Haehnle Sanctuary Crane Count 09/22/2025
By Don Henise

(Steve Jerant)

The second weekly Sandhill Crane Count at the Haehnle Sanctuary took place Monday. The afternoon was again quite nice and we recorded a few more bird species than the week before. Bird highlights included a family of Trumpeter Swans with 2 adults and 2 juveniles seen in the marsh. Three Bald Eagles were perched in a tree to the far north - 2 adults and 1 juvenile. Many birds were busy in the trees above and behind the kiosk. A flock of Cedar Waxwings kept us entertained throughout the evening with a few Eastern Bluebirds, Eastern Wood-Pewees, and Eastern Phoebes flying sorties in and out of the trees. A Bay-breasted Warbler, and a Scarlet Tanager each made appearances.

_Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)(Don Henise)

Towards the end of the evening, several sparrows were detected in the brush to the right of the overlook - 1 Field Sparrow, 1 Song Sparrow, and our first of the season Lincoln's Sparrows with 3 observed.

A highlight of the evening for this author was a small swarm of half a dozen dragonfly darners that were flying over the grasslands beside the overlook. At one point a Green-striped Darner landed on one of the posts of the kiosk. I was able to catch, photograph and release 2 of the darners that were swarming. The first was a female Common Green Darner and the second was a Mottled Darner, a lifer dragonfly for me.

Mottled Darner (Aeshna clepsydra) (Don Henise, hand model: Don Henise)

Common Green Darner (Anax junius)(Don Henise, finger model: Don Henise)

Green-striped Darner (Aeshna verticalis)(Don Henise)

Total Cranes Roosting: 12

Counters: Ross Green, Steve Jerant, Don Henise

Compiled by: Don Henise

Complete eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S275161862