Friends, this is a young Sandhill Crane colt who is about half grown. Those of you who have followed my blog know that one of my favorite birds is the Sandhill Cranes of Crex Meadows here in Northwestern Wisconsin. By fall this chick will have a brown head and as an adult bird will appear as in the bottom image. They love the cornfields and pluck the bugs from the leaves. til Tomorrow MJ
Friends, look up in Crex Meadows early in the spring or late in the fall and you will see Greater Sandhill Cranes gathering in flocks. In the sunset sky they land on their roost, and in the spring they land and dance on the brown reeds and sedges. In the early summer they pair off and go to their nesting site to raise their young. This time of year, they soar down to land in groups, and when landing, the dancing begins. They pop up and down like popcorn, trying to find the right place to land without disturbing the residents who are already in the spot. til Tomorrow MJ
Friends, this Sandhill Crane was walking in water last year at this time, but not this year. I have not seen a crane yet and definitely no water except where the water is running fast like a river or stream. It is snowing again this morning and I am getting really tired of waking up in clouds and snow. But March is usually our snowiest month so I should know better than to fret over the winter blah weather. So i send you this warm spring sunshine this morning to promise that warmer days are coming (for those of us in winter now) 🙂. til Tomorrow MJ
Friends, yes the cranes will return to Crex Meadows soon in all their spring finery, this image was taken last year about this time of year, but last year we had no snow at this time, now we have feet of snow on the ground and more coming today, ugh!!, but the color in this image helped to brighten my day, hope you like, til Tomorrow MJ
Friends, some beautiful Sandhill Cranes flying on a late fall day, warming up their wings for the long trip south. I am still in mourning over their leaving, but in three short months they will return, yahoooo!!, can’t wait but meanwhile back at the bird feeders, we are seeing a few finches and many many chickadees. Maybe plan a trip to Sax Zim bog to track wolves and look for Hawk Owls and if very lucky, maybe spot a Snowy Owl. so back to my Christmas wrapping, til Tomorrow MJ
Friends, these two Greater Sandhill Cranes have been digging in the mud for food. They use those very long sharp beaks to root for grubs, frogs, seeds, and other muddy food. Crex mud must be rich in food elements as everywhere in the mud flats, small humps of mud are signs that the cranes have been tearing up the scenery and when their heads pop up the mud is still stuck to their beaks. The bird in front is an adult and the one in the rear is a juvenile. This morning we have heavy wet snow, so the cranes will probably be on their way to warmer weather and softer mud. I will miss them when they are gone, they entertain us from September thru November but disappear around Thanksgiving time. til Tomorrow MJ
Friends, Daylight finds the Sandhills on cornfields adjacent to Crex Meadows. This immature Sandhill Crane is gleaning corn from the field after the picker has gone through. The cranes alternate from the corn fields in the daytime to the marsh in the evening hours, think i am running out of images for this blog. Need to go to Crex today and see what is up, til Tomorrow MJ
Nov 13
This gallery contains 6 photos.
Friends, this is not good photography, but i wanted to show you the mass take-offs of Sandhill Cranes during a Crex sunrise. Yes i can rise early but i don’t make a habit of it. If you click on the large image a slide show will take you through the sequence as the birds lower […]
Friends, these Greater Sandhill Cranes are in flight above the Crex Meadows. The front bird is an immature followed by an adult bird, see the difference in the head coloring. Some Rusty oaks still hold their leaves, but this morning we have a trace of snow, so winter is coming. A sad time for me cause the big birds will have left and we only have the smaller birds left around here. Lots of chickadees, juncos and nuthatches in the bird feeders. The smaller birds are a challenge photographically speaking, but i do love the bigger birds. Maybe we will have some eagles or rough legged hawks to keep us company this winter. I can always go to Sax-Zim bog and look for Snowy Owls, Hawk Owls and Boreal Owls, but that is a two and one half hour drive one way. til Tomorrow MJ
Friends, today this image means that it is the time of year for friends (and relatives) dropping in to visit. This family is dropping from the sky to join a large group of cranes on the ground. In the background you can see that some of the oaks still have some brown, red brush and lots of white birch trees. So I am dropping in for a visit, short and sweet, I am going to the city today to help my mom, til Tomorrow MJ 
MJ Springett 