The calls of the sandhill cranes overhead today announced more returning birds.
Sandhill Cranes Return
Picture of the Day for October 4, 2023
The sandhill cranes haven’t headed south yet and I saw a couple of them dancing, much like their spring courting ritual, so apparently they have the seasons wrong since it is autumn and not spring.
Cranes in Autumn
Picture of the Day for March 28, 2022
Yesterday a pair of sandhill cranes were walking across a field, but later this week the field may be covered with snow again. Although with their long legs, the cranes would have an easier time walking through the snow than I would.
Springtime Sandhill Cranes
Picture of the Day for March 8, 2021
By the end of the day, I had patches of ground showing as more snow melted, giving hope that spring is coming. At least some of the birds think so as I heard several sandhill cranes flying overhead, but when the temperatures cool off next week, they might decide to return south again.
Returning Sandhill Cranes
Picture of the Day for October 19, 2018
If the birds know the forecast for tomorrow’s winter like weather of snow and cold, I think they would have started their flight south instead of enjoying today’s warmer sunny autumn day.
Time to Fly South
Picture of the Day for April 5, 2018
I think the birds are tired of the snowy spring too as they been hitting the feeders rather hard and even a turkey was hanging out under the feeder this evening. I haven’t heard the killdeer anymore so it may have headed back south instead of running around on top of the snow. At least sandhill cranes have longer legs to wade through the snow but I think they prefer bare ground to do their walking and dancing.
Sandhill Crane Walk
Sandhill Crane Dance
Picture of the Day for June 29, 2016
The little brown fuzz balls were hard to spot over the grass, but baby Sandhill Cranes are called colts because of their long, strong, well-developed legs. A day after hatching, colts are already able to run after their parents. Sandhill Crane chicks can leave the nest within 8 hours of hatching, and are even capable of swimming.
Sandhill Crane Colts
Picture of the Day for March 22, 2016
For the last week, I have heard Sandhill Cranes way up in the sky but haven’t spotted them as they can be heard up to 2.5 miles away. And while some of my property is rather marshy at the moment from the snow runoff and recent rains, I don’t have the wetland habit large enough for them to nest in so I have to see them on other marshes and bogs.
Their long windpipe create the crane’s unique tone of their trumpeting sound and their long legs provide the graceful courting dances, as well as stepping through a wet meadow with ease. But their long legs will come in handy tomorrow night will possible foot of snow falling so they just might want to head south again for a few more weeks.
Sandhill Cranes
