Sandhill Crane That time of the day as the youngster wakes up from one of many naps. As always, a parent has been sitting protectively nearby. |
Sandhill Crane The parent needed to do some serious fluffing up and shaking to recover from the lay down in the the grass. |
Sandhill Crane The legs look as if they might be growing faster than everything else. |
Sandhill Crane The heat and hummidity are harder on the youngster than the parents. What looks like talking could be an effort to cool off. |
Sandhill Crane Coming down after managing to run, flap and lift off several feet, great new heights in the quest for flight. |
Sandhill Crane Now it almost looks like a brag about the great flight. |
Sandhill Crane Checking for bugs left over from the last nap. |
Sandhill Crane A stare and a pause from the parent brings the juvenile running for some special food. |
Sandhill Crane Restless with all the nonflying, one of the parents does a few wing exercises. Next up, flight training. |
Sandhill Crane Hunting food closely together. The legs of the youngster are almost a long as those of the parent. |
Sandhill Crane A tidbit from the parent, even though the youngster is now foraging for most of its own food. |
Sandhill Crane Feathers continue to develop rapidly. The little tail feathers are growing in stature, while the down of the flight feathers has been lost. |
Sandhill Crane Head to head on a food transfer. |
Sandhill Crane Into the jungle of one of the neighborhood back yards to find bugs on the vegetation. |
Sandhill Crane Yet another passing pedestrian with a dog brings the adult to full attention. The juvenile pays more attention now. |
Sandhill Crane Flight training. One parent runs and flies by, startling the juvenile. The parent seems to be trying to stimulate it to do the same. |
Sandhill Crane That ploy did not work as the juvenile simply runs at full tilt to catch up. |
Sandhill Crane The second parent takes up the cause, zooming up from behind the running youngster. |
Sandhill Crane A lift-off and short flight. Do it this way. The youngster still stays in running mode. More lessons required. |
Sandhill Crane Back to the saunter and eat parade. |
Sandhill Crane With the downy fuzz falling off, the youngster begins to appear a bit ragged around the edges as the more serious feathers take over. |
Sandhill Crane The eyes have not yet reached the brilliant orange of the parents. |
Sandhill Crane Strolling back toward a more rewarding shaded area, and where there are not pedestrians and dogs. |
Sandhill Crane Protective parent bookends. |
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