Hearing things - or going mad - cranes overhead ?

[chessie]

Living in Lot-et-Garonne we're on the north-south flight path of those beautiful cranes.

This evening, half-an-hour ago, I was sitting by the wide open window enjoying a cooling through draught, and reading, with a glass of wine as you do.

We live in a rural area, there's not much noise at night, and I've been listening to the owls for the last few weeks.

Then this evening, last half-hour, I am positive I heard the beautiful chorus of cranes flying above;  not directly above, but from a bit of a distance.

There's no other noise; no neighbours; no cars.....

But surely the middle of August is a bit early for them to be returning south ?

What do they know that we don't ?

Maybe I imagined it - anyone else heard their night flights this time of year ?

Maybe I should stop the wine drinking !!

Chessie

[Judith-aka-Judith]

It's odd weather all over this year, Chessie, they could know more than we do!  Look at the weather in the UK at the mo! 

I know 47, was up there recently with my sister for a few days, now they are back at last, and I know that peace and quiet you talk about .. and the views ...

[pip24]

Its usually October when we see or hear them. It sounds like that if it was Grues they were 5 to 6 weeks early. There is a thread on Les Grues in wildlfe section with dates of arrival and departure.

[woolybanana]

Probably worried Trump has rescinded their protected status and getting out while the going is good.

Swallows leaving here, in large flocks, yesterday. Nerry a sight or sound of them in the air now.

[napoleon]

I was about to write a message asking where the cranes have gone this year when I spotted this thread. We usually see thousands passing overhead at the end of October but this year we had about three hundred Flying south on one day when we arrived in mid October.

A few years ago they came by in huge numbers a few weeks early and the weather then turned nasty with snow in early November. Please let us know if the grues have been spotted in the usual numbers very early or can we expect a big surge in the next week or so.

Thanks, Alistair

[mint]

Napoleon, I thought I heard them a couple of times last week but I couldn't see them.

We are expecting the large flocks any day now.  Weather is at last turning colder, especially the nights and the mornings.

[Graham & Brenda]

Saw a large group here in Charente on 8th October and a small group yesterday

[napoleon]

All is well! Today watched hoards of grues flying in their squadrons over our house. I estimate about two or three thousand flew past, spread over the whole day. We are very pleased.

Alistair

[napoleon]

Tomorrow we return to the UK for the winter. Today about 500 to 1000 cranes arrived at lunch time. They found a very active thermal over the nearby, south facing hillside and spent about ten minutes spiralling upwards, gaining considerable height and then reformed into their vee shaped squadrons before continuing on their journey south.

It is an honour to have them fly over our house every year. We are so lucky to be situated under their migration path.

Alistair