Sandhill Crane Migration on the Platte River and nearby cornfields in south central Nebraska - Sunrise "Liftoff" taken from a viewing blind on the Platte River southwest of Grand Island -- large version of this photo below Nebraska Travels is now on Facebook at: Nebraska Travels Guide We also now have a Sandhill Crane Migration on Platte River Flyway Pinterest Photos Page |
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Toadstool Geologic Park | l | Scottsbluff Attractions | l | Waterfall + Niobrara River | l | Lincoln Nebraska Attractions | l | Western Nebr Road Trip |
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Tip - Use <Ctrl><+> keys on keyboard to make the Text Larger
and <Ctrl><-> for Smaller Text on most newer browsers Annual Spring Sandhill Crane Migration - Feeding layover
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Sandhill Cranes feeding in the cornfields near the Platte River
in Nebraska
This is wasted corn left from the harvest - and actually benefits the farmers since it would otherwise be "volunteer" come growing season. - It is estimated the Sandhill Cranes eat up to 1,600 tons of waste corn during their 3 to 4 week stay in Nebraska on the Platte River.
Sandhill Cranes feeding in a Nebraska Cornfield irrigated with a center pivot shown in background.
A "refuling" stop during the Cranes annual Migration back North.
Southwest of Grand Island, Nebraska near the Alda Road Viewing Platform Site and bridge on Hwy 26 -- about 50 miles south of the eastern tip of the Nebraska Sandhills area.
To a listing of many Sandhill Crane Books with User Reviews & Ratings. Some are for Children.
All About Sandhill Cranes with Identification Keys + Summer and Winter Range Map.
You can hear the loud "rattling bugle" sounds of thousands of Cranes flying in to roost on the Platte River at Sunset in the Video plus 2nd Video Link toward the bottom of this Sandhill Crane Migration web page.
Interactive Area Map + Outdoor Crane Migaration Viewing Info
This link goes to a Google interactive map which shows the Alda Road Viewing Platform Area marked + the roads in the area SW of Grand Island, Nebraska. The map also shows the roads to the west near the Gibbon Bridge Crane Viewing Platform off of I-80 1.5 miles south on Hwy 10c near Kearney. (more on the Gibbon Bridge Viewing area + Link below.) Tip - Open above map in full window to see entire area in one printable view - use "Landscape" print orientation.
See more Information about the Sandhill Crane Migration, projected Migration Dates, Crane Viewing location Tips, Viewing Blind Info, Crane Migration Links, and a Crane Migration "Fly-in" on the Platte Video below.
Viewing and taking Photos or Videos from a enclosed Blind - or the Alda Bridge Crane Viewing Platform
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Thinking about upgrading your Digital Camera to one with a higher power built in Zoom + HD Video? Check out a very well User Reviewed handy "pants pocked sized" Canon PowerShot SX280HS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with a built in 20x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and a wide angle lens + 1080 pixels wide HD Video with Stero sound. The Canon SX280HS also has a GPS Photo Location Tracker that puts the location where you took your photo in the photo image file so you can later view where your photos were taken on a map using Canon Software. <-- Or Check out the Canon SX40 IS with a Built in 35 Power Zoom on the left! |
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Tip - Never run out of Camera Memory Card storage space! -- get one or two extra Lexar Platinum II 4 GB 100x "Fast" Camera Memory Cards -- or better - a Lexar Professional very high speed 8GB or 16GB Memory Card - with a very fast 800x or 1000x speed for fast photo saves on your camera so you can take quick back up shots + faster transfers to your PC from your camera memory card.
-- Don't waste precious daylight Crane Migration Viewing or Vacation Time trying to clear off some space on a Full Digital Camera Memory Card! |
Many of the pictures of Sandhill Cranes flying in over the Platte River on this page, plus the video clips used in the Sandhill Crane Migration Video below were taken from a Blind overlooking the Platte River on an evening Sandhill Crane Migration Viewing Blind Tour done in mid March of 2007.
