Ninety visitors joined us for a great night of crane viewing.  We counted over twenty five hundred cranes this evening.  The lead up was a bit sluggish, but starting about 6:30 large groups started coming in.  The full moon rose to the northeast and was a great backdrop for some of the crane groups flying by.  

The species count was also very good.  In the 4 o’clock hour we were visited by a Golden Eagle.  Later, a Northern Shrike perched for us and many visitors were able to view this passerine hunter in one of the scopes.

You can view past postings and historical crane counting data at http://www.haehnlesanctuary.org/cranecount.html.

Crane counters:    Robyn Henise, Don Henise, Ross Green, and Gary Siegrist
Compiler:  Steve Jerant
Submitted by Steve Jerant

Crane Count-2516

Species count- 47

Pied-billed Grebe

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Turkey Vulture

Mute Swan

Canada Goose

Wood Duck

Green-winged Teal

American Black Duck

Mallard

Northern Shoveler

Gadwall

American Widgeon

Ring-necked Duck

Bald Eagle

Golden Eagle

Northern Harrier

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Cooper's Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

American Coot

Sandhill Crane

Yellowlegs species

Ring-billed Gull

Mourning Dove

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

Blue Jay

American Crow

Black-capped Chickadee

White-breasted Nuthatch

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Eastern Bluebird

American Robin

Cedar Waxwing

Northern Shrike

European starling

Yellow-rumped Warbler

American Tree Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

Red-winged Blackbird

Rusty Blackbird

Common Grackle

American Goldfinch