For the 12th consecutive year our neighborhood Sandhill Crane pair returned as predicted on March 15th. This year's nesting produced just one offspring. Their one baby, termed a colt, has now grown to about 7/8 adult size and is learning the ways of the world -- and that means survival. Survival has many meanings, hunting for food as well as avoiding all the sharks they are swimming with on a daily basis -- red fox, raccoons, electrical lines, kids with BB guns, hunters, etc. are just a few of these sharks.

Below are the adult birds showing their young colt a couple of ways of the world -- searching for food and keeping themselves tidy and clean. They are all-right by us for leaving their preened feathers in a pile for easy clean-up.

My sister in Michigan loves having 8-10 turkeys and maybe a few SH cranes hang out in her pasture all summer. They totally ignore her when she walks by them - they have figured out that she is not a threat. They light up her life every day they're there and I get daily reports.

Been waiting for this year's report. Thanks!

Sandhills are on my bucket list.

Greg, there are all kinds of luck. This is one of them.

Luck is schweet. It’s like we won the lotto. Next, we’re buying Maui. All of it.

I really like this report on the cranes....charlie

CODE RED!

The young Sandhill colt has somehow suffered a serious injury. I know it's hard to tell from the still pic below, but our darling little baby in the foreground is unable to put any weight on its right leg, forcing it to hop on its left leg to move. It appears to be a hip injury that must have happened today, because yesterday it was fine. The next few days are going to be an enormous challenge, hopefully the adult parent birds will ward off the predators.

I hope the young bird heals fast I sure hope the parents keep watch over it....charlie

What initially looked to me to be a hip injury now appears more likely to be the young colt's knee. The adult pair are just off camera hunting for food (mice, voles, grass snakes, grubs, etc.) while the colt watches on. Prior to sustaining the injury, the young bird would be learning the trade along side and with the adult birds. I haven't yet witnessed the adults bringing anything of sustenance to the young bird, I sure hope they do. If not, besides predators, starvation is a possibility.