-- Most of the Photos and Videos on this page were taken with my trusty "old" Canon Powershot SX100IS with a built in 10x power zoom Lens that took over 6,000 pictures and was still working fine when I upgraded to the new smaller pocket sized Canon SX280HS with a built in 20x zoom and a GPS Photo Location Tracker in 2013 shown above in the blue box. I am really enjoying the built in 20x zoom, the crisp photos, and the low light capabilities of the new SX280HS!
Tip -- When you are zoomed in at 3x or more, use a Tripod or an easy to carry Monopod to cut down on "Fuzzy Photos" from Camera shake -- Image Stabilization can only do so much when you are zoomed in!
South Central Nebraska Viewing Guide Map along Nebraska Platte River
This Google map shows the roads running along the south edge of the Platt river and the locations of some outdoor Sandhill Crane Migration Viewing Sites.
The Map also shows the area county roads near the Platte River between the two Crane Viewing Centers where you can watch the Sandhill Cranes feed in the cornfields from the edge of the roads -- especially the less traveled gravel ones -- in the daytime before they group together late in the day for their short fly over to the Platte River about Sunset to roost for the night.
Tip - Check out this Google map showing the roads in the area. This map shows the less traveled gravel county roads near the Platte River in the area SW of Grand Island, NE over to the viewing areas near the Rowe Sanctuary SE of Kearny, Nebraska.
Sandhill Crane Speaker Series and Wings Over the Platte Art Show at Stuhr Museum in Grand Island, Nebraska
The Stuhr Museum in Grand Island, NE sometimes hosts a Wings Over the Platte art show and sometimes a Crane Speaker Series during the Spring Sandhill Crane Migration dates. Check their Events Calendar. They are located at 3133 West Highway 34 in Grand Island, NE. Their phone is: 308-385-5316.
See Candid User Reviews, Ratings, and Price Comparisons of over 20 Grand Island Hotels, Motels, & Bed and Breakfasts at Compare prices and Ratings + read what other travelers have to say at TripAdvisor for Grand Island, NE.
Alda Bridge Crane Viewing Platform overlooking Platte River on Hwy 26
If you want to stand on a handicap-accessible viewing platform overlooking the river to view and take pictures of the evening Sandhill Crane Migration fly-in spectacle here is more on the public Alda Bridge Crane Viewing Platform about two miles south of I-80 exit #305 on Hwy 26 next to the bridge over the Platte River. There is a large parking area and a small lake adjacent to the large wooden viewing platform which usually offers great views of the thousands of "noisy" cranes flying in to roost at sunset -- or off to the cornfields to feed in the early morning at sunrise.
Tip - For daytime viewing of the Sandhill Cranes feeding in the harvested cornfields, we also found many Sandhill Cranes feeding along the "Shoemaker Island Road" which runs between two channels of the Platte River just south of I-80 at the west end. The gravel road runs between Hwy 11 about a half mile south of Exit 300 off of I-80 between 2 forks of the River, east over to the Alda Road (Hwy 26). Shoemaker Island Rd ends up on the east end right next to the Alda Bridge Crane Viewing Platform parking lot. We saw many flocks of Cranes assembling in the corn fields there late in the afternoon, which then later flew over and roosted on the Platte River at about Sundown.
Sandhill Cranes flying over cornfield near Platte River during migration
Near Rowe Sanctuary, which is near the Gibbon, Nebraska exit from I-80
The Rowe Sanctuary and Audubon Center and Viewing Blinds southwest of Gibbon + the Gibbon Bridge Crane Viewing Platform
See more Crane Facts + Sandhill Crane Migration and Viewing Information, and some great pictures at the Rowe Sanctuary & lain Nicolson Audubon Center east of Kearney, Nebraska. The Facility and grounds are located southwest of Gibbon exit #285 off of I-80 on Elm Island Road just south of the Platte River and west from Hwy 10c. There is a sign marking the gravel road off of Hwy 10c west to the Rowe Sanctuary & Audubon Center.
