More Sandhill Cranes

I hope anyone who reads my blogs will forgive me for writing another post on the Sandhill Crane.  We are very fortunate to live in an area that has a lot of Sandhill Cranes.  I feel fortunate, but others don't like them at all.  They are very loud with a trumpeting sound that starts early in the morning and can go late into the night.  They hang out in marshes and wetlands, but they also hang out in farmers cornfields.  They eat all the corn that was left behind during the previous years picking.   In the Spring before planting season that is fine, but sometimes they eat the corn after it has been planted.  The farmers have measures to scare them off, but it doesn't always work.  When they gather in huge groups they can do major damage.  Despite all the complaints, I think they are beautiful and elegant.  Of course, I don't make a living growing crops.  I may feel different then.

Sandhill Cranes are usually a grayish color but they rub sand on their feathers for more camouflage.  

Today were traveling down a country road near our home.  In fact, it goes right past the area where the team of Operation Migration sets up their camp.  For those who aren't familiar with Operation Migration, I wrote about it a few times.  It is the group who trains and helps young Whooping Cranes migrate with the help of ultralight aircraft.

http://www.thecabincountess.com/2013/03/operation-migration.html
http://www.thecabincountess.com/2013/07/operation-migration-class-of-2013.html
http://www.thecabincountess.com/2013/09/whooping-crane-class-of-2013-are.html
http://www.thecabincountess.com/2013/11/crane-migration.html

The eight young Whooping Cranes who were raised here in 2013 and wintered in Florida are on their way back.  Hopefully they will return to the same area they were raised in.  I also hope that I can see them at some point, if only from a distance.  People are encouraged not to approach these beautiful birds at any time.  In the meantime, I am posting some photos of the Sandhill Cranes I took today.  I have blogged about the Sandhill Cranes many times, but I get a thrill every time I see them.