Magic Every Moment – The Sandhill Crane
Earlier this month, I bumped into a pair of bird watchers from Wisconsin, who educated me on the annual migration of the Sand Hill Crane. Apparently, each year these big birds stream into an area just east of here, between Wilcox and Douglas. They arrive in October and stick around until the end of February, before tracking back to the northern intercontinental regions from where they came.You could say, I’m a casual bird watcher. I enjoy observing them in my back yard and on the trails. And, if I see a winged creature I can’t identify, I will look it up in my little bird book. That has been about the extent of it. Until now, I have never gone out of my way to see any specific bird. I’ve long thought the effort would not be worth the reward.
However, it occurred to me, that if these folks were so motivated as to come all the way from Wisconsin to witness this spectacle, the least I can do is make a short two-hour drive. Besides, I badly needed to escape to a quite place, where the sights and sounds of nature have the power to soothe the soul.
So, this past weekend, I got together with my mom and headed east on Interstate 10, leaving the Sonoran Desert behind in favor of the grassy valleys and rolling hills of Cochise County. There is an approximate sixty mile stretch, where the cranes can be spotted. The Wilcox Playa Wildlife Area seemed the closest and most logical choice for us.
We arrived at the parking area around 3:45pm. From there, we had to hike an easy half hour trail to the observation point. We took turns scanning the lake with my binoculars. The overall activity was light and neither of us saw any cranes. So we sat down in the tall grass and ate the rest of the five-dollar foot-longs, we purchased off the highway earlier.
Crane activity is said to pick up in the late afternoon, just before sunset. Even so, the minutes were dragging by and we were beginning to wonder if we would see any at all. I kept my gaze on the water. Mom stayed busy, by collecting reeds and other assorted dried foliage to use for home décor.
With nothing much happening at the lake, my attention diverted to a hawk. For about ten minutes, I watched it glide just above the reeds, bobbing up and down, searching for its’ next meal. Hawks are interesting, but quite common where I live. Later, I saw three large birds dive in and out of the water, then quickly disappear into the hilly horizon. I thought they might have been cranes, but it was so far away. I couldn’t really say for sure.
It was getting close to sundown and still no confirmed crane sightings. We had to save at least twenty minutes of daylight into dusk to make it back to the car. I rarely let my expectations get too high, doing so can lead to disappointment, but, clearly, we had hoped for more. So, we began to slow-walk back to the car, joking about what we would say to the folks back home. Surely, we thought, they will want to hear all about the many cranes we encountered, during our little excursion. It was good for a few laughs.
It was right about then, when I heard a cluck… cluck sound. I quickly turned around and looked toward the heavens. There they were, right on cue, a flock of about a hundred cranes staring straight down at us. The sun, setting behind the mountains, illuminated their bellies an yellow-orange color. It was magnificent! We watched, as the cranes continue to sour in a V pattern, until we could see them no more.
Then, off in the distance, from the northwest, we observed another flock rolling in. After they flew by, another appeared behind them, then another and still another. In droves of V’s and straight lines, they kept streaming in. Within ten minutes, thousands of cranes with wings that span seven feet wide, filled the skies. It was unbelievable!
As we made our way back to the car, some of the flocks settled in the Playa. The rest continued their track elsewhere and so did we, after one of the most spectacular events we had ever witnessed.
Thank you, Wisconsin!
My apologies, if you were expecting to see some photos!
You’ve heard it said, that a picture is worth a thousand words. However, as a photographer, I have learned there are times when pictures cannot do an experience justice. This was one of those times. I just wanted to experience the magic of the moment.
Besides, whenever you photograph anything, more knowledge and experience of the subject is required first. Maybe next year, if I can keep my mouth from gaping, I’ll take some pictures, too.
This entry was posted in Wild Places. Bookmark the permalink.