Baker Sanctuary Fall Sandhill Crane Survey

Would you like to witness the wonder of Sandhill Crane migration? Join Michigan Audubon for our Fall Sandhill Crane Survey of Bernard W. Baker Sanctuary on November 1!

The count will be conducted from the Kiwanis Youth Conservation Area overlooking Big Marsh Lake in Bellevue from 4:30 p.m. to dusk. Bring a chair or blanket to sit on, and grab your binoculars to watch as potentially thousands of cranes come in to roost for the night. In 2021, 3,106 Sandhill Cranes were counted by volunteer Josh Haas and Michigan Audubon staff.

This event is part of the annual standardized count of the eastern population of Sandhill Cranes that is organized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Since its onset in 1979, eight states and one province have participated, and the population has grown to more than 90,000 cranes.

The Kiwanis Youth Conservation Area is located at 22300 15 Mile Rd., Bellevue, MI 49021.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

In the event of inclement weather, the crane count will be held on Nov. 2.

Featured photo: Sandhill Cranes gather at a staging area during fall migration in Michigan. Photo by Jan Lewis