Welcome to the 2026 Crane Nest Camera Season! When CCCC’s Production Team observed behavior from a crane pair in the vicinity of the camera that indicated they would soon nest, the live-stream was launched on April 10. On April 11, the pair built a nest and laid the first egg. The nest is in excellent view of the camera, and we are well-positioned to observe nesting activities.
CCCC’s nest camera is used to observe crane behavior while they are nesting. The camera is located in a wetland habitat in the Yampa Valley. The nest camera is monitored during nesting season, which provides a unique and comprehensive look into how cranes establish nesting territory, build their nest, incubate eggs, forage, defend their nest, and raise their chicks after they hatch.
The 2025/2026 winter was not only the warmest winter on record for the Yampa Valley, but it also had the lowest snowpack on record. These unusual conditions raise important questions about how crane nesting, foraging, and chick rearing may be affected.
Join us this season as we observe Greater sandhill cranes! The live feed from the camera can be accessed in the link below or on our YouTube channel @coloradocranes8218.
Please visit the nest camera blog at the bottom of this page to stay informed on the action throughout the season and ask questions!
If you would like to tell us about something you have observed on the nest camera, please use this form.
Warning: This is a wild Sandhill Crane nest and anything can happen. While we hope the nest is successful and both eggs hatch, many things can happen to prevent this, including the eggs being infertile, predation of the eggs, chicks or adults, and natural disasters.
Disclaimer: We are livestreaming a wild bird nest and may experience technical problems. We cannot control problems related to mother nature, disrupted signals, etc. If you can’t play the video, try refreshing the webpage.
Thank you to our sponsors
The live video feed was initially launched through grants provided by the Yampa Valley Community Foundation and the WHILD fund. Internet access for live streaming is provided by ElektraFi. Camera installation and setup were completed by Photon Syndicate. Updated equipment was possible because of generous individual donors. The nest camera program is made possible by the CCCC staff and incredible volunteers who dedicate their time to tech support and camera monitoring throughout the season. Thank you to all our wonderful viewers without which this camera would not exist.
Welcome to the 2026 Crane Nest Camera Season! We are currently watching a crane pair that seem likely to nest soon. On Thursday, April 9, the pair was observed in faux nest building activity all over the wetland area, foraging, copulating, dancing, and even getting chased by playful newborn calves. They seemed to know that these weren’t predators, but were definitely unsure about this activity! On Wednesday, the pair was seen confidently chasing a fox out of the foraging area in a display unlike any I’ve seen before. In the evening, after making one last loop through the woods and the wetland, they flew across to the other side of the river, where they waded a bit in the shallow water before joining a flock of cranes flying by. Together, the group of a dozen or so cranes flew off to an evening roost on the river. Please join us by commenting in this blog, asking questions, and making observations. We can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring!
So far today, the cranes have been observed foraging and flying about the area. Since there is no nest yet, there will be periods of inactivity on the camera. When no cranes are onscreen, the camera will be focused on a location where they are likely to be spotted, or searching for cranes and other interesting wildlife activity when possible. Thanks for tuning in.
I love watching the camera focusing on the beaver at about 11:55am!
Hi Susan, I’m so glad you tuned in to the first day of the 2026 crane nest camera season! We think that may have been a muskrat, rather than a beaver. They both inhabit that wetland area. I would love for anyone else to weigh in who saw the critter! And please keep sending us your observations!
This morning (April 11), our crane pair engaged in some faux nesting behavior around 6:56 am. They spent about 5 + minutes picking at and pulling up cattails and throwing them around as though starting to build a nest. But then they left the area. Geese were calling loudly, and I don’t know if that disturbed them. If they choose that spot, it would be ideal for observing the whole nesting process. Fingers crossed!
At 10:12 am today, (4/11), our lady crane laid her first egg. She and her mate chose the perfect nest location for our camera!!
The camera image seems much clearer this year! Thanks to the cranes for nesting in such a good location for us to see them.
At 12:42 I’m watching and it appears that there’s quite a bit of water around the nest. Is this a problem?
A beautiful bird! What a great picture of the nest
Cranes like to build their nest near water. It allows them to hear predators approaching, especially at night. However, if the water rises too much, it can inundate the nest. This happened to a pair last year that was featured on our nest camera. They put their nest too close to the edge of the Yampa River and got flooded out with the spring melt.. However, this year we are in a major drought, so it’s unlikely water will rise to the point of flooding the nest.
Alas, it’s been a horrible morning for the Cranes. 6:21 a unison call and exchange, with the male taking over incubation but at 6:48 a coyote approached the nest. The Crane tried to defend the nest but the coyote walked right in and took the egg, carrying it away. The Crane wandered, distressed and calling. At 7:05 the coyoiute came back to the and there was a standoff. The coyote moved off through the field and a little later the male Crane returned to the nest. We don’t know if the Cranes will try again or abandon this nest. As always, we’ll continue to follow.
It’s amazing that in such a short time how attached one becomes to the “birth” of an egg.
Nature can be so sad.
After this morning’s predation the Cranes wandered around their territory, at times singly, at times together. They returned to the nest site, seemingly scouted another nearby, and although they did one dance, they mainly foraged till noon.
At 6:28 am this morning, our crane pair flew in from their roosting site, landed near the blue tank, and immediately copulated. We caught it on our livestream video! That’s a good sign that they may re-nest!