Heard some the other day, next day saw some in a pasture near town. "Our" pair returned here this morning. Breeze, official yard watcher jumped from his post on the couch near the picture window and blasted out the dog door to let us know. They hung around long enough for long distance mug shots, maybe 60-70 yds from where I walked out to our backyard fence to get the lens through the wires:



Sure sign the sun is coming back and Spring WILL get here, right?

Ribeye of the sky!

Snow and Rosses geese are our harbingers of spring. Should show up in about a week.

1minute.

I was at a friend's place in town a couple of days ago, near some big ag fields and the Refuge. Heard the sound of a big flock and drove around to where I could get a glimpse. The snows are here now for sure. Be up your way soon for sure.

Are those whooping cranes?

I guess not, at first glance they looked white.

Greater Sandhill from what I can see in the pic.

They usually hit this area in Mar and stick around till early May. Noisy bastards coming over the house about sunrise minus 30 in braces of twenty to thirty about 100 ft AGL.

A few years ago, I was driving along I-80 through Nebraska. Saw what seemed to be thousands along the Platte River.

Sandhill observation area NW Indiana.
Go up and listen to them in the predawn fog around first week of Nov.
Super cool, and kinda spooky

Swans are still on the river, and no Sandhills yet. We usually trade out the swans and eagles for the Sandhills and other summer birds, though lately the eagles seem to stick around for calving season.

Swans have been here for a few weeks already.

I'd like to get a shot of this pair where I could see their lower legs for bands.

I have pics of them here most spring/summers and would love to know for sure it's the same pair.

Here's one of a pair from June 2018 in the same general area near the house.

Sandhill cranes are all over and tame as can be down in FL. They are a game bird in 16 states because I've heard that they do eat pretty good. I've threatened to eat one of the road kills I see there, but Sweetness wouldn't do it. Whooping cranes are very rare and white instead of gray. Those sandhills are a real loud and a nuance because they see their reflection in your windows and knock it real hard with those beaks. Worse yet is when they do the same thing and beat the crap out of the finish of your new car. Two neighbors had that happening and had to file insurance claims.

There were Sandhills everywhere 10 days or so ago at the Wheeler Refuge near Decatur AL. Almost made me forget where I was.

A supper stop at Big Bob Gibson's brought me back to reality...

Nice Geno. Been seeing them out in the fields down here in the valley.

Some good eating right there

Yeah, some of these up here overwinter down there.

Had an acquaintance who has access to the database check the bands on this pair that live at the reservoir down the road every summer. Seems they last had been seen down at some refuge near Sucktomento. Pic was taken in 2017 or '18