Portage River Farm

By far, the largest bird to return to the farm this spring has been the Sandhill Cranes. They are common in this area for some reason. I remember the first time I came upon one after moving to Michigan and being awestruck by their sheer size and prehistoric sounding calls. They are four foot tall and have a seven foot wingspan.

They are a common sight at this time of year in our front yard and fields around the house. They stalk along on their stilt legs looking like Jim Henson creations. Much to the irritation of the nesting geese, they also wade around in the pond looking for fish.

I made this video in an attempt to show how large they are and how amazing they sound. They don't seem to have much fear of us and generally go about their business as long as we keep a respectful distance. I deliberately annoyed them by walking slowly in their direction so they would move and fly away. Please excuse the shaky camera work!