There are certain sounds in nature that can stop time and hold us spellbound, and for me one of these is the sound of the Sandhill Cranes.
     If you live in the High Plains, you know that sound. You may not know what it is, but I’ll bet you’ve heard it. It’s nothing like the honking of geese or the quacking of ducks. It travels far and has a fluttering flutelike quality — Sandhill Cranes are often heard long before they come into view.
     When they do, they’re flying in a V or a ragged zigzag. Their gray feathers look uniformly dark from below, and it can be difficult to tell an airborne flock of cranes from a flock of geese. The long feet and legs trailing behind the cranes is one clue, the other is of course that unforgettable sound.
     The High Plains occupy a part of the migratory pathway known as the Central Flyway, a north/south route of 8,300 miles. It stretches from the Gulf of Mexico to the far Northwest Territory, and among the countless birds on the Flyway are enormous flocks of migrating Sandhill Cranes.
     Twice a year they pass through our region, touching down briefly at grain fields, playas, and wetlands, often in large flocks of several thousand. In early spring they make their way north through the Texas Panhandle, visiting stubble grain fields on their way. The last time I saw the springtime cranes in the grain fields, I pulled over to watch the stately promenade. Countless cranes were strolling along the furrows, stepping carefully and looking for food as they made their way across the evening landscape.
     All the while other groups of cranes were landing, or taking off to circle around a few times before landing again. A crane landing seems to be an ungainly affair. They hold their long wings out for balance, and stick out their skinny legs at an angle aiming at the ground. Once they’ve touched down on this flimsy-looking landing gear, they run a few steps before they regain their composure.
     An adult Sandhill Crane is a long tall drink of water at an average height of 3 ½ -feet. Males and females are alike in their shaggy gray feathers with the shape of a bustle behind them. The legs and bills are dark, but no doubt the Sandhill’s flashiest accessory is its flaming red forehead. It almost looks like a scarlet cap pulled down low over the eyes. It’s not made of feathers, but a bare patch of skin on the crown that turns bright red when the birds achieve maturity. White cheeks contrast with the red above and the long dark bill, and give the birds a stylish look.
     In many a strolling family group are the younger birds, shorter and smaller, and lacking the red patch on the forehead. They can feed themselves almost immediately after hatching, but young cranes depend on parents for guidance and protection from aggressors. Young birds may begin migration when only a few months old.
     Farmers aren’t always happy to see the cranes coming, as they can damage local crops. But cranes also benefit the farmer by consuming weed seeds, destructive insects, and waste grain. Cranes also eat snails, worms, crayfish, mice, frogs, and snakes.
     The arrival of the Sandhill Cranes is a wonderful sign of the changing seasons, and a sound guaranteed to thrill the soul.