We’ve been quite worried about “our” Greater Sandhill Cranes this year, in this part of the Preserve. Last year, as the eggs became colts for 30 days or so, one crane came out to feed, then the other. Then when the colt hatched, that pattern continued as the colt became strong enough to walk around and feed.
The adults have been together but far apart. Perhaps there was a predator and the male was warning it off? I wouldn’t get near these guys as I’ve seen them dismember an animal in less than a minute and when they see a person or dog close by (50′, off the Preserve) they kick. I wouldn’t want to be kicked or beaked and I’m an adult human.
I worried that they had no egg or the one that hatched didn’t go well so they ate it (yes, they do that.)
Well, this evening I had to take out the binoculars as they were only several hundred yards away. They have not one, but two colts, nearly newborn, 1/3 the size of the one on the other end of the Preserve. In a few weeks we won’t be able to see anything because the grasses will grow so tall we may not even be able to make out the adults and they’re 6′ tall!
It’s good to know that they have their family. It’s a joy to see them because they’re very protective of their others and their young. The red-winged blackbirds have their say as they peck at them to keep them from raiding their nests in the rushes. Ah, that’s Spring in the west.
It’s supposed to be summer now but here it’s barely spring. Many trees don’t even have buds on them yet and it hailed last week, leaving ice in the grass and coming down in shards from the roof.
Let the coyotes and hawks beware. There are two feisty cranes protecting these colts. Attack them and beware their wrath. Here’s to nature, hold the oil, Dee
ps still can’t get a good photo but if I can I’ll post it.
Cooking with Dee 
I named last year’s single colt “Eddie,” as in the littlest Crane (see Frasier). Now I hear them out in the middle of the night foraging for food and calling each other, “Lucy, I’m home!” So in all good fun, let’s name the kids Little Ricky and Lucie.
This morning we didn’t take the path as the crane family was only a couple hundred feet away and we didn’t want to frighten them. A few moments later they’d already moved further away, but I could see both of the little ones in the shorter grasses. What a sight. Sorry I don’t have a big telephoto lens to catch these moments. They’re etched on my mind and in my heart for later days. Dee