Flocking to Lodi, CA
Each year in Lodi, locals celebrate the return of the
Sandhill Crane with a festival in November.
If you've missed this year's event, try to
spot some of the cranes at the
Cosumnes River Preserve.
Birdwatching at the Consumnes River Preserve
Each year the Sandhill Cranes return to the wetlands the Central Valley of California—a cause for celebration. These rare birds, one of only 15 types of cranes known worldwide, can grow up to five feet tall, have seven foot wingspans and can live between 15 and 20 years—a ripe old age in the bird world. One of the oldest types of birds known, fossils of a type of Sandhill Crane were found in Nebraska, dating back 10 million years.
Though they are making a strong comeback, the loss of wetland habitat to farms and urban sprawl continue to threaten the Sandhill Cranes and many other rare and endangered species that inhabit the few remaining conserved wetland areas in California and elsewhere. |
Long before there were grapes in the Central Valley, there were cranes. By the thousands, majestic Sandhill Cranes—one of only two species of cranes in North America—returned to their wetland home each year. Lined with cottonwoods, willows, ash and valley oaks, hundreds of species called this once-great expanse of forests and floodplains home.
Though they now share their habitat with modern developments and the many farms and vineyards of the area, the Cosumnes River Preserve is an outpost of reserved wetland area rife with not only the cranes, but salmon, rare reptiles, otter, migratory birds and many other creatures. Open to the public for tours, bird watching and “work parties” to help count, categorize and observe the native populations, the Cosumnes Preserve covers more than 40,000 acres near Lodi.
It’s prime territory to observe the cranes, which return each November for the winter, along with river flora and fauna. The refuge can be accessed by car for self-guided driving tours, or by hiking or kayaking through the preserve. Guided tours are available by previous arrangement on weekends, or, if you’d like to get involved, the preserve encourages volunteers to get up close and personal—helping to restore the habitats, count specific types of birds through their monthly work programs. Happy bird watching!
-The Cosumnes River Preserve (http://www.cosumnes.org)
- A site guide to the Consumnes River Preserve (http://www.cvbirds.org/SiteGuides/CRP.pdf)
- Other spots to find the Sandhill Crane: Lodi Lake, Lodi Sewage Ponds, White Slough Wildlife Area, Woodbride Regional Park, Isenberg Crane Reserve, Oakgrove Regional Park, Dentoni Park, McHendry Recreation Area, Caswell State Park.
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