Sherburne's sandhill crane count on Thursday, October 11 was 5,300 birds. To view birds in the morning, they've been leaving the refuge mainly between 6:45 or 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 or 8:15. On dark mornings they may leave a little later. The best place is the 25th St. parking area on the NW corner of the refuge. From the Santiago gas/grocery store, drive about 2 blocks south on CR 11. Turn east on 25th St. and go the parking area at the end of the gravel road. To view birds during the day, drive the county and township roads between Santiago and Glendorado, mostly south of Hwy. 95. To view birds in the evening, park along CR 3, east of Santiago, or go to the 25th St. parking area. Birds begin to return to the refuge at approximately 4:45 or 5:00 p.m. and leisurely fly in until it's nearly dark. Again, if it's a dark or cloudy afternoon or evening, they tend to return a little earlier than if it's sunny. If you drive the Prairie's Edge Wildlife Drive in the evening, please be on the look out for a white owl. One of our refuge volunteers took a very poor photo of a bird that appears to be an owl on Thursday evening, but we don't know what species it might be - if its an albinistic local owl or ??? Was too far away for her to see well, and she was concentrating on getting a photograph rather than looking at it with binoculars. A new Sherburne mystery! Betsy Beneke Sherburne NWR
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