Grace. That’s a word that comes easily to mind when we think about – or better yet, see – cranes. Long legs, long neck, long wings tucked back when they stroll across a field. It’s a quality that commands extra attention.
The two Sandhill Cranes found by the authors at their “pop-up” pond. (Photo courtesy of Allison Wells)
Across the world, there are 15 species of crane in all their graces. Here in Maine, we have just one: Sandhill Crane. A few weeks ago, we witnessed cranes that grace Maine.
As we drove toward the “pop-up” pond in our favorite hayfield that we check regularly after rains, we jokingly said, as we had many times before, “We should see a Sandhill Crane here.”
When we turned the corner and saw a tall creature standing in the wetland, we pulled the car over and stopped a few hundred yards away. We scrambled to get the binoculars out of the backpack in the back seat and peered, unbelieving, at the first Sandhill Crane we’d ever seen at this spot. Keep in mind, we’ve been visiting this locale for 20 years!
Only this was a first by way of a crane at one of our favorite birding places, we’ve been fortunate to see Sandhill Cranes over the years at many places across the U.S. and Canada. We have some particularly fond memories of viewing the non-migratory Florida subspecies of Sandhill Crane in lots of places during visits to the Sunshine State. One year, there was a small family group of Sandhill Cranes that hung out in the retirement community where Mother Childs lived. The crane family had apparently become habituated to being near people. Our son, who is now more than six feet tall, was, back in those days, shorter than the cranes. He was a bit intimidated by these massive gray birds with their red crowns, big black bills, and yellow eyes. We all were intrigued to see the massive birds watching us as we watched them from, perhaps, 20 feet away.
Some Sandhill Cranes in other parts of the country have become accustomed to human presence. This one was strolling around just outside a retirement community in Florida. (Photo courtesy of Allison Wells)
We remember how rare it was to see a Sandhill Crane here in Maine at all when we started birding. Many people, ourselves included, were thrilled to see one that appeared at Scarborough Marsh in the 1980s.
But Sandhill Cranes kept increasing here in Maine. Eventually, they were documented nesting in the state in 2000 in the marshes at the south end of Messalonskee Lake. They have steadily increased across at least the southern half of the state since that time and have been found at dozens of spots during the summer period, indicating potential nesting locations. Incredibly, as many as 81 Sandhill Cranes have been documented in recent years amassing together in fields in Norridgewock in the fall.
Still, finding one of these remarkable birds standing regally in our “pop-up” pond after years and years of hoping for one to show up there was a thrill beyond comparison. Because it was quite close to the road, we took extra measures to be sure we didn’t scare it away. We drove by slowly without stopping, attempting to snap a quick photo with the iPhone as we passed.
Sandhill Cranes flying in Fryeburg, by Tom McLaughlin
As the car approached, there was more grace: We had been so intent on seeing and photographing the Sandhill Crane that we hadn’t seen a second bird resting on the ground in front of it nearby. Both birds stood as we glided by snapping one quick photo.
We’ve stopped by our “pop-up” pond a number of times since that day. We haven’t seen the cranes again. Maybe they will be back. Maybe they are somewhere nearby and we just haven’t found them yet. Either way, we were blessed by the presence of the cranes that grace Maine.
—Jeff and Allison Wells
Banner photo: Sandhill Cranes in flight in New Gloucester, by NRCM member Ted Anderson
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