Thousands of sandhill cranes fill the sky over Indiana's Ewing Bottoms in a winter spectacle. They take to the air with loud, discordant honks that can be heard miles away. They sound like New Year's Eve noisemakers.
The cranes engage in a bizarre courtship dance that involves throwing corn cobs and prancing around.
In good years, you can see tens of thousands of these birds in fallow fields across Indiana and Ohio.
The cranes stand more than three feet tall with rusty patches on their gray chests and a bright red blaze on their forehead.
Two cranes square off in a formal ritual only they understand. I couldn't figure out if they were a pair or rivals.
It was so much fun watching their displays.
The cranes bob their heads and flap their wings and leap into the air. They toss corn tassels to get the attention of other cranes. It's entertaining.
The flock bolts into the sky over Indiana in a raucous flurry of honks and graceful wings.
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