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Sandhill Crane Week 7



Sandhill Crane
Into the seventh week in the life of the juvenile, the female adult
relaxes after being up for several hours already in the day.


Sandhill Crane
The juvenile, just up from another nap,
adopts an unusual sitting posture while preening.


Sandhill Crane
Meanwhile, the larger adult, the male, scans about as
the usual pedestrians stroll by, some with enemy dogs.


Sandhill Crane
While preening, the juvenile frequently
stretches its now impressive wings.


Sandhill Crane
Much of the preening concentrates
on all parts of the wings.


Sandhill Crane
Though not for long, the adult male takes a very
short nap, looking even larger when sprawled on the ground.


Sandhill Crane
A full stretch of the juvenile wing shows off
the flight feathers filling in impressively.


Sandhill Crane
This was a complicated stretch that started with a bend of
the wings above the head and back and then a forward lean.


Sandhill Crane
A bit of an itch on the face. One of the toenails
is white, compared to the black of the others.


Sandhill Crane
The female adult can do preening
while standing on one leg.


Sandhill Crane
The juvenile can't yet, but it is very flexible
as it twists neck and head around to rub the tops of its wings.


Sandhill Crane
Another wing stretch starting with
the overhead bending contortions.


Sandhill Crane
And a straight-out flare, head to the ground.
These wings will be in full use in no time now.


Sandhill Crane
When a parent does a similar stretch, the juvenile looks at
the wing right in front of it and does a quick peck or two.


Sandhill Crane
The female adult didn't care. Here she has just fed the
juvenile a worm with a bit of left-over grass in her bill.


Sandhill Crane
With both bent over and scanning the ground for food,
their relative sizes are becoming closer and closer.


Sandhill Crane
Hunt and probe. The bill of the juvenile is about
two-thirds as large as an adult's now, and a potent tool.


Sandhill Crane
Some kind of grub, a very desirable food.


Sandhill Crane
Everyone in action. Together, but not
for long.


Sandhill Crane
Silently, without warning, the male adult ran and took flight.
Rather than a few flaps, it headed straight out over the pond.


Sandhill Crane
A few hundred yards out, over Tiedeman's Pond, it turned and
came back overhead, over the rooftops, towards Stricker's Pond.


Sandhill Crane
Looking surprised, both the juvenile and female adult stared
for a long time in the direction the male vanished. With the
juvenile in the lead, both walked between the house and up to
the street in that direction. The juvenile started a low, alarmed
keening call, sounding very disturbed.


Sandhill Crane
After five or ten minutes, the male flew back overhead. Here
the female, neck ruffled, saw him coasting in for a landing.


Sandhill Crane
And so did the still keening juvenile.


Sandhill Crane
Together they hurried back down the hill and between
the houses to find the long-absent, restless male.
Someone has to learn how to fly very soon.

© Michael Bailey All Rights Reserved; Not for reproduction.
No photograph from this blog may be reproduced or used
in any form or by any means whatsover.

2 comments:

  1. This series would make a terrific picture book.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well, it sure is wonderful to be able to follow a Sandhill from egg stage. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete