Two cranes landed in Beluga Slough April 21 at 11 a.m.  We can now say spring has officially begun!

Kachemak Crane Watch is embarking on a new partnership with the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies this summer.  Late last fall, CACS’s Board of Directors voted to take KCW under the organization’s non-profit umbrella and begin a collaboration of citizen science, programs, tours, and more, all related to Sandhill Crane education and conservation.  Very soon, KCW will launch a new website with a blog where these updates will be available to the public.  You will also be able to subscribe to blog updates.   Look for more information about all of this as the summer season begins.

The 2015 Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival is May 8-10.  KCW will be presenting its new video, “A Fledge for Freedom:  A Young Lesser Sandhill Crane’s Quest for Flight.”  A slide program by Nina Faust and the video will be shown on May 9 from 4-5 p.m. at the Islands and Ocean Visitor Center’s theater.  On Sunday, a slide talk by Nina Faust and the video, “Raising Kid Colt”  is scheduled at 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.in the same location.

Our crane counts and nesting records depend on citizen participation. Please call Kachemak Crane Watch with your sightings of all Sandhill Cranes, but most especially of nesting pairs.  We are very interested in continuing to gather information about where cranes are nesting, when they begin to sit on the nest, when young hatch, and if the pair successfully fledges their colts.  If you have reported to us in the past, give us a call and let us know if last summer’s colts returned this spring with the parents.

Looking forward to hearing from everyone.  Enjoy the cranes and summer!