frlday,epril 20,1979
daily nebraskan
Saindh
111 cranes return
to Platte Rivet resort
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Nebraskans who live near the Platte
River know that spring is here when
they see the sandhill cranes congregating
in migration to northern nesting
grounds.
The birds spent time between Grand
Island West to about Lexington, form
ing the largest concentration of cranes
in North America.
Also known as lesser sandhill cranes,
the birds are smaller relatives of the
famous and endangered whooping
cranes that also visit Nebraska in early
April. The sandhill cranes are gray, three
to four feet tall and have a wing span of
five feet.
They can be seen feeding in fields
along the river during the day and re
turning to river islands at night.
"The most spectacular time to see
them is toward sunset as they go back
to the river,1 explains Paul Johnsgard, a
professor in the School of Life Sciences
and a professional ornithologist.
Gracefully suspended in flight over
the Waters of the Platte, these visitors
seem to be performing a ballet for the
wildlife lover. Thi Imaginative spectator
can see these dive bombers plunge into
the still water Whatever the image, the
sandhill cranes emphasize the beauty of
the Nebraska landscape.
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Photos by Jerry McBride
Story by Martha Murdock
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