Sandhill cranes head south after snow, extreme cold

The skies are clearer and quieter in our area after this weekend’s storms and extreme cold have driven away the flocks of sand hill cranes.

According to the Muscatatuck Wildlife Society, this weekend’s planned sand hill crane celebration at the Seymour refuge has been canceled due to the expected extreme cold, snow cover and the lack of cranes, which have migrated further south.

A waterbird count finished just last week at the refuge found more than 16,700 cranes, along with 1,300 geese, more than 900 ducks, 97 swans, two herons and one cormorant.

The Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge is on U.S. 50 between North Vernon and Seymour.

Photo:  Sandhill cranes standing on a frozen Richart Lake at sunrise by Angela van Winden Photo courtesy of Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Forest Service.