Had an amazing event this evening. My house is in the Colorado Centre neighborhood, which is at the intersection of Marksheffel Road and Bradley Road. My house is situated so that I look Southeast, into an undeveloped portion of Banning Lewis Ranch. On this portion of the ranch, they have a pond that is about the size of a football field. From my house, you cannot see the pond since it is just over a hill, approx 1/2 mile SE of my house. In the seven years we have lived here, I have never heard the commotion that I heard this evening, coming from that pond. I had no idea what type of bird/birds were making the racket, but I speculated they were cranes. Little did I know that I would be able to identify them due to an airplane. The aiport approach to the Colorado Springs airport is right over our house, flying from Southeast to Northwest. This flight path also goes directly over the pond referenced in this story. At around 5:30 pm this evening, an aircraft flew over the pond. Is it irony that the aircraft was a V-22 Osprey? Weird!!! Anyways, this aircraft spooked the birds that were making all the racket! I witnessed a truly breathtaking event.
Well over 200+ birds took to the skies when that aircraft flew over. The sky to my Southeast was full of very large birds. My binoculars allowed me to identify them, which wasn't hard. They were Sandhill Cranes. I watched them circle the lake for a few minutes, then disappear over the ridge as they settled back into the pond. Absolutely awesome! Anybody know someone at the Banning Lewis Ranch that would allow access to the pond? I imagine it would be breathtaking to see them on the shore. Aaron Driscoll Colorado Springs -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en.
