From NC coastal area to Raleigh

This morning a few of us did a seawatch for awhile from the hotel after we packed up, killing time to allow the sun to come up and melt off some of the ice from the roads between Atlantic Beach and Raleigh. Then we got the word that the three Sandhill Cranes that have been wintering in the area had been spotted in one of their known dawn/dusk locations. We raced over there, but the cranes had flown north somewhere. They were relocated by Ricky Davis, giving some of us our first crane sighting for the state. Then we headed back to Raleigh, relieved that the roads were not as bad as we had heard. I'm really glad I had a chance to be back in NC for awhile, but I do hope that the planes are not too delayed by all the snow and ice that is still in the area and that I make it home tomorrow.