Sandhill Cranes at Whitewater Drew (McNeal, Arizona) — Photo-Artistry by kenne
–I. F. Stone
Sandhill Cranes At Whitewater Drew In Southeast Arizona — Images by kenne
(Click On An Image To See In A Slideshow Format)
Sandhill Crane (Whitewater Draw) — Image by kenne
Sandhill Cranes Landing At Whitewater Draw — Image by kenne
— kenne
Reflections In The Water (Whitewater Draw) — Image by kenne
— kenne
Northern Shoveler At Whitewater Drew — Image by kenne
Sandhill Cranes at Whitewater Draw — Photo-Artistry by kenne
Sandhill Cranes wintering in southeast Arizona and northern Sonora many have migrated from their nesting area in Siberia.
Whitewater Draw is an Arizona Game and Fish Wildlife Area is of state and regional significance as the primary wintering area for Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) in Arizona and includes both the Lesser (most numerous) and Greater subspecies. Located in the southern Sulphur Springs Valley, cranes are coming from both the Rocky Mountain population and Mid-Continental population. The area also supports wintering Snow Geese (80-200) and a few Ross?s Geese (occasional to 40). Counts of Sandhill Cranes in early January have steadily climbed from 4,000 in 1991 to over 22,000 in 2008 at Whitewater Draw, with another 13,000 present 36 miles north in the Willcox Playa area, and another 600 present in the far north of Sulphur Springs Valley at Bonita, AZ, and 400 present in the Safford Valley near Duncan. The Greater subspecies breeds in the northern states of the continental U.S., and the Lesser subspecies, breeds from Alaska and eastern Siberia. (Source: Audubon.org)
Every year the town of Wilcox hosts Wings Over Wilcox — Birding and Nature Festival (January 17-20, 2019). Birds have been arriving for weeks now — the birds have their own schedule.
— kenne
Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area is located in the Sulphur Springs Valley in southeast Arizona. It consists of 1,528 acres and is owned and managed by Arizona Game and Fish Department. The area supports an average wintering population of about 22,000 sandhill cranes. Located about two hours from my home in Tucson, on December 30th I spent a couple mid-day hours photographing these large beautiful birds.
kenne
(Click on any of the images to see a larger view in a slideshow format.)
Quack!
They waddle round, they do.
They eat all sorts of things,
And then they quack.
By barn and stable and stack
They wander at their will,
But if you go too near
They look at you through black
Small topaz-tinted eyes
And wish you ill.
Triangular and clear
They leave their curious track
In mud at the water’s edge,
And there amid the sedge
And slime they gobble and peer
Saying ‘Quack! quack!’
— from “Ducks” by F.W. Harvey
Northern Shoveler Drake at Whitewater Draw (December 30, 2015) — Images by kenne
Standing On Thin Ice (Whitewater Draw 12/30/15)– Image by kenne
— kenne
Northern Shoveler Duck Feeding At Whitewater Draw — Image by kenne
The Duck
— Ogden Nash
Sandhill Cranes spend the winter at the Whitewater Draw in southern Arizona. — Images by kenne
Whitewater Draw — Image by kenne
When one takes flight they all follow suit
to the skys they twine with a bellowing hoot
Flapping, grappling on awkward stilts
painting the sky in patchwork quilts.
A new field awaits their homely roost
giving their journey a relieving boost
A stop in Nebraska just passing through.
Visitors pay homage to this sandhill crew.
Finding the sanctuary a yearly reprieve
until they decide to leap and leave.
Journey’s end to their timely stay
The sandhill crane must now fly away.
Sandhill Cranes Coming In for a Landing at Whitewater Draw In Southern Arizona — Image by kenne
More images of sandhill cranes to follow in future posting.
