Over the past few years now I have been keeping close tabs on some of the Sandhill Cranes nesting here in the Root River Valley. Currently there are six families within five miles of our house that I am monitoring. Out of the six families there were twelve hatch-lings. Out of the original twelve, there are eight colts that have survived their first two and a half weeks. (Sandhill Cranes usually lay two eggs per brood.)
I wish that all eight of the survivors would make it to adulthood and we are hopeful that they will but they really are not totally out-of-the-woods until they can fly which is months away. The bigger they get however, the better their chances.
One particular pair that I have watched now for five years has had their share of problems due to flooding, snowstorms and predation. Two years ago, I produced a video showing the hatching of their eggs in the middle of a flood:
Although these colts survived the flood, they never made it to adulthood due to predation. It’s sad and we feel for this particular pair who has had so much bad luck, but it’s all part of the circle of life.
This year bad luck once again struck. The day before the colts were to hatch it rained all day and waters once again encroached on their nest. With all the problems that this pair has encountered, I thought I would tell The Story of the Sandhill Crane Nest:
Looking at the overall population of Sandhill Cranes here in the Root River Valley, their numbers continue to rise and that is certainly good news. I do wonder however that at some point they may once again hunt these birds here in SE Minnesota. They do allow hunting in NW Minnesota of the Lesser Sandhill Crane. Their numbers are much, much higher than the Greater Sandhill Cranes found here.
⏤Alan Stankevitz