Rowe Sanctuary & Audubon Center Viewing Blind on south edge of Platte River - Blinds have room for 26-32 Viewers - each with their own "window" to watch the Cranes.
The Rowe Sanctuary also operates several riverside viewing blinds + some special "sleep-over" 2-person Photography Blinds for very serious nature photographers ($225/night + tax - 2016). Reservation are needed for these special Blinds, and also for the regular morning or evening Viewing Blind tours which run $25 - $35 per person + tax depending on the date. The Director was kind enough to take me on a quick walk out to see this Blind and take this picture while it was still light since I got to the Rowe Sanctuary Center near closing time.
See this Rowe Sanctuary Crane Viewing and Reservation Info page or call 308-468-5282 for more Sandhill Crane and other birds Viewing Blind information and availability -- tours usually fill up fast when the Cranes are "In," so call early. Also a good number to call to see if the Cranes are currently "In" on the Platte river.
See this link for more Info on reserving the special Overnight Photography Photo Blind where two Photographers can be very close to the Migrating Cranes as they settle in to roost on the Platte River for the night and leave in the morning. Good location to take some great Sandhill Crane videos! (See our Crane video at sunset below - taken from a different blind further east overlooking the Platte.)
The Rowe Sanctuary and Audubon Center southwest of Gibbon, NE is also often in need of Volunteers for Various duties in the Gift Shop plus some other areas. Check out this How to Help - Get Invloved web page or call the Rowe Sanctuary - 308-468-5282 to see what help is currently needed and to offer to assist as a Volunteer at the Center. You can't find a place to "work" with a much nicer view with all of the large windows the Center has overlooking the Platte River!
You can also check out the online version of the "Crane River Chronicles" Rowe Sanctuary Audubon Center Newsletter, published periodically. Links to recent Online Newsletters plus an email link to sign up for Rowe Sanctuary Newsletters are both on the Rowe Sanctuary Newsletter page.
The Crane River Chronicles Newsletter is very well done with interesting habitat Info and Crane Facts, plus it includes a Rowe Sanctuary Center Calendar of Events and more on Volunteering plus Contact Info. You can even sign up for e-mail notifications of when a new newsletter is posted online.
Gibbon Bridge Crane Viewing Platform overlooking Platte River on Hwy 10c (Lowell Rd) east of Kearney, NE
The Gibbon Bridge Crane Viewing Platform is handicap accessible. This bridge is 1.5 miles south of I-80 exit 285 south of Gibbon on Hwy 10c (Lowell Rd) -- about 13 miles east of Kearney, Nebraska.
Here is a map of the Rowe Sanctuary and Gibbon Bridge Crane Viewing area on or off of Hwy 10c on edge of the Platte River. Can click and drag or zoom this Google Map. (The Rowe Sanctuary Audubon Center is on the south side of the Platt River on Elm Island Road Vs north of the River which it may look like in this map.)
See Candid User Reviews, Ratings, and Price Comparisons of over 20 Kearney Hotels and Motels at Compare prices and Ratings + read what other travelers have to say at TripAdvisor for Kearney, NE.
To Alda Bridge Crane Viewing Platform overlooking Platte River Picture & Info Above
Back to Crane Trust Nature Center Sandhill Crane Viewing Blind Tour Info Above
Tips - General Flight and Car Rental Info for Traveling to near Grand Island or Kearney, Nebraska Via Lincoln or Omaha, NE Airports to View the Sandhill Crane Migration - (Grand Island + Kearney, NE Area Lodging Info Section just below)
Both the Grand Island and Kearney Airports are fairly small Regional Airports that no major Airlines utilize. United and Delta both have Flights in and out of Lincoln, NE. There are car rental options at the Lincoln Airport. (LNK)
The Lincoln Airport is close to I-80. It is about 1 1/2 hours west from the Lincoln Airport to the Alda Exit #305, which you take south to the Crane Trust Welcome Center and Viewing Blinds. The Alda I-80 Exit #305 to the Crane Trust Center is about 9 miles west of the Grand Island I-80 Exit #314, where you will find several nearby Grand Island area Restaurants and 20 Hotel/Motel options. It is about 20 miles on west from the Crane Trust #305 Alda Exit to the Rowe Sanctuary turnoff at the Gibbon exit #285 - a total of about 29 miles southwest of Grand Island, NE.
