Issue #8
November 5th 2007
November 5th 2007
Page 5 of 5
Creamers Field
Fairbanks, AK
(November 3, 2007)
Fairbanks, AK
(November 3, 2007)
Val says....
We had heard that the Sandhill Cranes were congregating at a waterfowl refuge in Fairbanks, so, when we left Denali, we headed north. We found a campground in a wooded area next to the fairgrounds not far from the refuge. Occasionally we could hear the cranes and geese flying over.
Creamers' Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge was originally a dairy farm started by the Hinckley family during the turn-of-the-century gold rush. The Creamer family arrived on the same paddlewheel boat from Nome as the Hinckley family and in 1928 they bought the dairy from their friends. The Creamer family ran the dairy until 1966. At that time, local citizens, knowing that many migratory waterfowl relied on the grain fields and ponds of the farm, raised funds, obtained a grant from the state and matching funds from the Federal Government to purchase the farm. Later more land was added. The refuge is managed by the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Visiting the refuge at the height of the crane and geese migration was a unique experience. There were thousands of cranes covering the fields where grain was spread for them. There were also several kinds of geese and ducks. It was rather noisy!! There are several walking trails and two viewing platforms for observing and photographing the birds. Lou took hundreds of photos and was able to capture several good images of the birds defending their territory, stretching their wings or in flight.
We had heard that the Sandhill Cranes were congregating at a waterfowl refuge in Fairbanks, so, when we left Denali, we headed north. We found a campground in a wooded area next to the fairgrounds not far from the refuge. Occasionally we could hear the cranes and geese flying over.
Creamers' Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge was originally a dairy farm started by the Hinckley family during the turn-of-the-century gold rush. The Creamer family arrived on the same paddlewheel boat from Nome as the Hinckley family and in 1928 they bought the dairy from their friends. The Creamer family ran the dairy until 1966. At that time, local citizens, knowing that many migratory waterfowl relied on the grain fields and ponds of the farm, raised funds, obtained a grant from the state and matching funds from the Federal Government to purchase the farm. Later more land was added. The refuge is managed by the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Visiting the refuge at the height of the crane and geese migration was a unique experience. There were thousands of cranes covering the fields where grain was spread for them. There were also several kinds of geese and ducks. It was rather noisy!! There are several walking trails and two viewing platforms for observing and photographing the birds. Lou took hundreds of photos and was able to capture several good images of the birds defending their territory, stretching their wings or in flight.
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We were able to walk to a bird banding station manned by some young biologists from Fish and Game. At first they didn't have any birds. As we were leaving, they went out to check the nets and we were with one gal when she found two birds in the net. The nets are very fine mesh about five feet tall, three or four feet off the ground and 20-30 feet long. There were several of the nets in the area around the station. The biologists very gently untangle the birds and put them in a cloth bag to carry back to the banding station. There they are weighed, measured, feathers examined, leg bands attached and released. All of the above info is recorded for each bird. The birds caught while we were there were a Gray-cheeked Thrush and an Orange-crowned Warbler.