Hey all,
On Thursday, 2/27/2025, we estimated 50,000 +/- 5,000 Sandhill Cranes between Chapman and Overton, NE. A majority of the cranes were between Highway 281 and Alda Rd. bridge. However, around 7,000 were seen east, over by Philips, NE. These numbers are very different from last year’s migration during week 3. 2024 was a very early migration with record breaking numbers of cranes early in the season. By this time last year, we already had 272,000 cranes around the Central Platte. This year’s numbers are fairly average, if not slightly below. Before this week we had seen very low numbers of other migratory birds as well, like ducks and geese. Typically, we see the highest numbers of geese at the very beginning of the crane migration. During the flight we estimated around 41,000 dark geese (Canada Geese, Greater White-fronted Geese, and Cackling Geese). The extreme winter weather and temperatures in the region were likely to blame for the delay. This slower start to migration means that bird watchers visiting the area in early March will be able to witness not only Sandhill Cranes but hundreds of thousands of ducks and geese at the same time, experiencing a fuller picture of the diversity of birds that use the Platte River Valley as a vital stopover site. We only expect the numbers to keep climbing as a million cranes still need to make their way through on their journey north. This weekend and the end of next week are looking like decent migration days! It’s only the beginning!
Till next time,
Bethany