The Omaha Eppley Airfield (OMA) is much larger than the Lincoln Airport, and has four Airlines that use it's airfield: United, Delta, American, and Southwest. Plus it has several car rental company options at the Airport. It is usually exactly one hour from the Ohama Airport to the Lincoln Airport, so it is a total of about 2 1/2 hours from the Omaha Eppley Airfield to the Crane Trust Welcome Center and Viewing Blinds about 9 miles southwest of Grand Island, NE. It is about 20 miles west from the #305 Alda Exit to the #285 Gibbon exit from I-80 to the Rowe Sanctuary.
There are several resturant Options in Grand Island, NE, plus as of January, 2015, there are over 20 Grand Island Motel / Hotel + B & B options. See Price Comparisons + User Reviews and Ratings in the Grand Island, NE Area Lodging Info Section just below.
The Rowe Sanctuary and Viewing Blinds are southwest of the Gibbon exit #285 off of I-80 on Elm Island Road just south of the Platte River -- west from Hwy 10c. Exit #285 is about 20 miles west of the Exit #305 you take to get off for the Crane Trust Visitors Center when coming from the East on I-80. The Rowe Sanctuary and viewing blinds near Gibbon, NE, are about 20 miles southeast of Kearney, Nebraska Via I-80 and Hwy 10c. The Rowe Sanctuary is a total of about 35 miles southwest of Grand Island, NE.
Kearney also has several Restaurant options. As of January, 2015, there are over 22 Hotels / Motels and B & B's in Kearney. See Price Comparisons + User Reviews and Ratings in the Kearney, NE Area Hotel / Motel Lodging Info Section just below.
The Denver International Airport (DEN) is about 5 hours west of the Gibbon Exit #285 to the Rowe Sanctuary Via the Interstate, if you need to access Nebraska Via Denver, CO.
Tips - Grand Island & Kearney, Nebraska Lodging Info + Hotel / Motel and B & B User Reviews and Ratings
As of January, 2015, there are over 20 Grand Island Motel / Hotel + B & B Lodging options. See Candid User Reviews, Ratings, and Price Comparisons of Grand Island Hotels, Motels, & Bed and Breakfasts at Compare prices and Ratings + read what other travelers have to say at TripAdvisor for Grand Island, NE.
As of January, 2015, there are over 22 Hotels / Motels and B & B Lodging options in Kearney. Candid User Reviews, Ratings, and Price Comparisons the Kearney Hotels, Motels, and B & B's at Compare prices and Ratings + read what other travelers have to say at TripAdvisor for Kearney, NE.
We hope this Airport, Crane Viewing Blind Locations, and Area Lodging Info is helpful to those traveling to Nebraska from several states away to View the Sandhill Crane Migration -- from far enough away that they would prefer to fly Vs drive.
Crane watching Tips & "Etiquette"
Tip - The Guides and Staff will tell you this + it is in the printed materials, but we noticed some still did not take the warnings seriously. Take a jacket if you go on an evening Tour up to one of the Viewing Blinds or if you are watching from a Viewing deck. The temperature may quickly drop up to 20 degrees after the sun has gone down - especially if there is a breeze.
To a listing of several Sandhill Crane Books (Some for Children) with user Ratings Most with 5 Star Customer Ratings on Amazon |
Also important - wear dark colored clothing so you won't be spotted as easily by the Cranes -- and remember to turn off your camera flash as it starts to get dark! They even recommended putting a piece of black tape over your flash in case you would forget and scare off the Cranes.
-- Which would make you VERY unpopular with your fellow Crane Viewers!!!
