Continuing this week's 'closer to home' theme because it's still pretty rainy out and we've had a lot to do right here (fun stuff and chores both). We were so happy to see Sandhill Cranes up close on our Palm Beach trip last month. But then, a couple of weeks ago, these big old birds started to show up right here at Upriver. This is their first year here, at least since we've been spending our winters.
The Sandhills are often seen in groups of three. I think they are a family group, with the darker one being the juvenile. I like this group photo, with the young one on the right showing off those long legs, so elegantly crossed at the knee.
Upriver has a 9-hole non-regulation golf course (I don't exactly know what that means, but I'm sure if anyone is a golfer they will). That's where the cranes are hanging out.
I'm hoping that the golfers shoo them away before they take their shots. Either that or that the cranes understand the word "Fore".
These are the first Sandhills we've seen this close to home, but I've taken pictures of them other places here in Florida, as well as in Alaska, Texas and Utah and (especially memorably) in New Mexico when we were full-time RVing.
So I know I've blogged several crane pictures already and have even more in the archives. But the picture below, taken last Friday, may well be my all-time favorite.
Just a minute after I took the picture, Mom turned her back in disgust and walked away while Junior continued to rant, probably begging for food. I'm thinking it's probably about time for him to learn to get along on his own.
SHARING this post with WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY (thanks to Stewart), with GOOD FENCES (thank you to Teresa), and with RATHER B' BIRDING (thank you to Anni).
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