Birbs of Saskatchetoon - Sandhill Cranes

This past Saturday, 3 September 2022, I went out for a long bike ride south of town on the east side of the river looking for Sandhill Cranes. I was riding into a 30Km/hr, gusting to 50Km/hr wind and it was +33°C, but I’d heard they were passing through and didn’t want to miss them! I’ve often seen them in Chief Whitecap park or the fields to the east and on the sandbars in the river along the west side of the park. Just as I got to the off-leash area of the park I was devastated to see a MASSIVE FLOCK of them lifting off in the distance and flying off to the west, across the river! By the time I made it around the bypass trail to the river  there were only four left flying off in the distance - too far to see properly or take pictures of. I saw immediately the cause of their departure - a half-dozen or so idiots tearing up and down the river on jet skis… ugh… 

I carried on to the east and south again hoping to see some having out in the fields. Nothing. 

I got far enough south I bumped into the north edge of CFD Dundurn and turned back along the dirt road bordering the base. 

I turned north to check out a small wetland I’d only been to once before. Thankfully there was SOME water left in the wetland (SO MANY have just COMPLETELY dried up over the last two years!!!). There were piles of little shore birds - loads of Killdeers and at least two other species that I’m still not sure about. 

Clear across on the other side there were specs that I figured were probably geese chilling (I’m not sure if you can call it “chilling” in the mid-plus-thirties…?) on the “beach” (land left bare by receding waterline!) I didn’t have binoculars as I’ve fallen out of the habit of bringing them along (I found I hadn’t been using them and just taking pictures with the zoom-camera), but now at least four or five times have wished I had brought them.

I took a number of pictures of the shore birds and the birds across the way… it wasn’t until I actually got home and looked at the pictures I’d taken that I realized there HAD been a pair of Sandhill Cranes among them!!! Yay!!! 

Sandhill Cranes in the Birbs of Saskatchetoon 2022 Sketchbook (Volume TWO!)

From the bypass trail around the fenced off-leash area - can you see the flock!? 

Let me blow that up for you...

It's that grey-ish smudge just above the horizon in the middle of the picture... 

I took a few pics with the zoom on the camera... 

And... the zoom on that camera IS pretty good... buuuut... 

When I got back to the river, I thought I saw shapes that might be four more at the far end of a sand bar a bit further to the south, so I rushed ahead to the next break in the trees where I might be able to get a better look! 

Got there just in time to spot them flying off in the distance... can you see them...? 

There they are... 

Here are some of the clowns that were scaring them off.. 

Ugh... SO MANY of these out on the river this past weekend... 

A few hours later at that last little wetland I stopped at before heading home... 

Lots of little shore birds in the foreground and dots on the shore opposite I figured were probably geese, but I zoomed in to take pics, just in case... 

Yep... Geese... but wait..

What else is there walking among them...!?

Yippee! A Pair of Sandhill Cranes!!!

So I did get to see a couple... sort of... 

As I mentioned, I didn't have binoculars WITH me and was just zooming in on the area where I figured things were (because the view screen isn't all that great - and nearly impossible to make out anything in bright daylight - other than the largest shapes!) 

Just kind of have to point it in the general direction and hope for the best... 

Sometimes I get LUCKY!!!