Sandhill Cranes, (Crane Trust, Courtesy)
GRAND ISLAND – With some warmer weather forecast, Central Nebraska residents should soon see larger numbers of sandhill cranes stopping on the Platte River between Grand Island and Kearney as part of their annual migration.
One new situation this year is the presence during the winter of a group of sandhill cranes, said Matt Fong, director of fundraising and outreach for the Crane Trust.
“We’ve had approximately 15,000 cranes that have stayed over since the fall migration,” he said. “We estimate that this group arrived in November.”
Generally, the peak migration time is mid- to late March. During that time, 400,000 to 500,000 cranes are present on the Platte River.
“That would be for the entire 80 mile stretch of the river” where sandhill cranes are most commonly found.
The Crane Trust offers a variety of programs and experiences for visitors.
“Our speaker series has a few new speakers included,” he said.
The vice president of Africa programs from the International Crane Foundation will be speaking at noon on March 8.
Photographer Michael Forsberg has a new book that has been published about whooping cranes and will be speaking at 2 p.m. March 16.
George Archibald, founder of the International Crane Foundation, will be speaking at 2 p.m. March 26.
Last year, approximately 30,000 people visited the Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center, which is located just south of the Alda interchange on Interstate 80.
This year, the Crane Trust is among entities collaborating with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to complete an economic impact study about the cranes.
Last year, a viewing deck along the north side of the Platte River south of the Nature and Visitor Center was closed because of reconstruction. The Central Platte Natural Resources District paid to have the raised wooden deck rebuilt, and it will be available for visitors this year.
Fong said that guests from foreign countries and continents will be visiting the Nature and Visitor Center this year, including visitors from England, Canada, China and Africa.
The Crane Trust offers a variety of options for crane viewing.
First is the footbridge tour for $15 per person. After a short presentation, participants and a guide walk over a private footbridge over the north channel of the Platte River.
Another option is a riverfront blind tour for $50 per person. A trained guide leads visitors to one of the Crane Trust’s prime viewing blinds on the Platte River. Tours are offered in the earing morning and in the evening. For both the footbridge tour and riverfront blind tour, the tours are for people age 12 and up.
A daytime driving tour is available at $25 per person. Participants go with guides on a 14-passenger tour bus to view cranes foraging in fields, prairies, and wet meadows. People stop at key spots to observe cranes feeding and interacting. The minimum age for participants is 6 years old.
An overnight experience is offered at a cost of $800 for two people. The experience includes sunset and sunrise crane viewing experiences, accommodations in an on-site private room, catered meals, social time and programs.
A considerable amount of artwork is for sale at the Crane Trust’s Nature and Visitor Center, as well as a gift shop.
Matt Fong, director of fundraising and outreach for the Crane Trust, (Courtesy)
