Sandhill Cranes on the move! (1 Viewer)

dacol

Well-known member

• Feb 5, 2014

• #1

The Sandhill Cranes that wintered around this part of Florida took advantage of the warm weather and the southern winds on the last 2 days (3-4/02/2014) to start their long migration towards their breeding grounds. This video shows the largest flock that I saw on these two days flying over my neighborhood in Gainesville.

 

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Gretchen

Well-known member

• Feb 5, 2014

• #2

Nice! It's interesting to see the general congregating shift into more line-like formations. Thanks for posting this.

 

dacol

Well-known member

• Feb 5, 2014

• #3

You can see the spiraling motion of a large part of the cranes using a thermal convection cell (essentially air warmed by the ground rising to high elevations) to gain altitude. Once they reach the top of the cell, where the rising air mass has lost enough heat to stop the rising the birds arrange themselves in formation and take off with a tail wind.

 

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Gretchen

Well-known member

• Feb 6, 2014

• #4

I sort of saw that (noted them going back and forth), but forgot that they would be using thermals to gain altitude.

Interesting that they are off already - I guess they are taking it in stages. Things north are still pretty wet and cold!

 

J

JeffMoh

Well-known member

• Feb 6, 2014

• #5

Great video. Thanks for posting it.
Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com

 

dacol

Well-known member

• Feb 6, 2014

• #6

Gretchen said:

Things north are still pretty wet and cold!

Click to expand...

Yep, looks like they didn't get the groundhog's memo! Of course they take off based on the time of the year and the local weather, stimulated by hormones but guided by the accumulated experience of the flock. It is sobering to remember that each one of those cranes did its first migration guided by their parents, an unbroken chain reaching deep into the past.

 

Chris D

Well-known member

• Feb 7, 2014

• #7

They winter with me, - uh, near me. Great birds.