While birding out in Waukesha County I came across some Sandhill Cranes on the Bark River. They were just hanging out doing some preening and catching food too. Temperature was 9 degrees so it makes sense this is a place they could spend some time in a flowing river. A couple of the cranes worked a river bank probing in the mud finding things to eat. A couple of times I also watched them probe and grab things to eat right out of the middle of the flowing river. Interesting to see their heads go completely under water just like a heron species. There were 4 cranes present and then a 5th one arrived. Seconds before the 5th one arrived, 2 of the cranes started their bugling call and it was looking like the 5th one was not really welcome with the group. I would guess that it was a territorial thing. The 5th one stayed off doing its own thing. A very cold morning to start at about 8 degrees a good wind, made it feel like the 1st of January. Images were taken on February 27, 2020.
Sandhill Cranes
Shaking off…
Shaking off…
Head under water, getting something to eat…
Comes up with something to eat in the middle of the river…
Sandhill Crane closeup…
Sandhill Cranes giving a loud, rattling bugle call…
Posing…
Sandhill Crane walking along the muddy river bank finding things to eat…
Probing in the mud for things to eat…
Preening…
Just up from being under the water…
A different kind of walk I saw more than once…
Swallowing water from a drink…
Going into the water…
Head under, getting something to eat…
Getting up on the ice…
I seriously think they are looking at the marsh area thinking, to early for building a nest huh??
Beautiful shots Jim. Many thanks. 😃
Really beautiful shots Jim! Thank you so much for sharing. such a beautiful bird. Glad to see and hear the cranes again. Happy birding!
Artfully done, as usual.
The symmetry in the fist photo gives it a kind of serenity. Great feather details on these shots. The walk with the leg up is really strange. I wonder how often they do that. The feeding behavior underwater is new to me, too.
Wonderful photos and birds thank you!
Great photos Jim. I especially love the symmetry of the first one!!
Jim, I keep returning to these images. So richly textured, your artistry equals paint brush on canvas! Binoculars, telescopes are wonderful tools – but your photos capture the graceful curve in the neck, every shade of color in the exquisite feathers, the vibrant figures moving over wet, muddy fields. Breathtaking, Jim! Thank you!
Beautiful! Simply beautiful!!