Greater even than the new bird species found, greater than the days of travel through our State and the hours spent ill the field, group meetings such as our annual Campouts, pro duce future friendships. Friendships long and lasting, created by the mutual desires to learn more of our nature lore even from the remotest places in our great out-of doors.

On May 30, 1938, I met Bernard W. Baker at the first annual Michigan Audubon Society Campout. He was with Parks Alien and the three of us had a very enjoyable day photographing Kirtland's Warbler on the jack-pine plains west of Grayling. All three of us had much in common, loving our studies of birds, each interested in certain species and their intimate life-histories, each interested in photography even though the hours were often non-productive, and best of all, each loving the companionship of the others, without complaining about mosquitoes (too much), black-flies, soakings from unexpected rains, strenuous hours carrying camera paraphernalia, even during the hottest days. These friendships have grown during the three years following, producing many a combined field trip. Bernard and I have spent many hours in certain parts of Michigan searching -- for the Sandhill Crane. We have tried many times to photograph the species, we have searched for Clay-colored Sparrow nests, have photographed Common Terns and have even journeyed out of the State to Reelfoot Lake in Tennessee to photograph Prothonotarv Warblers and other southern birds. We have had many an interesting hour together.

On January 1, 1940, Bernard and I visited our large Calhoun County marsh, traveling during the cold afternoon hours through blustery squalls of snow. We were interested in the. boundary lines of a certain piece of property known only from an old county atlas as belonging to Wm. C. Yawkey. We traveled along the boundary searching for the occasional rotted posts which formerly marked the lines. We noted that the property contained the best part of the "Big Marsh," as it is called, its 491 acres taking in the true heart of the marsh where in summer Sandhill Cranes had annually nested. We even stopped at the local Township Treasurer's office to find out the owner's name and address but no thought entered our minds of what might later develop.

L. Claire Hulbert, President of the Michigan Audubon Society in 1940, appointed Bernard W. Baker, Miles D. Pirnie and myself on a Crane Sanctuary Committee. We met several times, finally exciting enough interest to have John H. Baker of the National Audubon Societies visit us on March 30, 1940, and discuss the possibilities of a future Sandhill Crane refuge for southern Michigan.

Bernard Baker, John Baker anti I drove to several Crane marshes, the next morning, in Calhoun and Jackson Counties --observing Cranes too. We decided nothing extraordinary, except that we needed money. Bernard didn't seem to worry too much. So in a discussion one day he suggested we write to Tom Yawkey in New York and find out what they might wish to do with their property in Calhoun County.

Bernard Baker, his son Donald, Millard Vandervoort and I left early the following morning for the new Bernard W. Baker Sanctuary of the Michigan Audubon Society, as it was named at the executive meeting the night before. Here, early in the morning we saw 14 Sandhill Cranes. Bernard and I spent some time in a blind on a newly mowed marsh hay area trying to get photographs of cranes. Millard and Donald hiked down to the southeast corner. At noon we drove to Pine Lake south of Olivet thence to Olivet where we ate dinner. We met the group from the Campout at Pine Lake and drove to the new Sanctuary and about 75 people hiked a mile down the oak ridge to the heart of the new Sanctuary, many of them hoping to see Sandhill Cranes. Just as we reached the point at the end of the peninsula, two cranes obligingly flew by. Shortly after the dedication by Edward T. Boardman, the group dispersed. During the entire day Charlie Blair, with a milk bottle thinking of National Emergencies for Defense, collected $30.00 for "de fence" for "de" Sanctuary, a sorely needed item.

With the establishment of the Bernard W. Baker Sanctuary of the Michigan Audubon Society comes many problems. Some of these are here presented:

1. Expense for running and maintenance.

This includes taxes for 1942, at least; new fences, building and well expenses, possible warden service and new signs. (Miss Aline Rudolphi of Detroit contributed a beautiful sketch of a flying Sandhill Crane for the new signs). We should also try to add other acreage to the Sanctuary, especially to the south and west.

2. Protection of birds on the area.

We should protect all birds and wildlife on the area, especially the Sandhill Crane for which the Sanctuary was primarily developed, as well as for Ruffed Grouse, Great Horned Owls and Red-tailed Hawks Which nest there.

3. Introduction of now extirpated species.

Probably some species, which have been found on the area previously, such as the Wild Turkey and the Prairie Chicken could be restored by careful planning. Some of their enemies such as dogs and foxes might have to he eliminated.

4. Public relations.

Hunters and unfriendly trespassers should be discouraged from entering the area. Would it be wise to retain a caretaker in the old log house for the entire year, or should we hire a warden for the fall and spring? We should definitely try to retain friendships with the local farmers because our success, to a great extent, rests with them and their attitude toward our enterprise. We should offer them bird and conservation programs at their local Convis Township town hall, less than two miles to the south.

