A pair of Sandhill Cranes in late afternoon light. Photo by Liza Myers
LAST WEEK when we were hiking at Tsankawi Ruins in the Jemez Mountains, I heard flocks of cranes flying above us. It’s a very different sound, a chorus of croaking, chortling, rattley, raspy calls… quite unmistakable. (The Forest service says that “Both the males and females make a rattling “kar-r-r-r- o-o-o” sound.”)
As soon as I heard them I searched the sky trying to spot their elegant Vee formation . They are much bigger than geese- 3-4 feet tall with a 5 foot wing span, but even so, it took a while to find them in the vast New Mexican sky. There were perhaps 50 of them, flying high above the Rio Grande illuminated by the late afternoon sun.
TOMORROW, I’m heading to Bosque del Apache near Socorro, NM to visit a few thousand of them. They winter there after following the Rio Grande from the north. I’m not sure how far these are coming from. Some summer in Idaho Oregon and Alaska. There is an east coast migration pattern too.
Bosque del Apache in twilight. Photo by liza myers
The natural history and science of the Sandhill is astonishing, but I am drawn by the elegance and grace of this creature, and the mystery of migration. The setting isn’t too bad either.
How do they know where they’re going? Or when to stop or when to head north again?
It’s probably easy to follow the Rio Grande: a ribbon of water winding through the desert. But they fly over mountains and up different water sheds. They have no roadmap or GPS, but they get there!
An Ancestral Puebloan A petroglyph of sandhill cranes… and rattlesnakes and goats. Thanks to Petroglyph USA for this image.
The Ancestral Puebloans recorded cranes many times in petroglyphs and on their exquisitely decorated pottery.
This fascinating image is from a Mimbres bowl.
This is a very unique bowl. Thanks to Arrowheadology for the photo. Well, thanks to the ancient artisan who made the vessel!
Perhaps a painting or two will come from the visit.
I am gathering inspiration everywhere I go.