Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition

Presenters of the Yampa Valley Crane Festival

Sandhill Crane Nest Camera

 

Photo by Abby Jensen

Greater Sandhill Cranes will return to the same general area every year to nest and typically build a nest in the same or similar spot. Nests are simple, mound-like platforms made of marsh plants, grasses and weeds piled on the ground in marshes or wet meadows. Sandhill Cranes in Colorado usually lay two eggs in late April or early May and incubate these eggs for about 30 days. Both crane parents will help in incubating the eggs and caring for the young once they hatch. When the eggs hatch, Sandhill Crane chicks are able to see, are covered in down feathers, and are able to walk within a few hours. After about a day, the chicks will leave the nest with their parents.

Learn more about Sandhill Crane nesting by checking out our Nesting FAQs! Watch our 2021 webinar: Everything You Want to Know About Greater Sandhill Crane Nesting.

2022 Nest Camera Season

The Crane Nest

Photo by Abby Jensen

This year we focused the Nest Camera on Wilma and Fred, a crane pair that nested in the area in 2021 but were unsuccessful last year. Wilma and Fred built their nest around mid-April, laid the first egg on April 15th and the second egg on April 17th. Wilma and Fred faithfully incubated the eggs, taking turns on the nest, for over 30 days. One egg broke for unknown reasons in early May and was removed from the nest by Fred. Nevertheless, Wilma and Fred persevered. On May 17th, the remaining egg hatched and Pebbles was born. The livestream remained online after Pebbles hatched and Pebbles was frequently seen on camera during her first 3 weeks of life. The family eventually expanded their territory and were no longer seen on the camera once Pebbles was a month old. The family stayed in the general area of their nest throughout the summer.

Watch Wilma and Fred’s nesting journey in this video produced by Photon Syndicate Productions:

 

You can continue to watch the highlight videos from the Nest Camera:

Nest Camera Highlights

 

Here is what some people had to say about this year’s Nest Camera:

I want to thank Erin, Nancy, et al for the clairvoyant placement of Crane Camera, the brilliant commentary-instruction, and edited Highlights, and the daytime and especially those overnight dramas you were able to gin up for us, especially with those rascally raccoons.
~Richard

Thank you to the camera for following our family of 3 as they frolic in the grass! So adorable!
~Susan

Whoever is manning the camera is AWESOME! Love the pan shots and just everything you show us!
~Joey

Thanks so much Nancy and Erin for providing the nest cam again this year. It’s been great fun watching Fred and Wilma and now Pebbles!
~Amy

 

Photos of Wilma and Fred and their chick, Pebbles, on the day after hatching (photos by Abby Jensen):

Other Birds Observed on the Nest Camera

There are many other birds that share habitat with Sandhill Cranes. Here are the other birds we have seen or heard on the Crane Nest Camera:

American crow (heard)
American coot
American goldfinch (heard)
American robin
American wigeon
Black-capped chickadee (heard)
Blue-winged teal
Canada goose
Chickadee (heard)
Cinnamon teal
Common merganser
Common yellow-throat (heard)

Gadwall
Great blue heron
Greater yellowlegs
Green-winged teal
Killdeer (heard)
Magpie
Mallard
Mountain bluebird
Northern shoveler
Northern harrier (heard)
Red-shafted flicker
Red-tailed hawk
Red-winged blackbird

Song sparrow (heard)
Sora (heard)
Tree swallow
Virginia rail
Wilson’s snipe (heard)
White-faced ibis
White pelican
Wood duck
Yellow-headed blackbird

Mammals Observed on the Nest Camera:

There are many mammals that share habitat with Sandhill Cranes. Here are the mammals we have seen or heard on the Crane Nest Camera:

Beaver
Domestic cows
Marmot
Muskrat
Mink

Mule deer
Otter
Raccoon
Skunk

Photo by Abby Jensen


Thank you for taking an interest in our Crane Nest Camera. We hope to see you again next spring when we go live again with the Crane Nest Camera!

The live video feed was made possible through grants provided by the Yampa Valley Community Foundation and the WHILD fund. Internet access for live streaming was provided by Zirkel Wireless. Camera installation and setup were completed by Photon Syndicate. Updated equipment was possible because of generous individual donors. Thank you also to CCCC staff and volunteers who monitored the camera and acted as tech support. Thank you to all our wonderful viewers without which this camera would not exist.

ZIRKEL Wireless

Comments

  1. Wilma and Fred were spotted this past weekend using binoculars but are too far from the camera to pick them up on the Nest Camera. Don’t worry, Pebbles is doing just fine and keeps growing!

    • You read my mind, been wondering if anyone has seen them out wandering. Thanks for the update – so good to know they are doing well. Thanks Erin!!!!

  2. Well this nesting and chick-rearing season with Wilma and Fred has been fantastic. It has been so great to see Pebbles growing up into a colt.

    We have not seen the family since a brief period yesterday. They didn’t come back to their night roost last night and appear to continue to expand their range and move away from the camera. We will look for a few more days for the family. But it is coming to the time that we will have to end the livestream camera soon. I will end the livestream on Monday June 13 if we can’t find the family over the weekend. And stay tuned for some more highlight videos and a recap video of the nesting season.

    We so much appreciate everyone who has been watching the Crane Nest Camera this year!!! It has been so fun and I have even learned so much. We are already planning for next season!

