Blauert on Outdoors: ‘Crane Day’ coming to Merced National Wildlife Refuge

I ran into a taxidermy sandhill crane at a museum a couple of weekends ago. What surprised me was how tall the bird was. All the ones I’d seen previously were in the wild and far enough away that I hadn’t realized their impressive size.

Standing 3 to 3 1/2 feet tall with a wingspan of 6 feet, it is one of the largest birds found in our area.

Many sandhill cranes spend the winter months at local wildlife refuges, flying south from their summer homes in the Arctic. On Saturday, Nov. 14, the Merced National Wildlife Refuge is holding a special event to celebrate their arrival. “Crane Day” will feature free bus tours of the refuge. In addition to seeing the cranes, visitors will learn about their lives and the conservation work being carried out by the refuge staff to provide a secure winter habitat for them.

It’s a great way to spend a Saturday morning – close to home, educational and free of charge. All you have to do is call the refuge to claim a seat on the bus. Although a few seats will be available on the day of the event, it’s best to reserve one in advance by calling 209-826-3508. Living near the geographic center of Merced, it usually takes me about 30 minutes to get to the refuge. It’s best to be there early, though, so plan on at least 45 minutes of travel time.

If you need additional convincing to attend, here are some interesting facts about sandhill cranes: These amazing birds commonly live up to 20 years, and the longest-lived sandhill crane on record was at least 37 years old. They can fly from 15 to 50 mph and cover from 150 to more than 400 miles a day. The sandhill crane is an ancient species – a structurally identical fossil crane has been discovered that may date back 10 million years.

These birds mate for life and regularly perform a unique courtship dance – a behavior you are likely to witness on the tour. They make a sound that has been described variously as “bugling,” an “unforgettable, loud, resonant, rattling croak” and “a loud, rolling, trumpeting sound.” You can decide what it sounds like if you go on the tour.

The sandhill crane family is made up of six subspecies. The type that winters here is the “lesser sandhill crane” – the smallest of the species but still quite large. About 35,000 follow the Pacific Flyway to our Central Valley each winter.

Their body plumage is gray and from a distance they can be confused with the great blue heron. The distinguishing mark for sandhill cranes is bright red skin on the forehead and crown. Their faces, chins and throats are pale gray to white. Legs and toes are black.

To learn more about sandhill cranes, you can find useful information on a variety of websites simply by searching “sandhill crane.” Sites I found most useful in learning about this and many other bird species include:

 https://www.audubon.org/

 http://www.allaboutbirds.org/

 http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/

To find the refuge, drive south from Merced on Highway 59. Turn west on Sandy Mush Road and follow it for about 7.5 miles until you see a sign for the refuge. Turn left through the refuge gate and drive to the main parking area. If you are coming from Los Banos, take Highway 152 to Highway 59 and turn west on Sandy Mush Road for 7.5 miles until you reach the refuge. If you are using map software or websites, you can enter the address 7430 W. Sandy Mush Road, Merced, Calif.

Binoculars are highly recommended to get up-close views of the cranes. Bring water, mosquito repellant and sunscreen.

This story was originally published November 3, 2015 at 5:20 PM with the headline "Blauert on Outdoors: ‘Crane Day’ coming to Merced National Wildlife Refuge."