Feathery Friday: Greater Sandhill Cranes

November 28, 2:08 PMChicago Photography ExaminerKen Ilio

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Greater Sandhill Cranes at the Jasper-Pulaski Wildlife Area in Medaryville, IN

About two hours away from Chicago is this magical field called "Goose Pasture" where thousands and thousands of Greater Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) congregate just after sunrise and again, just before sunset, to socialize, dance, talk to each other, and do whatever Sandhill Cranes do whenever they gather.  They then fly to wherever they're supposed to fly - whether to forage for food in the morning or to roost and sleep in the evening. 

Overview of the Goose Pasture populated, at least at that moment, by thousands and thousands of Greater Sandhill Cranes and deer!

Every fall from August to mid December with their numbers peaking in mid November they do this - tens of thousands of cranes flying in from the North into the Jasper-Pulaski Wildlife Area near Medaryville, Indiana, to rest during their migration to the warm climates of the South, somewhere in Georgia and Florida.  The process is repeated again in the spring starting in February to March when they fly in, although in lesser numbers, from the South on their way to their summer homes in the North, somewhere in the northern Great Lakes areas.

A flock of Sandhill Cranes flying into the Jasper-Pulaski Wildlife Area

It is truly a spectacular event.  I went last Sunday, about two hours before sundown.  Arriving at the wildlife area office to sign in, we could already hear the birds' calls. I was quite excited.  I even got more excited when we were driving from the office to the observation deck as we could see a few flocks coming in. 

Birders and photographers on the observation deck

At the parking lot, we could see a few of them on the field.  Then, while we were walking to the observation deck along a winding path that goes through the woods, the show began.

More and more cranes dotting the sky, flying in from every direction

Flocks and flocks and flocks and flocks of cranes coming in from every direction.  The majority of the birds landed and amassed on the part of the field that is a little bit far from the observation deck but two groups formed near enough that you can photograph them with enough details using a long lens. (They recommend to use at least a 300mm lens.)  Later on, herds of deers joined them.  It was a truly magnificent show of nature.

You really need to be there to appreciate this spectacular show of nature.  You'd never think that two hours away from Chicago, you'd see something like this!

According to the photographers that I talked to, the best time to see and photograph them is in the morning, when the sun is shining on the birds from the east so that you can actually see the beautiful details of their gray plumage with red markings on the head.  During the afternoon, the sun is facing you, so much of the photographs that you will take will be silhouettes. 

Three against the setting sun

But silhouettes can also be dramatic especially now with the intensely colorful sunsets we have been having these past few weeks.

If you want to catch this magnificent show of nature, better go there now, as most of them will be gone by mid-December.  However, it seems that a few thousand of them like Indiana enough that they decided to stay all year round!  How to get there:  Take I-94 east to Michigan City, exit at US 421 south. Continue south 45 miles. Turn right on Hwy 143. Turn right at Jasper-Pulaski Headquarters sign.  Bring your long lens if you want to photograph, or at least a pair of binoculars if you want just to see them. 

Bye bye!