Sandhill cranes have arrived at Dale Saunders Crane Sanctuary and birders at the 33rd Birdathon tallied 73 species this spring.
Kathy Ernst, an avid birder in Trapper Creek, keeps close watch over Saunders Field for the crane activity each spring and fall. She says the cranes usually send a scout or two to check the field in spring. The scout arrived on April 19th or 20th this year.
About a week later, the cranes begin to show. “We usually expect 200 to 300 cranes each year,” says Ernst.
The Saunders Field cranes hail from the San Joaquin Valley, where they spend the winter. Over the next few weeks, the cranes will begin their complicated mating dances in the field. Ernst says they will fly to the safety of nearby wetlands to nest.
While the cranes mark the beginning of spring migration of one species, the Northern Susitna Birders welcome spring with their annual Birdathon. Birders come together to count all the birds they see or hear.
Deb Brocke and Jeff Robinson say that 25 birders submitted counts this year. Many of the birders gathered at the ‘Rubberneck’ at the end of Christiansen Lake Road to celebrate the end of the event. The 24-hour count can occur anywhere within a 15-mile radius of Main Street in Talkeetna.
Some birders go with friends and family, while others choose to count solo. Birders also can use a vehicle or go by foot to count. Over the 33 years of the event, 129 unique bird species have been tallied. Ducks, sandpipers, songbirds, and raptors were all well-represented in this year’s count.
Seasoned and new birders were invited to participate in the Birdathon. Joe Page and Chris Mannix were the winners of the day, each with 50 birds tallied. The magpie pin, awarded to the first birder to spot a magpie, went to Ruth Wood, who spotted it in Trapper Creek.
