I expect to hear the calls of Sandhill Cranes, any day, now, as they migrate south. I usually hear these birds long before I see them in a binocular, though some of our local marshes do attract them long enough to provide good views in a binocular or even a spotting scope. Of course, I have never seen Sandhill Cranes here in the Chicago area the way I used to see them in Nebraska, but, even when high overhead, they always bring a smile to the face of this homesick prairie girl. Central Nebraska, this time of year, is crowded with birders, binoculars and spotting scopes. Wish I was there to enjoy the action.