It's Cranemania around here!

[Wild Skies]

The way I see it . . . why pay a lawn servicing company good money to come in and aerate your lawn, when you can get 'er done for nuttin'!

Our family of Sandhill Cranes arrived back a week earlier than their norm -- quite expected as we've had one of the mildest Winters on record in terms of temps and snow. This year our neighborhood nesting pair returned on March 9th with a special surprise as it appears they've brought back their offspring from last year. I had mentioned earlier that from what I’ve read, the entire family will usually stay together over the Winter and return to this very spot in our neighborhood in the Spring; at which point the adult pair will kick out last year's offspring and start a new family. Having said this, from our experience over the course of the past 13 years, the offspring of the year have roughly a 50:50 chance of living long enough to migrate south for the Winter. In addition, over these same 13 years I don’t recall more than the 2-bird breeding pair accompanied by last year’s young with them when they’ve arrived back in the Spring. But, as you can see, things are a bit different this year and I expect the young one will be forced out in the near future. It's hard to tell which one is the young one???

Here's a pic of our lawn aeration team in action. They work cheap!

[mobirdhunter]

That is so cool!

[Wild Skies]

Since their return this Spring the Sandhills have been busy. They've voted last year's colt off the island that had migrated back with them this Spring. They've also successfully nested and now are out for breakfast and showing this year's young the ways of the world.

[mobirdhunter]

That is so cool, Greg. Keep us updated on your boarders.

[Steve Hodges]

This is so interesting. Do you ever see the young one that has been kicked out of the family group again? If not, I wonder if the fly off in search of a mate?

[Wild Skies]

Originally Posted by Stephen Hodges

This is so interesting. Do you ever see the young one that has been kicked out of the family group again? If not, I wonder if the fly off in search of a mate?

The paired adult birds allowed last year’s young one to hang around for ~2 weeks after they migrated back together this Spring. But, once the adults were on the nest, that was it for Junior; we haven’t seen him since. You’re probably wondering correctly in that he’s out playing the field in search of his soulmate.