Our Flushing Sandhill Cranes Weathervane (Antigone canadensis) was commissioned by a talented Chicago photographer who is passionate about these beautiful birds. For many years, she has traveled to the Nebraska Rowe Audobon Sanctuary to observe and photograph their spring migration. At its peak, you can spot nearly 500,000 birds at this location, where they feed on grain stubble as they prepare to make their arduous journey north to their summer grounds. You can watch the cranes in early spring on a live camera at the Audubon webcam (around dawn is the best time for optimal viewing).

Because of her love for Sandhill Cranes, our customer thought this would be the perfect weather vane to remind her of these special birds throughout the year. She provided us with some of her photographs, and we used them to create this design for her.

She is not our only customer who shares a fondness for these unique birds. We also offer another Sandhill Crane Weathervane showing two of these stately birds walking through the reeds together.  Sandhill Cranes Walking.

As pictured above, this swell-bodied sculpture piece is mostly copper. The grasses and seed stalks are made of copper and brass. As the copper and brass weather, they will attain a subtle, but complementary patina. Optional gold leafing was selected for the bodies of the birds and their wings, excepting the wing tips, to replicate the natural dark tips on Sandhill Cranes’ wings. The orange eyes are custom-made glass taxidermy eyes, and enamel paint is used to create the striking red feathers on the head of these remarkable birds.

Because of the potential for high winds in the Chicago area, we employed a unique technique on this weathervane by adding strengthening gussets below the grasses. The gussets are designed to represent water. Optional palladium leaf was applied to create the illusion of the gently flowing river along which these birds feed.

Inscribed on the horizontal tube is a personalized inscription which reads, LONG LIVE CRANES! We also added several’Lucky Pennies‘. Two of the pennies were affixed to opposite ends of the horizontal tube, and additional pennies went inside each bird. There is also an optional security device attached just below the upper globe.

This project was the perfect expression of the joy that comes from collaborating with our customers on their weathervane projects. Their passions can become our passions, and we constantly learn new and interesting things about the world in which we live.

We hope your journey through our website inspires you to pursue your passion project!