Although I did pretty well Saturday morning with the Sandhill Cranes I did not get the one shot I really wanted. Therefore I decided to drive back Sunday evening when they would be settling back into the nest. They usually forage all day but return to the nest at night for the first 10 days or so. Luckily it was a success.
Little swimmer
In the deep
Swallow-tailed Kite-my first decent shot of one this season.
Guess that’s one way to get the baby up from snoozing in the grass.
Fir Tussock Moth on my car window. Look at those antennae!
White Ibis with a water drop.
If you have been around Sandhill Cranes you can probably hear this photo. I love how the baby participated in the calls.
Back to the nest.
The positive part of the egg not hatching is this one gets all his parents attention and feeding.
Not quite sure how to get on. He is only 3 days old.
This is the shot! A goal shot every year. I have been lucky enough to be able to get it for 3 consecutive years now. Even more amazing is that each year has been an entirely different nest and family.
He didn’t peek for long.
Still peeking barely.
The problem with sitting on mom’s back is sometimes she stands up and you are dumped back on the nest.
Then you have to climb back in and get cozy again.
Until mom stands up the next time.
Maybe it’s safer back here.
Is this where I want to go?
Keep trying.
Oopsie.
You could label all of these photos of the Mom and baby Sandhill Crane “the learning process.” It is not just the baby that is learning about everything after hatching from the egg, but Mom has to learn on how to be a good mother. How to protect her baby, feed it, and teach it how to survive on its own.