Photos by Bob Wellinski (click to enlarge)
So you’re out surveying your thawing yard after the long winter and you hear something that makes you stop, look up and say out loud, “What the heck is THAT?” You half expect a flock of pterodactyls to appear in the sky. You can make out some birds flying in formation, except they’re about four times the size of a goose and their long legs stick out like marshmallow-roasting forks behind them.
What are they? They’re sandhill cranes, and they’re on the move each spring and fall. And thankfully, they’re becoming a more common sight in this area.
Bob Wellinski captured photos of this flock passing through LaPorte County the week of March 15, 2015.
The Jasper-Pulaski State Fish and Wildlife Area in Medaryville, IN, just 44 miles southwest of LaPorte, is a gathering spot for thousands of these fascinating birds. To view an Indiana Department of Natural Resources video about them and hear their unforgettable call, click on this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lmFxUgt1-c