Do not talk or only in very soft whispers is another important etiquette rule -- unless you want to become a unwanted part of a video with sound taken by someone standing next to you taking Video clips with a "video-enabled" digital camera or a regular video camera.
More Info about Sandhill Cranes and their migration, plus one Viewer's detailed description of his Sandhill Crane Viewing Blind experience including getting to the blind for an early AM viewing. Watching sandhill cranes on Nebraska's Platte River.
View this "Come Crane Watching - Outdoor Report" for some outstanding Sandhill Crane Migration Viewing photos.
The Sandhill Crane Migration Video Clip - with Sound!
-- Thousands flying in to roost on the Platte River at Sunset
Taken from a former Crane Meadows Bird Viewing Blind overlooking the Platte River near the Alda Road Viewing Platform Site on Hwy 26. Thousands of Sandhill Cranes flying in at about Sunset from feeding in the nearby cornfields to roost overnight on the Platte river.
The interesting sounds the Cranes make gets fairly loud.
This is a series of edits from several Video Clips taken over about an hour and a half period at Sunset as the Sandhill Cranes were coming in to land and roost on the River. The wind was gusting up to 30 MPH that evening which you can sometimes hear on the mic. (2 1/2 Min Video)
Click play button [>] to start video. Be sure your speakers are on.
(If your browser setup will not play the video above, use this link. + also usually can check out some of our other Nebraska Travels video clips in the "From user" area to lower right.)
Another Sandhill Crane Migration Video of Cranes coming in to roost on the Platte River. This one is taken from a Rowe Sanctuary & Audubon Center Viewing Blind on the south edge of the Platt River close to the water. Taken at Sunset in March, 2009. (Also see new Sunset photo below)
-- To 1.39 min Sandhill Cranes Video hosted at YouTube. Again, have your volume turned up for the unusual sounds of the Cranes.
Sandhill Crane Video Facts: The annual Spring Sand hill Crane Migration through Nebraska will see about 500,000 Cranes stop over sometime between late February and mid April on the Platte River southwest of Grand Island Nebraska and southeast of Kearney, NE. They will stay for about 3 - 4 weeks to feed in the cornfields during the day and roost in the shallow waters of the Platte River at night before heading on north to Canada, Alaska, and even Siberia. This video is of several thousand Sand hill Crane birds flying in at about sunset from feeding in the nearby cornfields to roost on the Platte River for the night. The unusual and hard to describe "warbling - bugling" noise you can hear in the video gets VERY loud as more and more of the Sand hill cranes fly in to take up their spots in the shallow protective waters of the Platte River southwest of Grand Island, NE. An average Sandhill Crane has a wingspan of 5-6 feet, stands about 4.5 feet tall, and weighs about 12 pounds. They usually mate for life when they are between 3 and 6 years old after a lengthy courtship that includes some very elaborate and unusual "dances." Video was taken from a high blind overlooking the river when wind was blowing 25-30 MPH - which you can sometimes hear. |
See this link for the seasonal Rowe Sanctuary "Crane Cam" located near the Rowe Sanctuary and Audubon Center south of Gibbon and east of Kearney, NE. Live streaming Video of the Sandhill Cranes Migration at a popular Crane overnight bird "roosting spot" on the Platte River provided by the Rowe Sanctuary and National Geographic Magazine. The Live Video has sound. (You may have to install a Adobe Flash "plug-in" to watch depending on your Browser set-up -- Also, the Crane Cam is only active when the cranes are in the area, so you may have to watch past highlights or another Wildlife Cam.) Note that the best Viewing times are usually around Sunrise at 6 AM - 7:30 AM CST and around Sunset at 6 PM - 7:30 PM CST.
This link is to a very interesting series of Video clips - "Kids and Cranes: What Cranes Do" which includes a Video of baby cranes being born and their early days, plus links to other videos of several aspects of the Sandhill Cranes behavior including their lifetime Mates and Family, unique "Voice," and unusual "Dancing" mating behavior.
