Courtesy Photo Sandhill cranes, like the ones seen here, will be counted on April 13 in the 48th Annual Midwest Crane Count. Locally, Thunder Bay Audubon Society is seeking counters to participate from 7 to 9 that morning.

ALPENA ­– Calling all crane counters!

The International Crane Foundation will sponsor the 48th Annual Midwest Crane Count from 5:30 to 7:30 a.m. EST on Saturday, April 13.

More than 2,000 volunteer participants from throughout Wisconsin and portions of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio and Minnesota participate in the spring survey, which gathers information on the abundance and distribution of cranes in the upper Midwest.

New volunteers interested in taking part in the survey should first contact their local county coordinator for instructions. Additional information on the crane count can be found at cranecount.org.

Locally, Thunder Bay Audubon Society will be coordinating the sandhill crane count in Alpena and Presque Isle counties from approximately 7 to 9 a.m. on April 13. If you would like to participate or would like more information, please contact Thunder Bay Audubon Society President Karen Tetzlaff at 989-464-6573 or tetzlaffk@gmail.com by April 1.

“We’re hoping we can get a few more folks that can do the count with us,” Tetzlaff said. “You do not have to be a member of Thunder Bay Audubon Society to do the count.”

She said if you know of a good spot where you’ve seen cranes before, call and let the society know so they can send counters to that area on April 13. Counters will observe the cranes and document how many they see and what they are doing, whether that is eating, resting, flying, or doing a mating dance. Each counter will receive a counting sheet to record their observations.

The International Crane Foundation sponsors the Annual Midwest Crane Count to conserve the world’s 15 species of cranes and the natural communities on which they depend. Sandhill cranes once nearly disappeared from Wisconsin, but the species has successfully recovered and is slowly expanding into neighboring states.

“This organization has done marvelous work with all kinds of cranes all over the world,” Tetzlaff said of the International Crane Foundation, which works worldwide to conserve cranes and the ecosystems, watersheds and flyways on which they depend.

Tetzlaff said they started doing crane counts in the U.S. in 1976, and Michigan was put into that count in 1994, when sandhill cranes started showing up in the state.

“We still only have 14 counties that take part,” Tetzlaff said, adding that cranes depend on wetland areas. “Last year, in all of Michigan, they only saw a little over 800 of them.”

“We provide knowledge, leadership and inspiration to engage people in resolving threats to cranes and their diverse landscapes,” a summary from the International Crane Foundation states. “From our nearly 300-acre headquarters in Baraboo, Wisconsin, USA, our reach extends across the globe.”

The organization has offices and staff in China, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, South Africa, and Texas.

“We work through strong partnerships with local organizations, governments, universities, businesses, and others in these regions,” thhe summary continues. “Our more than 125 staff and associates work with a network of hundreds of specialists in over 50 countries on five continents.”

Learn more at savingcranes.org.