    • I figure Pebbles (so-called and less and less suitable for this Hulky character) cannot yet fly and so their being more peripatetic presumably is on their legs. When do you think he will be able to fly? and be ready to leave the area?

      • The colts start to fly around 65-75 days of age. Right now there are two crane families (Wilma and Fred and Pebbles) and Rocky and Athena (we think) and their two colts hanging around the same general area where they nested, but ranging near and far in that area. We are no longer seeing them on camera but we have had regular sightings of them using binoculars and spotting scopes. Our best guess is that they will stay in this territory at least until the colts can fly. They will likely stay in the Yampa Valley until late September when they will migrate to the San Luis Valley in south-central Colorado. They will spend a few weeks in the San Luis Valley, then head to their winter home in New Mexico and Arizona. We hope both pairs will be back next year to nest on camera!

  3. Our crane family is roaming far and wide now that Pebbles is a colt. On the morning of June 9th, they were spotted foraging in a hayfield west of their nesting/roosting area. Although the water level dropped yesterday in the area where they roost, the family spent the night in their usual place. It will be interesting to see if they continue to use that roost site or move to another area.

  4. 20:09:15 Wilma? Appears briefly on the left – then Fred, Wilma and Pebbles all return to their “sleep island” at 20:16:20

  5. What happened to the water level today – by the crane’s “island”? Much lower tonight.

    • Yes, the water level dropped significantly today. I believe it was due to a beaver dam that was taken out nearby. The beavers have really made this wetland a great habitat for the cranes and other wildlife that we have seen on the camera. We will see what the water level does in the next few days.

  6. The family roosted in the same spot in the wetland last night as they have done previous nights. But I have not been able to find them on camera today. They have expanded their territory now that Pebbles is a colt and 3 weeks old. We will try again tomorrow to find them.

  7. As you say, Erin, the area of foraging has got bigger and consequently it’s harder for some of us to wait out in real time the arrival within camera of the family, so doubly appreciative of the Highlights where we see (“Not-Yet-A-Rolling”, or “Rock” or “The Hulking Bird Previously-Known as Pebble”) seemingly double in size every few days, and shaking out his/her wings….not yet very effective for flight, methinks.
    The A.M. light shows on the landscape quite wonderful….though if we were in the area we’d be missing it “live” because….We Would Be Asleep!…

    • It is definitely becoming harder to find the family now that Pebbles is a colt and 3 weeks old. The family has really expanded the range that they use in a day. I will try to post some more recent highlight videos. But yes, they get up and going very early!

  8. At 11:57 there are two cranes in the field beyond the “island” where Fred, Wilma and Pebbles sleep. Are those Fred and Wilma or is that another pair?

    • That could be the other pair that nested near Wilma and Fred and hatched an egg several days after Pebbles hatched. This other pair have been using the field beyond Wilma and Fred’s nest and their roosting “island”.

  9. The crane family is expanding their territory as their chick grows- 3 weeks old today! This means that it is becoming harder to catch them on camera during the day.

    Though the sounds of the wetland are wonderful to listen to as I work 🙂

    • When will Pebbles learn to fly? Do you think we will be able to see that happen or will that be long after the camera is turned off?

      • Joey, great question. Crane colts should be ready to fly by 70-75 days old, which is about 2 and a half months. But they will start “flight training” before then. We may or may not be able to get that on camera. The family is harder to find these days.

  10. Hilarious “hovercraft duck” at 14:04:38 – he/she has been preening on that spot by the water for a long time, then goes straight up into the air and hovers, then comes back down. Never saw anything like that before!!!!

  11. The “island” is busy – 2:56 a blue heron is in the water (fishing), Good views of it also at 3:06, 3:23 and 3:33 and 4:14 through 4:39. At 5:13 the crane family wakes up and crosses the water in the dark – and at 5:52 you can see 2 pelicans swim by – then at 7:02 there are 5 pelicans – and ducks and geese at various times, too. Busy bird day! Love those nature sounds!!!!

  12. June 5 at 19:38, a blue heron enters from the left. At 19:41, the Flintstone family enters from the left, goes to the water’s edge, unison calls, and crosses the water.

  13. 20:09:55 Fred is on patrol duty – follows a deer – he is protecting his territory! Haha!

  15. 19:38 – 19:41 the family goes across the water to their “island” for the night – some talking going on, too. When will Pebbles start to “talk”????

    • That’s a great question, Joey. The chick can make certain vocalizations now, so it can communicate with its parents- little noises but he/she doesn’t unison call yet.

  16. Wilma, Fred and Pebbles were feeding in the Crops for Cranes wheat field this morning while the camera was down. Everyone looked fine and healthy, and Pebbles is getting so big!

  17. 20:28 raccoon (mid screen – climbed from water onto the green bank) and 20:44 I think is a beaver at the beaver lodge.

  18. Correction – 19:37 is where Fred and Pebbles show up at lower left to cross to their “island” for the night. Sorry for the typo.

    • They have been using this night roost for the last 4 nights. Looks like tonight (6/4) they might have found a different spot because I can’t tell where they went on the camera.

  19. 17:37 – lower left – Fred and Pebbles show up and cross the water to their “island” where they like to spend the night. So peaceful!