Nebraska’s great crane migration

Each spring, the skies above central Nebraska are “painted blue with cranes,” said Tyra Sutak in 5280.com. Between late February and early April, some 500,000 sandhill cranes—about 80 percent of the world’s total—descend on a 75-mile stretch of the Platte River, resting there before the long flight to their breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska. North America’s second-largest wildlife migration peaks in mid-March, and the ideal time of day to see the birds is just after sunrise and during “the golden hour” before sunset, when swirling masses of blue-gray cranes dominate the sky. For the best views, make the small city of Grand Island your base. The world’s largest crane roost sits nearby. You can also drive 40 minutes southwest to Rowe Sanctuary, an Audubon Society preserve. During peak migration, up to 70,000 cranes a night land at the sanctuary, a majestic sight you can observe from one of the preserve’s many blinds.