Counting Cranes: Local resident hopes to determine crane habitats in Whitley County
(Talk of the Town photo by Kelley Sheiss) The silhouettes of several Sandhill cranes are illuminated by the early morning sun as they forage in a field in the northwest corner of Whitley County. A local resident is participating in an event in hopes of determining the population of cranes in Whitley County -- do you know where he might find some?
By Jennifer Zartman Romano
Seeking out the waterfowl living along the shorelines of Whitley County's many lakes and rivers is just one of many hobbies enjoyed by local residents.
Geese and ducks are abundant, but there are other, lesser seen creatures that delight enthusiasts such as the elegant and elusive crane.
Whitley County resident Barry Yeakle enjoys birdwatching and plans to participate in the upcoming Midwest Crane Count on Saturday, April 16, 2011.
"I often see and hear sandhill cranes circling above our maple sugar camp near Loon Lake as well as above our home near the Tri Lakes, but am not aware of any sites on the ground where they may be seen and counted," Yeakle said.
Yeakle hopes other local residents may have some ideas where he could go to count the cranes in this area.
"In the early morning hours of Saturday, April 16, the annual Midwest Crane Count, one of the largest citizen-based wildlife surveys in the world, will take place. A primary purpose of the count is to monitor the abundance and distribution of cranes in the upper midwest," he stated.
Yeakle has noted that in recent years, there has been considerable loss of agricultural land, woodland and wetland habitats across Whitley County -- something that may have a dramatic impact on the number of cranes in the area.
"We know that there are crane sites in our neighboring counties though and if anyone knows of a site where they've seen these large, shy birds in the past, I'd encourage them to contact me," Yeakle added. "If we have cranes in Whitley County, let's get them on the national map."
If you know where Yeakle may be able to locate cranes in Whitley County that can be counted for the Midwest Crane Count, please send him an email at 2yeaks@gmail.com