By Shannon Lukens.

 

Nancy Merrill has been recognized with the Good Egg Award from the International Crane Foundation. Merrill is the founder of the Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition in the Yampa Valley.

“I feel thrilled and I was surprised and it is a wonderful tribute to the work that has been done in the Yampa Valley on cranes.”

The Good Egg Award is for those who go above and beyond for cranes.

The mission of the Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition is, “Conserving Rocky Mountain Greater Sandhill Cranes and their habitat through science and education.”

The Greater Sandhill Cranes spend their summers in the Yampa Valley in Northwest Colorado. They return every spring after spending the winter in New Mexico and Arizona. This is where they make their nests and raise their young, in the wetland areas throughout the valley.

 

Picture courtesy Kate Pierson Fitzwilliams. Nancy Merrill is with Claire Mirande who also won, and is retiring after working with the International Crane Foundation for 38 years.