Colorful Sunset over the small lake next to Alda Road Sandhills Crane Viewing
Platform overlooking the Platte River - SW of Grand Island, NE
(See full size version + links to High Resolution Sunsets at our Sunset Photos Gallery)
+ We now have a new Sandhill Crane Migration on the Platte River Flyway
Pinterest Photos Page
Flocks of Migrating Sandhill Cranes against a red-orange Nebraska Sunset
from a Rowe Sanctuary Viewing Blind on the south edge
of the Platte River close to the water southeast of Kearney, NE
(See full size version + links to High Resolution Sunset Photos at our Sunset Photos Gallery)
Sandhill Cranes Group "Liftoff" at Sunrise from roosting overnight on the
Platte River -- taken from a Crane Trust Nature Center
Viewing Blind on the north edge of the Platte River
- Photo given to us by a former director of the Crane Trust Nature
Viewing Center as thanks for our links above to the
Crane Trust Center and Viewing Blinds southwest of Grand Island, Nebraska
The text for the NebraskaTravelsGuide.com Photo Watermark used on the
Sandhill Crane Migration Photo above now forwards direct to our
new Facebook Nebraska Travels Guide page
Can view Framed Sandhill Crane Prints of various sizes in our Framed Print Previews Store below + View Framed Prints at Discounts at Amazon Via Link below the Art . com Store
Tip -
Can see several Print or Art Size Options from the [ v ] Link
Click "Frame It" or "Mount" to see a Variety of Framing and Mounting Options
- Can search for Prints or Art on a certain Topic with the search Box
just below these Framed Print Previews
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Framed Prints of Sandhill Cranes - Scroll down at this Link to View a Wide selection at Amazon - Some at discounts
Tips - Preferred Viewing Blinds for Photographers who want a Sunrise or Sunset Background for their Sandhill Crane Migration Photos
You might guess the two Tips below from the two Sunset and Sunrise Sandhill Crane Migration pictures just above.
- The Crane Trust Viewing blinds are on the North side of the Platte River and face to the southeast, so are best positioned for getting good Sunrise Sandhill Crane "Liftoff" pictures from the river with a Sunrise background to the East.
- The Rowe Sanctuary Viewing blinds are on the South side of the Platte River and face to the northwest, so are best positioned for getting good Sunset Sandhill Cranes "Coming in to Land on the river for the night" pictures with a Sunset background to the West.
This Link goes to the many Nebraska Travels pictures we now have Posted
to our Nebraska Travels Guide Photos at Facebook
A listing of some of the pages on this Nebraska Travels Site now, plus some of the pages and pictures to come are in the Menu listing to the left. More are being added that we think would be interesting to our Site visitors -- especially topics that we currently have pictures for since this is a "picture enhanced" Site.
The list of the pages here now + descriptions is below.
The pictures above and elsewhere on this Site are free to download and print or to use as Desktop Wallpaper or Screensavers as long as the NebraskaTravels.com or SunsetPhotosGallery.com Domain Name text remains visibly displayed unaltered and readable on the image as it is on the pictures above. Resale of these images or pictures in any form or use on another web site without our permission is a violation of our copyright.
Come back and watch our growth -- and check for our our new Nebraska Sandhills and other Nebraska Travels Attraction pictures and video clip postings!
Thanks for dropping by -- come back and visit us soon for
Info on your next Affordable Nebraska Travels -- or to check out our latest
Sandhill Crane Migration Picture or Video additions!
Back to Info on Sandhill Crane Viewing and Blind Tours + Art Show & Crane Speakers above
Back to the Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center Sandhill Crane Migration Viewing Blind and Bridge Viewing Tour Info and Links above
Back to the Rowe Sanctuary Rowe Sanctuary & Audubon Center Sandhill Crane Migration Blind Viewing Info & Links above
To top of this page - Sandhill Crane Migration - Pictures, Viewing Tips, Maps, & Video - On the Platte
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