Please keep eye on our sandhill cranes

To the editor: Citizens for Conservation wishes to alert the Barrington communities and especially neighbors of our preserves that someone is shooting birds with bow and arrow.

For 15 years, CFC has been honored to provide a home for a pair of sandhill cranes. Not very long ago these cranes were extremely rare in our area, and we believe that the cranes' annual return to our preserves is an indicator of the success of our restoration efforts.

Unfortunately, this pair of birds has become decreasingly fearful of humans because they are used to the company of CFC's restoration volunteers and the neighbors who watch and enjoy them. It must have been like shooting fish in a barrel when someone shot the male of our bonded pair in the shoulder with an arrow.

The shooting happened at a time in the reproductive cycle when the male was sharing egg duty with the female making the incident especially heart-wrenching for witnesses.

It happened on Earth Day, an ironic sign that the bowman neither values the environment and wildlife nor the federal laws which protect this migratory species. The crane is not the only local victim as birds of prey have been targeted as well.

Observers saw the bird pecking at the arrow, and we can report that the crane was able to remove it or that it fell out; he appears to be recuperating. However, we beseech our members, neighbors, and residents of the Barrington area who care about these innocent creatures to be watchful and to report any wildlife vandalism immediately to the police or conservation officers, whichever is most expedient. Thank you for helping us protect these beautiful and trusting animals.

Meredith Tucker

Inverness