There have been some sandhill cranes on a farm near here for the past few years. We finally made the effort to go looking for them and found them on just the second attempt.
Here's some cool facts from the Cornell birding site in case you're interested:
"The earliest Sandhill Crane fossil, estimated to be 2.5 million years old, was unearthed in the Macasphalt Shell Pit in Florida.
Sandhill Crane chicks can leave the nest within 8 hours of hatching, and are even capable of swimming.
The oldest Sandhill Crane on record was at least 36 years, 7 months old. Originally banded in Wyoming in 1973, it was found in New Mexico in 2010."
Interesting commentary. I can see how they might be a little hard to spot. Except for that little red spot on the top of their heads, their colors kind of blend in with the grass and shrubs.
Quite fascinating information! I would have loved my childhood education to have been as fun and interesting as I find it to be in this site! Lovely that you got to see your cranes and get a photo as well!
