The history of the Cumberland/Salem County cranes is interesting, and ongoing. I hope anyone reading this page who has additional information, photos, or references will send them to me to add to the history. There are many questions that still need answers.
Chapter one, 1993: A Common Crane Grus grus is seen for over a week at a field on Compromise Road in Salem County, an area that receives regular winter birding coverage. (I have photos and will post one). I post a report on Birdchat (remember, in 1993 birding on the Internet is pretty arcane stuff) and Ben Burtt of Syracuse NY contacts me to say that a local "Crane farm" is missing a bird. Does the NJ bird have a crooked toe? Yes, indeed-- so it is possible to confirm that bird as an escape.
Next chapter, Summer 1995: a Common x Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis pair brings out two young on private property near Seeley, New Jersey-- only a few miles from the location of the 1993 bird. (I'm told photos exist; I've never seen them). Everybody assumes it's the same bird since it's so close (but I don't know if it has a crooked toe or not). This is the first season of the NJ Breeding Bird Atlas, and the record is noted in a species account for Sandhill Crane in The Birds of New Jersey. (I'll complete the citation).
Chapter three, late 1999: Phil Kelly, chair of the Indiana Records committee, writes me for info. There is a Sandhill x Common pair with two juveniles being seen in southern Indiana. Could there be any connection to the 1993-5 New Jersey birds? The Indiana birds, however, are associated with flocks of migrant Sandhills and move on after a few weeks. Phil has a very interesting web page with photos of these birds. A similar group is seen in Ontario and published in North American Birds (I'll get citation).
Chapter four, April 2000-- Jim Williams and I are birding in Cumberland County in April, not far from Seeley; we stop at Bostwick Lake, and *three* cranes fly over, bugling. I contact Bob Barber of Cumberland County, and discover that each spring since 1995, as he has conducted his dragonfly surveys, he has been hearing and occasionally seeing cranes. Most of the land is in agricultural use and clearly posted, so he's never confirmed that they're breeding, although he once saw what may have been a young bird. In May, Ed Bruder talks to nurserymen and is told that there are probably several pairs in the area. I have been told that photos exist of some of these birds but I don't know who has them.
Chapter five, Fall, 2000-- I need to confirm exact dates for all the following. In late August, Jim and I visit the Johnson sod farms near Deerfield for Buff-breasts, and decide to check Bostwick Lake where we heard the cranes in April. On Alloway-Friesburg Road, we see (and videotape) a pair of Sandhills feeding in a soybean field. We spread the word. Next, Jimmy Dowdell and then Fred Tetlow see a trio of birds: Sandhill, Common, and a single juvenile. By mid-Sept., other birders, including Adrian Binns, John Danzenbaker, Bob Dodelson, Bert Filemyr, Sheryl Forte, Jim Merritt, Chip Krilowicz and Al Pochek also have seen the Common Crane and its apparent family. Birders talk to local residents and are told "they've been around for years and they're here all the time," suggesting perhaps these are non-migratory. On the other hand, Sandhill Crane records, especially migrant birds southbound over Cape May, have increased to double-digits in recent years, to the point where the NJBRC has removed them from the Review List.
That's where we stand now - at this point, hard facts run out, and uncertainties and speculation start to take over. People want to know if the Common Crane is countable. I don't want to make pronouncements before the NJ committee has considered the case. My own feeling is that the present NJ crane and its family are related in some way to the original escaped Common Crane; the coincidences in time and place would be difficult to explain otherwise, I think. On the other hand, the presence of a colony of breeding Sandhill Cranes in south Jersey, with or without a stray Common Crane, is ornithological news of great interest and worthy of documentation. Any notes, photos, and films of these birds will be welcomed by the NJ Records committee (see the NJBRC page for details).
Directions: Here is the topographic map of the area (you can zoom in closer). The sites of interest are on the border between Alloway Twp (Salem Co.) and Upper Deerfield Twp and Hopewell Twp (Cumberland Co), an area of mixed farms, tree nurseries, small woodlots and wetlands in the upper part of the Cohansey River watershed. Private land and fields should not be entered without permission; bird from roadsides only.
From the NJ Turnpike (Exit 1) or Interstate 295 (exit 2), take US Rt 40 east to the Pole Tavern traffic circle at NJ Rt. 77 (note the diner, convenience store, and gas stations here). Take Rt. 77 south approximately 6 miles to the town of Deerfield. Just past the Johnson Sod Farms on the left, turn right (west) on Friesburg Rd. Keep right when the road forks to reach Bostwick Lake, one of the sites where there is public access at a small park and where cranes have frequently been seen or heard.
The other fairly regular site is a cornfield near the intersection of Harmony Rd. and Seely Rd. From Rt. 77 in Deerfield, turn right (west) on County Road 540 perhaps one mile. Take the second left, on Seely Road; go less than a mile to the first intersection. This is Walters Road in the De Lorme atlas, but Harmony Rd. on the road sign.
Here are Adrian Binns' directions:
We first saw them in the cut corn field on the south side of Harmony Road (the east-west Harmony Road, that is called Walters Road in the NJ Atlas & Gazetteer P. 61 M26), just to the west of Seeley Road. Then they flew into a wet gully/depression just to the west of the house that is at the end of the corn field. We could only see them if we went about 150 yards beyond the house and over the rise in the road, to the big horse farm. From that vantage point we could get a view into the gully. They then flew off to the south east, over Seeley Road and basically circled over the fields, the Cohansey River and the large pond, i.e., all around P.61 N27 on the map. After that, they headed north along the Cohansey and we lost sight of them. We drove in that direction and found 2 circling and coming in to land at Bostwick Lake, which is along the Alloway-Friesburg Rd , P.61 L26. The lake did not seem to have much water in it, and since they were out of view, and we felt we did pretty well, we called it a day!
Al Pochek's crane images, 19 Sept. 2000 (the numbers are his):
No. 2
No. 3
No. 4
No. 8
No. 14
No. 19
No. 22
No. 23
No. 24
Al Pochek's crane images, 13 Sept. 2000 (his numbering):
No. 1
No. 6
No. 7
No. 8
No. 14
No. 22a
Chip Krilowicz's crane images, 19 Sept. 2000 (his numbering):
No. 91900a
No. 91900bb
Finally, here is more crane information from other web sites: photos of Nebraska birds from March 1999 and March 2000; a list of other recent North American sightings, and other crane links.
Acknowledgements: People who have helped me piece together "the story so far" include: Bob Barber, Adrian Binns, Ed Bruder, Ben Burtt, Ward Dasey, Bob Dodelson, Bert Filemyr, Rich Kane, Phil Kelly, Chip Krilowicz, Al Pochek, Fred Tetlow, Jim WIlliams, Joan Walsh. I apologize to anyone whom I've forgotten - get in touch and yell at me.
first draft, 21 Sept 2000, Laurie Larson, llarson@princeton.edu
