Subject: [Tweeters] High flying Sandhills
Date: Oct 2 18:19:48 2009
From: Joesph BC Mackie - joemackie.14 at comcast.net


Hello Birders,

Sandhill Cranes are quite comfortable at high elevations. Approximately 8 years ago, I was hawkwatching the fall southbound migration at Slate Peak (7,400') and heard a peculiar, yet strangley orchestral sound at the edge of my hearing. I scoped to the east ridge, which I assume was as high, perhaps slightly higher than the one I was on, and discovered a southbound flight of roughly 30 SACR cruising above the ridgeline, at a distance of roughly 5 miles. My impression was that they are quite efficient migrators and routinely utilize the mountains to facilitate their migrational needs. This strategy has been working for millenia, right?

Best Birding,
Joe Mackie
Bellingham
joemackie.14 at comcast.net
----- Original Message -----
From: cgluckman at aol.com
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Sent: Friday, October 02, 2009 2:54 PM
Subject: [Tweeters] High flying Sandhills


I was about 8,000 up in the Rockies one fall and heard Sandhills and looked around but couldn't find them. As a last resort I looked up and there were a large flock of specs so high it was hard to tell what they were even with binos. I have seen them over the years at about the same level of visibility from lower altitudes so I expect the 5,000' of Hurricane Ridge is not much of an impediment.


David Gluckman
811 22nd St.
Pt. Townsend, WA 98368
360 379-0360


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