Odd sight this morning

Mark W

Mark W

Well-known member
was out for early teal season in Wisconsin when I hear what sounds like helicopters behind me. It took a couple seconds to realize head weren?t helicopters taking off but 4 Sandhill Cranes that we?re sitting not 50 feet behind me and decided to take off. As soon as you hey were airborne they started their distinctive call.

Kind of an odd place for Sandhills. Never would have thought we would see them in Baron County Wisconsin.



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Teal sightings were good. It was nice to get up 30 minutes before opening time and be set up in time to shoot. Paddled the Poke boat over to the island, got out and was ready to go.

Good weekend all in all
 
Probably a family group that liked the solitude of your island as well as you do. Greater sandhill populations have been sequentially expanding eastward. Michigan is considering a season, but this would require the MDNR to declare them a game bird first with NRC support vote.
 
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When I worked in Michigan in the early 90's, the lake I was on had a large breeding population. The spring mating dance in wet meadows was something to behold!

In the last decade or so, they've established breeding populations on several lakes near me in Central Maine. Sandhills have gone from a rare sighting here to one that doesn't get even beginning birders excited.
 
We have a population now here in NJ. Started with about 6 or so for a few years and now it is about 25. At least three different family groups I am guessing. Spoke with a biologist and they were re-introduced here. Great sight to see!!
 
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