Jump! Dance!

A Million Cranes come to rest and feed, preparing for the next leg of the migration journey.  Along with these essential activities, another important event is taking place.  This stay in the Platte Valley acts as a giant mixer where numerous birds interact.  The juvenile cranes from the previous year will soon separate from their parents and begin to engage with one another, likely choosing a mate.

This interaction takes the form of Dancing.  The cranes jump into the air, posture, toss corn cobs, and call out to one another. Following these activities is one of the most fascinating aspects of this wondrous time along the Platte River.

Early Morning on the Platte

6:00 AM.  It’s about 90 minutes until sunrise.  We shuffle down the path, our steps lit by our red headlamps. We are moving parallel to the river, with the Cottonwoods and Willows between us and the water.

The cranes are softly murmuring as we arrive and quietly enter the blind. The scene is one of dark shapes and lines lit by moonlight.

With normal light still hours away, it's an excellent opportunity for long-exposure photography to capture the unfolding beauty!