The Bernard W. Baker Sanctuary is North America’s first bird sanctuary dedicated to the conservation of Sandhill Cranes. Baker Sanctuary spans approximately 980 acres in Calhoun County, making it the second largest property owned and managed by Michigan Audubon. The sanctuary is best known as a refuge for nesting and migrating Sandhill Cranes. Baker’s centerpiece habitat is the 200-acre Big Marsh Lake, a restored wetland flooding. More than 200 species of birds have been recorded here.
The Meadow and Marshland Trail, accessible from 15 Mile Road between T Drive North and Q Drive North, was established in the spring of 1996 for hiking, cross country skiing, and nature observation. The trail is a mowed during the summer and is easy to navigate. Throughout the spring and summer, an abundance of wildflowers and the fauna they attract can be found. Deer, turkey, fox, coyote, hawks, frogs, turtles, butterflies, bluebirds and other species frequent the area surrounding the trail.
Habitats at Baker Sanctuary include ponds, streams, cattail marsh, tamarack swamp, oak opening, floodplain forest, wet meadow, and ongoing prairie and wetland restoration projects. Notable birds include Bald Eagle, Osprey, Northern Harrier, migrating waterfowl, and diverse warblers.
