Sandhill Cranes, Larimer County

[Libby Edwards]

At about 9 am this morning at the intersection north of Fort Collins of County Roads 19 and 80, where there are huge fields on either side of the road of corn stubble, we saw many groups of sandhill cranes feeding, perhaps up to 4-500 in all the fields. Driving back by these fields from Red Mountain Open Space at 4:30 pm, we were surprisingly treated to all of them lifting off and flying in unorganized groups towards the south. In the distance we could see them forming one big group, waving across the horizon.

My question is this: do they migrate at night now, or will they find a place to roost again for the night? This was a magnificent experience seeing all those cranes lift off for us unexpectedly.

Libby Edwards
Fort Collins
Larimer County

[Jeff Kehoe]

Thanks for the tip.  I went up there this morning and found about 200 still around!