Our own members should be careful on the area also. Sandhill Cranes are very wary. They will leave the marsh if molested. In the spring, they will desert their nests if too many people visit them too often. In the fall we do not wish to drive them out of the marsh during the hunting season, rather we want them to come in from the outside and find an area where they can land without human intrusion, where they can be safe from shotguns and rifles. However, during both seasons, certain parts of the marsh present good possibilities for photography without molesting the Crane nesting and roosting areas, which one notes on the accompanying map, are in the southwest 160 acres. The nests as they have been found are numbered on the map. No. 6 was not a nest but two half grown young- with their parents. The birds roost, as a rule, in the same part of the marsh in which they nest.

The new Bernard W. Baker Sanctuary of the Michigan Audubon Society is located in Sections 10, 14 and 15, Convis Township, Calhoun County, Michigan. The log house and the lane enter the area on the west side of the road, as do the 480 acres which is part of the "Big Marsh." The nine acres bordering the road and Ackley Lake in Section 10 lies to the east side of the same road, the Bellevue-Marshall road. The log house is about one mile north of the road which turns toward Olivet. This log house is directly across the road from another 109 house and is about nine miles north of Marshall and is about five miles south of Bellevue.

By spring we hope to have the log house ready for members who wish to spend the night there, but it will require some work on the part of the membership to make it in good condition. We should build a fireplace and re-roof the house, then place cots in the two rooms, which could be used for bedrooms.

The heart of our marsh has an early history which is rather unusual in southern Michigan. It fell within what is commonly known as Swamp and Overflowed lands. Thus the source of title is supported by a Swamp Patent known as Kalamazoo Swamp Patent Number 1.

The rest of the marsh and most of the land in this vicinity was taken up by ordinary land grant patents in 1836 by Ephraim Follette, Horatio Hickok, and Leach S. Loomis. That portion referred to as the heart of the marsh, being the northeast quarter of Section 15, Town 1 south, range 6 west. did not find a ready market, therefore the Federal Government apparently found itself, as the statute recites, with certain lands remaining unsold. These lands were by special statute given to the respective states for disposition.

The state of Michigan finally sold this last quarter to Isaac C. Crary on April 20, 1868, some 22 years after the rest of the marsh had been sold to private owners. Later in 1882 and thereafter, one Charles H. Freeman began to acquire portions of the marsh and at one time or another owned most of it and for a Long time the natives knew the marsh as the Freeman marsh.

The title reflects the indifference of the owners in that there is no part of the marsh that has entirely escaped tax deeds. There again the heart of the marsh or the northeast quarter of Section 15 suffered the most. From 1857 until 1882 fourteen tax deeds were issued covering the same. Although the owners seemed to disregard and neglect this part of the marsh, our map and investigations show that that is the part of the marsh most loved by the Cranes, as it is in there that six nests have been located in recent years and there is no reason to believe that this was not the case during the period the owners were letting the land slip back into the tax titles.

The father of the Circuit Judge of Calhoun County, the Honorable Blaine W. Hatch, namely Jesse M. Hatch, at one time was a part owner of a tax title covering our marsh.

In 1893 William C. Yawkey started purchasing the area now owned by the Michigan Audubon Society and in the next few years acquired title to the entire area. In some instances his son, William H. Yawkey had to complete the purchase by buying up outstanding tax titles. The title has remained in the Yawkey family from that day to October 2, 1941, the day when our good friend Bernard W. Baker obtained deed from the Yawkey’s for the benefit of our society.

During the interval from 1893 to 1941 the title passed through six members of the Yawkey family, often being divided into eighths and combinations of eighths.

Judging from the trust instruments through which the title passes William C. Yawkey was the owner of various lands held for mining timber, oil, and other deposits widely spread over Michigan, Minnesota, and British Columbia, and due to the diversity of his interests and those of the children the title seems to have been neglected in Calhoun County for most of that period, and it therefore became necessary to send away for documents supporting the ownership of Thomas Austin Yawkey and Emma Ouerbacker, from whom the marsh was purchased.

The title to the northwest quarter of Section 14 early laid claim to the right to be a wild-life preserve by becoming clouded with wild or unrelated deeds from 1841 to 1845.

The history of the title to this area is not complete without reference to the fine technique used by Dr. Lawrence H. Walkinshaw, in making the contacts and negotiations which enabled the Michigan Audubon Society to obtain title to such a line and rare opportunity to protect a bird which could become extinct in Michigan and to establish a wonderful playground and laboratory for the lovers of wild life. To Dr. Walkinshaw's art was added the patience and the fidelity of Mr. Baker, who was willing to work over a period of eight months in sorting out the thread of title that the Michigan Audubon Society might obtain good and indefeasible title in fee simple to the marsh.

It is hoped that our title and history will grow to include other areas abutting on our 491 acres.