majestic birds. Good for the soul. As you know, I've been
fortunate to have seen the sandies migration for many years a bit further Up North. But from your movie, I sure wish I could've been in that Nebraska
blind with my camera for that fantastic closeup. Maybe get over into the Sandhills to see some prairie chicken mating dances?
The New York Times bestseller 1,000 Places To See Before You Die calls this crane gathering on the Platte a “must see.” For once, I can
agree with the Times.. and count myself lucky to have lived in the middle of this migration flyway from boyhood. We also kept our eyes peeled for any
rare & endangered Whooping Cranes (5 personal sightings in all that time).
You gotta love those cranes. Just as they announce the spring coming north, the sounds of the cranes migrating from far north Canada alert us to the
changing season from summer to fall, as they are one of the first migrating birds to start the flight. That first crane flock announces the arrival
of spring and then later...autumn. They fly extremely high on a good wind from the north and send chills down your spine when you hear that 'trilling'
call from many thousands of these very large birds. My amigo, Randy, used to call them...'doves on steroids.'
Like Nebraska, North Dakota has a great northbound and southbound refuge for these creatures. J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge, the largest
refuge in the state, attracts millions of ducks, geese, cranes, and other migrating species, and supports a huge local habitat for resident birds and
game. The refuge has great bird watching trails and blinds..especially for springtime use. It was no mistake that I bought a wildlife cottage next
door years ago. I like to relax on my porch and marvel at the huge flocks of cranes and geese flying overhead. One of nature's great gifts.
'Dancing of the Cranes' Spring brings on all the mating rituals of every species at the refuge...and sandhill cranes are some of the more energetic
and present terrific shows that you can witness from one of the refuge blinds.
Fall of course brings on other rituals. 
Thanks again, George. Keep enjoying nature like you always have.
elgatoloco - 4-3-2015 at 10:45 AM
That would be a sight to see. Sounds like you were in the right place to see them - more factoids from the interwebs:
"Scientists estimate that approximately 80 percent of all sandhill cranes in North America use a 75-mile stretch of Nebraska’s Platte River during
spring migration."
We will have to add that to our list of things to see/do someday.
Thanks for sharing!
ps - The documentary Winged Migration is worth seeing if you have not already.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pFiuUUBKoY
elgatoloco - 4-3-2015 at 01:22 PM
Wow. That's an adventure!
chuckie - 4-4-2015 at 06:29 AM
When we had the ranch in NW Kansas we were eating supper one evening and were treated to an increasing volume of strange noise. We went out to see
what in the world it was, and discovered that a HUGE flock of Sandhill Cranes had landed in the wheat stubble right behind the house, to spend the
night!.....An amazing treat....When they got ready to leave, just before dawn, they saluted us again...
