Daily Postcard: A flock of Sandhill Cranes is spotted Tuesday afternoon flying south over White Rock. Around the world, crane species are featured in cultures through paintings, fabrics and dances. Their powerful calls and elaborate dances have captivated audiences globally, including sandhill cranes at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Sandhill cranes typically begin arriving at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in late October and stay through mid February. Family groups migrate together, with juvenile birds typically staying with their parents through their first winter. Flocks congregate in open fields to feed during the day and roost in shallow water at night for safety. Variations in size and color between birds may be for a number of reasons. By the time the family groups migrate to central New Mexico, juvenile sandhill cranes are the same size as or slightly larger than their parents. Instead of a red forehead, juvenile sandhill cranes have a brownish crown until January. Source: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Bosque_del_Apache/. The City of Socorro has canceled the 33rd Annual Festival of the Cranes scheduled for November due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by Nancy Ann Hibbs