A flock of sandhill cranes strides forward at a stately pace. Take measure of yourself against their stiletto-shaped beaks held chest high. The first thought to cross your mind is likely as primal as the birds themselves: should you stand your ground or take flight?

If you are ornithologist John Ireland, manager of the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Delta, you size up the flock to see if there is a certain male among them. As male and female cranes are indistinguishable, that's no small feat. Several years ago, Ireland, who lives on Reifel Island, house-reared a young female sandhill crane. In time, she attracted a wild mate to join her. “Males won't tolerate competition,” Ireland said with a chuckle during a phone conversation with the Georgia Straight, “and when this one sees me, I'd better look out.” That's because the female is as fixated on Ireland as she is on her mate. “She's a princess,” he observed.

Fossil evidence found in Nebraska indicates that sandhill cranes have been around, unchanged, for about 10 million years. That makes them the oldest-known surviving bird species in North America. In the GVRD, colonies of Grus canadensis can be found at Grant Narrows Regional Park in Pitt Meadows and Burns Bog Ecological Conservancy Area in Delta.

Thanks to the efforts of Ireland and his partner, wildlife biologist Mary Tait, the two sandhill cranes now in residence year-round on Reifel Island have attracted as many as 20 more of their kind to join them on a semipermanent basis. At the moment, six are overwintering. “There's no need to go further south when you can mooch a bag of seeds from people,” Ireland noted wryly as he recalled seeing formations of 50 to 60 cranes flying south to their wintering grounds in Washington state's Columbia Valley last fall.

Indeed, all you need do to attract the attention of Reifel's cranes, not to mention a hundred or more waterfowl, is purchase birdseed at the entrance to the sanctuary before heading out along the trails that ring the fields, ponds, and marshes of the 344-hectare property. At the appearance of the seed bags, ducks mob you as aggressively as panhandlers on crystal meth. Stand still, scatter a few seeds, and watch what happens next.

It won't take long before you're staring into a crane's red eye, as shiny and bright as a ruby. When that happens, you'll find yourself transported through time. As long-time Delta municipal councillor Vicki Huntington put it during a conversation in nearby Ladner, “The sight of a sandhill crane takes you back to an ancient soul. They're a haunting connection to a prehistory to which we all belong, an undefinable connection to the past.”

No matter what time of year, a cool wind blows off the waters of Roberts Bank, so bundle up. A good pair of binoculars and a bird book are indispensable. In case you've forgotten anything, there is a gift shop at the entrance to the sanctuary with a wide variety of bird-related items for sale. Make note of a cozy warming hut that overhangs a backwater slough just past the entrance. After an hour or so in the open, a seat beside its cheery fireplace will help take the edge off.

Reifel's level paths and hard-packed trails are great places to ride a motorized wheelchair, let alone stroll with a small child on your shoulders. Truth be told, the sanctuary is a kid magnet, particularly for preschoolers who marvel at encountering birds close at hand, from redwinged blackbirds, whose melodic calls invoke the spell of spring, to the long-legged cranes with their crimson lores, the feathered space between a bird's eyes and bill.

By Ireland's estimate, there are 6,000 birds in residence at Reifel, including such species as majestic golden eagles, sporty northern goshawks, and tiny saw-whet owls. In March, that number takes a meteoric spike when a million sandpipers may pass through in the course of a day or two during spring migration. Ireland counsels visitors to consider two things: come out during the week when crowds are lower, and consult a tide table. High tide is the best time to see shorebirds, when you can crane your neck for all it's worth. -

ACCESS: The George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary lies 38 kilometres south and west of Vancouver. Take Highway 99 south to Highway 17 South (Exit 28), just past the George Massey Tunnel, and follow the signs into Ladner. On Highway 17, there is a roadside marker announcing the turnoff to the bird sanctuary on Ladner Trunk Road (48th Avenue). The sanctuary is located 9.6 kilometres west of Ladner, on Reifel Island. To get there, once you reach the heart of Ladner, make a jog left on 47A Avenue, which leads to River Road West. Several kilometres along this diked road on the right side, past float houses and marinas, is a one-lane wooden bridge leading onto the conjoined Westham and Reifel islands.

Bags of approved bird feed are available for 50 cents at the entrance. Visitors are also welcome to bring their own birdseed, but please don't bring bread, because it provides little food value to birds. The entrance fee is $4 for adults and $2 for seniors and children under 15. Visiting hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. For more information, contact 604-946-6980 or see www.reifelbirdsanctuary.com/ .