Sandhill Cranes buffeted in winds

[M.Bernat]

At 1:55 p.m. 2 groups of sandhill crane were being blown directly eastward by crosswinds that were 22 mph strong and gusty at ground level in Lombard, DuPage County. They got a 5 minute head start before I could follow them down Roosevelt Rd. at 40 mph. I never caught up. They have miles to go before they sleep tonight in Jasper-Pulaski CA in IN and with their trajectory there may be miles of Lake Michigan to fly over or to
drop down beside before they reach J-P. They may be nearing the lakefront now, since it has been about 50 minutes since I saw them.

One of the things I liked about Sagawau ELC's pre-covid hummingbird festival in Cook County was its interactive migration journey that introduced hundreds of visitors to the perils that challenge and often take their toll on the numbers of migrating birds. Migration: a tough way to make a living.

Mary Bernat
South Cook County