To me, Sandhill Cranes are magnificent! When I lived on the east coast, I would see these birds only during migration high above our house. We were on the migratory path. I would hear them call and run outside, if I was home, to see hundreds of them fly overhead.
Now, I have discovered a wintering home for these birds in the fields next to the Salton Sea. They are here for a few months in the winter until they depart for their breeding grounds.
This weekend, we saw about 300 of these red-crowned birds foraging in a nearby field. There is always a couple of sentries keeping watch while the others are busily eating. They trust their lookout to alert them to danger.
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Photos and content by Robin Roberts
