We are standing in the cool morning air looking east as the
sun begins to rise. The fields around us
are filled with dark moving objects calling ka-rooo, ka-rooo. As the sun rises and the morning begins to
warm, the dark creatures stir and then by the thousands they take flight! These amazing birds are Sandhill Cranes, Grus canadensis.
We are fortunate to live just a few hours from one of the
best places in the United States to see the “rest stop” for these beautiful
birds, the San Luis Valley. During the
winter months these birds feed in the northern parts of Mexico and south Texas
and migrate to northern Colorado, western Wyoming, Utah and Montana where they
will raise their young.
What makes this place so special for these tall, gray-bodied
birds with a red crown to gather by the thousands in the spring? Food.
The growing conditions in this high mountain valley, with
warm days and cool nights, are perfect for agricultural crops such as potatoes,
alfalfa, barley and wheat. These crops
are irrigated from the runoff of the nearby Sangre de Cristo mountains
providing water for the plants as well as dotting the landscape with marshes,
ponds and lakes.
Sandhill cranes eat both grains and protein all of which are
bountiful in this area. They thrive on
the leftover grains in the numerous fields and the ponds also provide habitat
for frogs, snails and insects.
This crane stands four feet tall and has a wing span of
about five feet, imagine seeing this bird fly just fifteen to twenty feet above
you, it is quite an experience.
As we
travel through the valley we can hear the call of the cranes from miles away, keep
an eye on the sky. The cranes circle lazily
on the thermals, the warm air columns that they ride, spiraling to heights
almost out of sight. It is believed that
they communicate to each other during this flight, the best feeding areas for
the day.
These majestic birds are also spending their days trying to
find mates by jumping and bowing, like a dance, signifying that they are ready
to start a family up north. Sandhill
cranes mate for life and can live twenty-five years or more.
In addition to the cranes, thousands of waterfowl and other
water birds are feeding and resting as well.
Many species that have been found are the Ruddy Duck, Northern Pintail,
Spotted Sandpiper and the American Avocet.
This is a birder’s paradise and a fantastic way to usher in spring after
the long, cold winter.
This March we will be heading to Monte Vista National
Wildlife Refuge in the valley to see "The Dance of the Cranes”. If you would like to join Guides-To-Go or
find out more about this special place, please visit guides-to-go.com or call
720-838-3277.
