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??