Sandhill Cranes near the western end of Lake Erie

[Gary Majchrzak]

who would have guessed?
I know we have some bird watchers here.
I saw some breeders right off of 90 in farm fields on the Ohio/Indiana state line.

 

[RyanEG]

They are all over the place where my father lives in the kalamazoo/grand rapids area of Michigan. They are lovingly known as screeching bastards.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

sunofagun!

Somehow I had it in my mind that these cranes were endangered and only found much farther west. Now I'm wondering if I spotted a stray around western NY.

I think that I have.

 

[Scott48]

Ya there not that rare believe it or not its legal to hunt them.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

that's what I've heard. There's recipes for crane on the 'net. Looks like the southern sub-species are the endangered ones. I know I've seen Sandhills around western NY.
It's fairly easy to differentiate them at a great distance from herons.