Hi Tweeters:

This morning at about 11:10 am, while heading south on I-5, I was surprised to see a solitary SANDHILL CRANE fly diagonally (from NW to SE) over the freeway about 1/2 mile north of Northgate Way at elevation of about 35 - 40 feet. He was directly ahead of me and as I overtook and passed him had great views of his unmistakeable gray body, flight pattern with fully extended neck and legs.

After my 11:30 appointment I tried to figure out where he was heading and ended up circling Jackson Park Golf Course where I found two male and four female HOODED MERGANSERS, four BUFFLEHEADS, a DOUBLE CRESTED CORMORANT, MALLARDS, CANADA GEESE and a RED-TAILED HAWK but wasn't able to relocate the Sandhill Crane. Perhaps he continued on to Magnusen Park or Juanita Bay.

I've seen huge flocks of Sandhill Cranes in Othello and smaller numbers at Ridgefield and Nisqually but this is the only time I've seen one alone or in King Co. Perhaps the storm weather blew him off-course?

Ann Marie Wood

Mountlake Terrace, WA
annmariewood at comcast.net