A stately Sandhill Crane at Long Pond in Belgrade Lakes Region

When you own lakefront property in the Lakes Regions of Maine it’s not unusual to spot wildlife. But sometimes you spot unusual wildlife! Dr. Michael Cox, Chief Executive Officer of Central Maine Orthopedics was fishing with a friend on Long Pond in the Belgrade Lakes Region one weekend, when two huge birds flew over their boat. “It was a pretty amazing sight,” said Dr. Cox.

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“The south end of Long Pond is very wild. There’s a huge freshwater marsh. We see all kinds of wildlife there,” explained Dr. Cox.  But this is the first time he’s ever seen Sandhill Cranes in the marsh. “They’re quite a beast.”
This stately bird is long-legged with gray plumage, which looks more ochre during breeding season, a red forehead, white cheeks and a long, dark and sharp bill. Adults can stand up to 5 feet tall and have a wing span of about 6.5 feet.
Sandhill Cranes are a bit larger than Great Blue Herons. The heron, however, holds its neck in an “S” curve while flying, whereas the Sandhill Crane holds its neck straight out.
“Seeing them up close is pretty spectacular,” said Dr. Cox. “They are intimidating looking. They looked like they could damage you if they were mad at you.” He and his friend enjoyed watching the pair of cranes as they walked through the marsh.
Sandhill Cranes are omnivores who eat insects, aquatic plants and animals, rodents, seeds and berries. They forage with their hard, sharp beaks while walking in shallow water or a field.
They are not indigenous to Maine, though from time to time there have been other sitings. In his 2002 article “First Breeding Records and Historical Status of Sandhill Cranes in Maine and New England,”  Scott M. Melvin quotes noted Massachusetts ornithologist E.H. Forbush (1929): “The great Sandhill Crane once roamed the Atlantic coast in migration, and probably was the only crane that was ever common in any part of New England. Like the wild turkey, it disappeared with the coming of settlement and civilization.” Mr. Forbush might be happy to know that the turkey has returned and now, perhaps the Sandhill Crane.
Danielle D’Auria, Wildlife Biologist for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife told me that Sandhill Cranes “have nested on Messalonskee Lake since 2000. We probably have half a dozen other sites in the state where Sandhill Cranes are nesting. Their population has definitely been expanding into Maine possibly as early as the late ’90s.”
Having the opportunity to observe these amazing birds up close is just another reason to consider owning lakefront property in the Belgrade Lakes Region.
To view lakefront property listings on Long Pond, click on the green box above.
You might find these links about wildlife in Maine interesting:
Protection of Fish and Wildlife in Maine Underfunded
Learning to Live With “Nuisance” Wildlife