Sandhill Cranes

In both 2016 and in 2015, I saw Sandhill Cranes on March 19th. Thomas S. Roberts, in The Birds of Minnesota (1932), gives the earliest date as March 22, 1889 in Wright County and the average fourteen migration arrival dates as March 30th. So, despite the record warm weather, I was very surprised to hear and then see several migrating Sandhill Cranes today, February 21st.

Cranes fly overhead, calling
Each other; so here, I stop my
Worrying, just letting
My mind roam back over thoughts
Of happier days.
– Tu Fu, from 'A Summer Night'

Posted on February 22, 2017 04:25 AM by scottking