On March 24 six members of the Rivers Bluffs Audubon Society left Jefferson City for the Rowe Sanctuary near Kearney, Nebraska to view sandhill cranes in migration. 

On the trip were Pat Mantle, Barb Duncan, Maxine Walker, Maxine Witte, Anne Peery, and Jane Frazier.

Every year 500,000 sandhill cranes come to feed along a 70 mile stretch of the Platte River.  Thousands of cranes were visible to the group in the cornfields around the Kearney area.

 Late in the afternoon of the 24th the group spotted a single whooping crane among a group of sandhill cranes in a field just outside of Kearney.  This rare sighting was confirmed by other birders from Kansas as well as by a

volunteer at the Rowe Center.

      On the evening of the 24th the group watched thousands of cranes coming to roost or roosting in the Platte River.

Early the next morning the group watched the cranes from blinds at the Rowe Center along the Platte.  Much chattering was heard by the birds in the early morning hours and many did ritual dancing.  Later in the day western meadowlarks were found in some fields.

The group spent part of the afternoon of the 25th looking at the bird life at Squaw Creek in western Missouri.  At least 3000 ducks

were seen there, mostly shovelers, bufflehead, and lesser scaup, and as many coots.  Also seen was a sizeable flock of white pelicans.        Thanks are extended to Dan Reed for his efforts in    organizing this trip.                               - Jane Frazier, RBAS         secretary