Homer’s Sandhill Cranes make late departure

by Naomi Klouda
Homer Tribune

Homer’s Sandhill Crane population acted a little unusual this summer. Like other local birds, the cranes were off in their departure timing, likely due to warmer fall temperatures keeping them around.
“The cranes left a few days late, but within what would be considered a normal range of days for departure, and their departure is more timed to the winds and pressure systems,” said Lani Raymond who operates the Kachemak Bird Watching Hotline called PEEP.
Other birds are making an appearance now, though local experts contend that whether the birds are impacted by a warmer fall is hard to say.
Here’s what they have so far:
“According to George West’s data from many years ago, the Rock Sandpipers should already be here as of Sept. 21,” Raymond said. “But no one has reported any yet that I’ve heard.”
Raymond said the Grey-crowned Rosy Finches should show up around Oct. 28, and long-tailed ducks should have been here Oct. 1.
“But I’ve had no reports, nor did I see any this weekend near the end of the Spit where they usually are spotted,” Raymond said.
On Oct. 3, from the mouth of the Anchor River, a Steller’s Eider was seen. Raymond said they don’t usually show up until mid-November, however the Great Blue Heron has arrived on time.
More is known about the popularly watched Lesser Sandhill Cranes. The first arrivals were five birds flying over east Skyline Drive on April 9, and the last known observation was on Sept. 21, according to Edgar Bailey, a wildlife biologist and founder of Kachemak Bay Crane Watch.
“As usual, peak numbers occurred in late August and early September, just prior to fall migration,” Bailey wrote in his Crane Watch 2009 report. “The average departure date for the past 10 years is Sept. 10. A majority of cranes left Sept. 12 this year.”
Bailey also commented on the odd 2009 Sandhill Crane activity – especially at the east Skyline Drive monitoring site. Bailey said the cranes began arriving at the site in early May, and then largely disappeared the last two weeks of May. The average daily count for May was only seven birds, compared to 19 in 2008 and 21 in 2007. Then cranes vanished from east Skyline Drive and did not reappear until the second week of August. The average August daily count was 39 compared to 35 in August 2008.
Bailey gathers crane watch information from observers across Homer, and said several people were mystified by the disappearance of the cranes those mid-summer weeks.
“The fewer number of cranes and their virtual absence for 4 to 6 weeks during midsummer was reflected by reports from observers at Gladys Court Subdivision, Diamond Ridge and other traditional feeding areas. Many residents commented on the lack of cranes for long periods. Several people also noted more than usual Bald Eagle numbers,” Bailey said. “This was especially obvious along east Skyline Drive, where it was not uncommon to have 15-20 (eagles) soaring above the bluff. This was aggravated in May and June by the discovery of a moose carcass near the count location. Cranes are frequently harassed by eagles. An eagle killed a crane at Seaside Farm, and several others were reportedly killed.”
The peak Skyline Drive count was 82, compared to 90 the previous summer. The highest reported crane count at a feeding location in the Homer area this year was 136 at Gladys Court. Also, as many as 129 were counted in mud flats below this subdivision.
Bailey said a change in crane habits might be due the usual suspects: eagles.
The first crane colt (chick) was sighted on June 7 on Diamond Ridge. A total of 34 colts was recorded, which is about the same as the prior three years. Cranes with colts were often seen near homes throughout the summer, where they were generally safer from marauding eagles. Up to seven colts were seen simultaneously with the gathering migratory flock at the Skyline site in early September.

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Posted by Newsroom on Oct 21st, 2009 and filed under Outdoors. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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