This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
For many birders and wildlife enthusiasts the flirting honk of the sandhill crane is a favorite. It is a joyful, full-of-life kind of call.
People curious to hear the call for the first time or just want to hear it again are invited to attend a Sandhill Crane Day viewing event Saturday at the Ogden Bay Waterfowl Management Area.
The free event is being hosted by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and the Wild About Birds Nature Center.
The big cranes, up to 48 inches tall and with a wingspan reaching 90 inches, were once difficult to see in the wild, but their numbers have been growing in recent years.
People attending the event will be able to visit areas behind locked gates at Ogden Bay.
Participants need to meet 8 a.m. at the Wild About Birds Nature Center, 1986 N. Hill Field Road, in Layton. The group will then depart for the Ogden Bay Waterfowl Management Area west of Hooper in Weber County.
Twitter: @BrettPrettyman