People in the Platte River s Big Bend region look to the sky in early March when they hear familiar notes sung by a few high-flying sandhill cranes. They know the full-throated chorus isn t far behind
Crane Trust center weathers virus, reopens for visitors
ROBERT PORE, The Grand Island Independent
May 15, 2021
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GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) May 1 was a big day for the staff members and volunteers at the Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center just off of Interstate 80 near Alda. The doors finally were reopened to the public after a 14-month hiatus caused by a pandemic.
While hundreds of thousands of sandhill cranes made their yearly migratory stopover along the Platte River in March 2020, thousands of visitors who annually flock to see one of the world’s largest migrations didn’t.
The cranes’ arrival coincided with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and most of society became shut-ins in an effort to stop the virus spread. Businesses all over the country closed their doors or modified they way they did business. The travel and tourism industry in particular took a hard hit.
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Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Things are pretty much getting back to normal in Panama. Although everyone is still required to wear a mask and there is still a curfew from 10pm-4am, which means supermarkets, pharmacies, bars, restaurants, convenience stores, and other businesses have to close at 9pm. However, last week I noticed there were still quite a few cars on the main roads at 10:15pm when I was scrambling to get home in an Uber after a weekly trivia night at a local craft brewery.
GIBBON â Although vaccinations for health care workers began this week, COVID-19 will continue to limit large gatherings for many months to come in 2021.
One exception from late February through early April will be the annual gathering in Nebraskaâs Central Platte Valley by thousands of sandhill cranes. Itâs one of the worldâs greatest migration spectacles.
Brice Krohn
Brice Krohn, president of the Crane Trust, which is south of Alda, said recent surveys by federal agencies and Nebraska groups estimate that 800,000-1 million sandhill cranes now make an annual mid-migration stop in the area.
Tall gray birds wearing bright red âcapsâ spread out in grasslands and harvested cornfields near the Platte River to feed, do crazy dances and sing their songs. They roost overnight on river sandbars.
Crane Trust offering virtual tours of sandhill crane migration theindependent.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from theindependent.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.