Sandhill Crane Week 11

Early in the week, the juvenile remained flying back and forth in the small mowed park on the west side of Tiedeman's Pond as if an invisible boundary held it there.  Within a day or two of that, the boundary vanished, and the juvenile began flying about the neighborhood. A similar, mowed grassy area to the west of Stricker's Pond became a destination. And so the horizon recedes farther and farther along with bringing new experiences and dangers.

Sandhill Crane Juvenile in the lead, flying across the north side of Stricker's Pond on the way from Tiedeman's, on the way to a new spot. Freedom at last.

Sandhill Crane The flooded edges of the field provide water and food.

Sandhill Crane Doing a version of its snake dance, bounding up and down and in a circle over a danger real or imagined.

Sandhill Crane The wings will not stop as the juvenile uses them more and more as its entire body matures and strengthens.

Sandhill Crane And the parents still occassionally offer the juvenile happily accepted food bits.

Sandhill Crane For no apparent reason, the juvenile took off at full tilt, splashing across the edge of the wet field.

Sandhill Crane Closely following a parent in the hope of easy food.

Sandhill Crane A tangle of heads, necks and legs at an excellent spot. The female is in front and the male to the left.

Sandhill Crane Time for more flying as a parent looks on with a whatever, go ahead.  They keep an eye open, but allow more distance now.

Sandhill Crane The take-off downstrokes are more powerful, the run quicker, and lift-off faster.

Sandhill Crane A bit of air-paddling with the feet doesn't hurt.

Sandhill Crane And a dangle before the tuck, though the flight is only a hundred feet or so.  Why walk when you can fly?

Sandhill Crane A graceful touchdown.  The parents watched for a bit, then the female flew after walking halfway to catch up.

Sandhill Crane A show of the wings in their full glory.  Not too long before they need to make the journey to New Mexico or thereabouts.

Sandhill Crane Circling the entire area, they return to the standing water at the edges.  The juvenile needs another drink.

Sandhill Crane Dancing and splashing.

Sandhill Crane An adult adds a bit of flapping to the mix while the juvenile studies both it and the sky.

Sandhill Crane Intermittent preening takes over again, though birds flying overhead keep the juvenile's interest.

Sandhill Crane As the adult male shows off his wings, the juvenile does a tenative dance bow, looking uncertain this time.

Sandhill Crane And dancing around. The older the juvenile becomes, the more serious the meaning.

Sandhill Crane The male stops to de-escalate, but the juvenile has its on switch stuck as usual with excess energy.

Sandhill Crane Sometimes just ignoring the displays works.

Sandhill Crane And sometimes it doesn't.

Sandhill Crane Off on another flight to the other end of the field.

Sandhill Crane The take-off is even smoother this time. The juvenile is becoming a master.

Sandhill Crane After this flight, the parents waited out the juvenile, who returned to the other side with them before all strolled into a new yard. Exploration and danger.

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