Enjoy the sights and sounds of an early morning at a local marsh Saturday April 12th during the Annual Midwest Crane Count (photo by Paul Konrad).

It’s easy to participate in the Annual Midwest Crane Count on Saturday April 12th – as long as you’re in position before sunrise. That’s when birders will arrive at local wetlands and favorite birding locations to participate in the crane count. Last year 1,972 volunteers were positioned 2,188 sites in 7 states and counted 18,692 Sandhill Cranes and 40 Whooping Cranes. Sponsored by the International Crane Foundation, this annual survey of Sandhill Cranes and Whooping Cranes spans more than 150 counties in the upper Midwest, including Wisconsin and portions of Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, and Indiana.

If you are interested in volunteering for this spring celebration of cranes, contact your County Coordinator to be assigned a site and get more instructions at Annual Midwest Crane Count County Coordinators - International Crane Foundation (savingcranes.org)

To review counter information and download your data sheet, get instructions for entering your data, and other helpful links, see Counter Information - International Crane Foundation (savingcranes.org) And to refer others who would be interested in participating, see Annual Midwest Crane Count - International Crane Foundation (savingcranes.org)