Today we visited the Willcox Playa Wildlife Area to observe the yearly winter visit of the sandhill crane to the Playa. This is an ancient closed basin lakebed with an elevation range from 4,100 feet to 4,500 feet. Temperatures range from 29 F in the winter to 105 F in the summer. Precipitation is 11.8 inches annually. The sandhill cranes rely on this area for roosting and loafing habitat.
We arrived at the viewing area around 9AM and saw only local birds in the bushes. As soon as the weather warmed up and the thermals were activated by the warmth we heard the cranes flying into the Playa from the Dragoon Mountains, first only in small groups, then in groups from 20 to 50. It was an amazing sight.
No comments:
Post a Comment