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This Sunday, my Dad and I met in Lodi, CA to view and photograph Sandhill Cranes, as part of a CA Dept. of Fish and Game (DFG) tour.
Sandhill Cranes are one of the oldest species of birds in the fossil record, dating back 2.5 million years ago). They weigh about 11 lbs and are 4 feet in length (with a wingspan of 7 ft!). The groups we were viewing spend the fall and winters outside of Lodi, then fly north into Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Canada.
We signed up for the tour via the DFG web site (http://www.dfg.ca.gov/regions/3/cranetour/). The tour is lead by volunteer docents who are avid birders and full of great information. Unfortunately, the tours are currently (2/11/08) booked through the end of the season.
The tour consisted of a short 5 minute drive and no walking. We met at 4:00 PM at the rendezvous assigned by DFG and listened to a brief talk about the cranes. Then we went to one of their viewing areas, depending on where our Tour Guides thought we would have the best chance of seeing cranes.
And see them we did! The sky was filled with thousands of birds (not only cranes, but various species of geese and ducks too). While we were not able to get close to any birds on the ground, we had hundreds fly overhead and land in the fields of the Isenberg Crane Preserve (about 50-100 yards from us).
One of the most unique things about the Sandhill Cranes are their vocalizations. They have a bizarre call that's nearly impossible to describe. It's somewhere between a crow's call, a frog's croak and a lion cub's growl. And when there are thousands of them in all directions, it's pretty amazing.
Mike's Recommendations (if you decide to visit):
- Visit during the Late Fall/Early Winter: The number of cranes decreases significantly as spring approaches. Some birds have already begun to move North, in fact.
- Book your tour early: Tours are already booked for the rest of the year, so make your reservations 1-2 months in advance.
- Bring high power binoculars, spotting scope or a 100-300 mm lens: You will not get close to any birds, so some sort of optical assistance is a huge plus.
- Plan to stay until dark: They frown on people leaving early, as it spooks the birds. Plan to stay until it's totally dark.
- Bring mosquito repellant: Sandhill Cranes sleep overnight in flooded fields, so expect swarms of large-type mosquitoes. If you don't want to get eaten alive, bring the bug spray.
- No Dogs Allowed: Definitely best to leave your dogs at home, as they tend to spook already nervous birds.
- Arrive a little early: The location where you meet the tour can be a little hard to find, particularly if you and your father decide to meet at a restaurant in Lodi (without realizing that aforementioned restaurant is 15-20 miles away from the tour location).
- Plan to eat at Habanero Hots afterwards: I found a neat local restaurant in Lodi called Habanero Hots. It looks "dive-ish" from the outside, but the inside is very warm and family-friendly. Food was excellent, authentic and came in large quantities, plus the service was great. See www.habanerohots.com for more info.
Individual Photos (63 photos)
Driving Directions (courtesy of Google Maps)
Viewing Location (W Woodbridge Rd @38.155225, -121.472077)
Dept. of Fish and Game Sandhill Crane Tours and Registration
San Francisco Chronicle Article (September 18, 2005)
Bird Identification Web Site (www.whatbird.com)
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