Sandhill Crane Week 10

Sandhill Crane On a foggy day the wings are working well, with one of many runs and take-offs. Age, about 70 days.

Sandhill Crane Showing good form, legs together and trailing as some elevation is gained.

Sandhill Crane A great height of maybe eight or ten feet at the top of the flight of almost a hundred feet.

Sandhill Crane After turning and landing, then hopping and flapping back toward the adults.

Sandhill Crane Some dancing comes next, hopping up and down in a circle, flapping for height.

Sandhill Crane An adult definitely likes the idea of dancing, something else to learn when growing up.

Sandhill Crane The juvenile and one of the adults danced around each other. Exciting for both.

Sandhill Crane The juvenile doesn't know why it's exciting, but wants more dancing as the adult skips away.

Sandhill Crane Chasing in earnest. More. More.

Sandhill Crane The dancing adult pivots near the other adult, who is stirred up a bit, yet not part of it.

Sandhill Crane Still, spinning around, everyone has wings flared out and taking part.

Sandhill Crane The juvenile is persistent about more dancing.

Sandhill Crane The parent turns to oblige.

Sandhill Crane Back to circling and hopping straight up with strong flaps and great wing displays.

Sandhill Crane The adult shows off a good hop and flap.

< Sandhill CraneSandhill Crane The adult shows off a good hop and flap. Throw in a few low bows to mix it up.

Sandhill Crane The adult spins away with the juvenile gladly following. All very thrilling.

Sandhill Crane Then a big mix-up as all three weave back and forth and doing flapping runs.

Sandhill Crane The adult tries to start winding things down before the excitement becomes too much.

Sandhill Crane Wings folded, the adult conveys calmness and all-doneness.

Sandhill Crane The juvenile is having none of that. All the extra energy has to go into another flight.

Sandhill Crane Not much of one, but with the hops and flaps in between, it covers ground rapidly.

Sandhill Crane Getting airborne without a lot of height, but high enough for a few flaps.

Sandhill Crane The legs are trailing behind in excellent form good for a longer flight when the time comes.

© 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.

Sandhill Crane Week 9

Sandhill Crane Feeling good about the growth of its wings, the juvenile exercises every possible moment.

Sandhill Crane Between preening and flapping, the wings receive all the attention they need.

Sandhill Crane With short flights of ten or fifteen feet more common, it sometimes helps to use a sloping runway.

Sandhill Crane It probably knows a parent is flapping along right behind as it gets off the ground briefly.

Sandhill Crane And here comes the parent.

Sandhill Crane Food and sharing, with the bill length difference very obvious between juvenile and parent.

Sandhill Crane Though it suspects something, the juvenile doesn't know that a parent is on the way with a worm.

Sandhill Crane Preening involves some serious contortions.

Sandhill Crane Another element of maturing is the ability to take a nap while standing on one leg. Check that one off.

Sandhill Crane Flap about some more and see who gets stirred up.

Sandhill Crane So far just the juvenile is excited about its own flapping.

Sandhill Crane The flight feathers are about ready for full use.

Sandhill Crane Everything flying over deserves admiration and envy.

Sandhill Crane The wings have been increasing in width as each feather grows out fully.

Sandhill Crane Two feeding while one watches a dog on a leash passing by on a walkway.

Sandhill Crane Flapping also involves a bit of strutting.

Sandhill Crane Work on the take-off lean.

Sandhill Crane Airborne with a run and a couple of flaps.

Sandhill Crane And a landing fifteen or twenty feet away with the tail feathers flaring out nicely.

Sandhill Crane This was one of those run and flap moments that looks more like hop scotch than true flight.

Sandhill Crane But it took the juvenile across a hundred feet of space in no time, causing the alarmed parents to fly after it.

Sandhill Crane Both parents are molting. The loose feathers are a puzzle to the juvenile. It picked one up and dropped it several times.

Sandhill Crane Carefully grabbing the end for another toss.

Sandhill Crane Way up in the tree is sometimes interesting.

Sandhill Crane Learning how to sit just like an adult, knees bent just so.

Sandhill Crane The juvenile flapping stirred up a parent who flapped back.

© 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.