Sandhill crane tours available

Two of the world’s oldest living things are on display within a short drive of Stockton, a bird that dates back more than 21⁄2 million years and a tree that grows for more than 3,300 years old. Believe it or not.

Sandhill cranes are attracting visitors from around the world who want to view these prehistoric, 4-foot tall birds with 20-foot wingspans, up close and personal. And, the Central Valley is the focal point to observe and hear the cranes.

George Brown of Lodi is a volunteer docent at the Woodbridge Ecological Reserve who leads weekend groups to witness the elegant, graceful dances of the cranes and to hear their atavistic, rolling, trumpeting sounds. The birds migrate here from their breeding grounds in Alaska and Northwest Territories.

“One couple had driven over from Santa Rosa who had never seen the cranes before, but had read so much about them,” Brown said. “They were absolutely fascinated, almost mesmerized when they saw the evening fly-in. The birds were silhouetted against a harvest moon and the scene was surreal, it was so beautiful.”

Some groups include full-fledged “craniacs,” folks that have studied the birds for years, with knowledge going back to ancient fossils discovered in Florida.

“They’re just like children, too,” Brown said. “They are so excited to see the cranes first-hand, in the field and offer plenty of information for everyone to hear.”

The reserve is off Woodbridge Road, west of Interstate 5. The public can see the birds off the road and from special bird mounds any time during daylight hours. Low-cost tours that last 90 minutes in the late-afternoon on weekends through February can be arranged through the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Information: (209) 234-3420 or