And now for something completely different...


We interrupt our regular program of California native plants (and critters) with a few photos of -- Sandhill Cranes. Mr. Mouse and I visited Mr. Mouse's Mother and her husband in Florida over the Memorial Day weekend. This is the first time we saw their delightful manufactured home, which has a view of an artificial lake where waterbirds visit.


This spring, two Sandhill cranes built a nest right outside the living room window, so Mr. Mouse's Mother and her husband could observe the egg laying, hatching, and feeding. She did a wonderful write-up of the whole story, with great pictures. The cranes had two young, which she called Sandy and Fraser Crane. Sandy ended up ill and may or may not have been rescued, but Fraser made it. Of course, we were disappointed that all this had happened before we arrived -- until all three came by for a visit. You can see Fraser, who hatched April 10, is almost the size of the other cranes, but the coloring isn't there yet.

Later, we took a drive through the community, and met another crane family with 2 kids. We were lucky to get a few pictures of them as well, and sorry to leave so soon.

Comments

Benjamin Vogt said…
Wow, right there so close? We often hear them migrating overhead in spring, coming to the Platte River here in Nebr, but never seen one so close! I suck.
How fun! I don't mind the interruption in programming in the least. Fraser Crane...too cute!
Lisa said…
Sandhill Cranes *are* Californians! You can see them in the rice fields every winter. Lodi, California hosts a very nice Sandhill Crane festival.

Don't you just love those rusty bustles?
Christine said…
What a graceful circus to watch! I'm quite jealous.
debsgarden said…
Imagine having them so close! What a treat to watch. They are beautiful birds.
I don't often see sandhill cranes though we do have them in southeastern Michigan. I normally see mallards and Canada geese and their fuzzy babies. It was nice seeing sandhills!
Amazingly they are reintroducing cranes to the UK, which will be fantastic. They must have been wonderful to watch
Great pics! Though I'm chuckling as I read this... I live across the road from a nature preserve that is home to several dozen sandhills. They are too noisy! And they start bugling way to early on a Sunday morning. :)))