Winter Sunrise in the Cornfield

Sandhill Cranes on an early Winter morning warming up with the Sunrise in Delta, Colorado.... more

by Janice Pariza

Title

Winter Sunrise in the Cornfield

Artist

Janice Pariza

Medium

Photograph - Photography Art

Description

Sandhill Cranes on an early Winter morning warming up with the Sunrise in Delta, Colorado.
Notice they are all on one leg, warming one foot at a time!

One evening I braved the weather and went out in Delta to see the wintering Sandhill Cranes gathering in the evening. I estimated about 3000 (give or take a few) Sandhill Cranes in the corn fields just east of the Hamilton Tract - Escalante State Wildlife Area. It is a spectacular sight to see them flying in from various directions and landing in the fields - 20 birds, then 4 more, 12 over there, here come about 40, 8 more over there......they just keep coming. They gather in the fields the last hour or so before dark, then go to the river just before dark to stand in shallow water and on sandbars to spend the night.

Back in the 90's we might see a hundred in the area, but now there are thousands spending the winter. They use the Escalante SWA as a home base. During the day they feed in the agricultural fields ranging up the Uncompahgre River to the Olathe/Montrose area, up the North Fork of the Gunnison towards Hotchkiss, and in irrigated farm land all across Delta County, and down to the Grand Valley to feed in irrigated lands in Mesa County. Late in the afternoon they return to the fields around the Escalante SWA near Delta, then spend the night standing in the Gunnison River. Most of the river where they spend the night borders private property and is not accessible, but seeing them fly into the fields the last hour before sunset is a spectacular sight.

Directions: Heading to Delta from GJ on Hwy 50, take County Road G50 on the very outskirts of Delta. As soon as you pass the Escalante SWA - Hamilton Tract on your right, you will start seeing Sandhill Cranes in the corn fields. You can see the cranes from the road, but since G50 is a busy Road without much of a shoulder, I would go to 1250 Road, turn left and park along the edge of 1250 Road. You can then walk a short distance back across G50 Road to watch the cranes. It is all private land, so don't cross the fences. View the cranes from the edge of the road behind the fences.

If you are coming from the town of Delta, take West 5th Street out of town past the Delta Sales Yard. It becomes G Road once you get out of town. After several miles take G 50 Road to the right and follow it down to the bridge and across the river. Shortly after you will start seeing the cranes on your left.

Would plan on arriving around 4 or 4:30 PM.

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Uploaded

February 8th, 2019