I wasn't sure where to post this. We live right under the Sandhill crane migration flyway here in central Indiana. They usually fly over a little earlier in November, but today they showed up and it is constant. There are hundreds, if not thousands of them flying over in formation, giving out that so well-known call of theirs. I love it!
Cathy, I love them, too. They live here in the spring and summer. The day my father-in-law died, two of them came into our field and danced and called for hours. I felt it was his mom and dad, come to say goodbye (his mom had passed 18 years earlier.) The crane is a symbol of immortality, btw.Originally Posted by CathyA
Last year we were in AZ and saw the cranes that had migrated. There were around 30,000 of them in a field and the fly in was amazing. The sound was deafening! Really cool.
Up north of here, about 60 miles is a place where they all congregate before flying south. We went there once, and it was unbelievable. Just incredible to see hundreds of these beautiful birds at dusk, coming in for a landing from all directions and dance in the field, before going into swamp areas to spend the night.
BUT..........guess what DH and I just saw? A bald eagle!! We were taking our usual cart ride over our property and DH said "What's that?" I looked right in front of us and there was a new bird flying very low across the field. It was a bald eagle! Very white head, black body, very white tail. I got a couple pics on my phone, but they aren't very good. It flew around overhead for quite awhile, then disappeared into the distance. This is so very exciting! This earth is just so very incredible!
Tybee......that's very moving, about the 2 cranes appearing in your field after your FIL died. I know when my MIL died, I was on our deck and saw a bluebird........and wondered the same thing as you did.
Oooh, so glad they are flying over Indiana now! They are Late getting here. They winter and nest in the fields here in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (California). Stockton had their Sandhill Crane Festival 3 weeks ago, they are usually arriving here the first week in November. There are just a few today. Good to know they will be landing soon!
Sandhill Cranes I had never seen in my life, nor had my father who bird watched his life away, till gosh 10 years or a bit more ago. Now in Michigan they seem to be a common sight in season. And the sound is wonderful. Two weeks ago on my trail a pair of Bald Eagles were just sitting on top the pine watching the world go by. OHG I was so excited. Again never in my life and now in Lower Michigan I am happy to say I see one fly over probably every two weeks in the summer headed to the lake. WOW.
ctg........I'm glad you're getting to experience them. They definitely have a very unique call. Sometimes they fly so high, it's hard to find where that sound is coming from. I also keep looking for a whooping crane among them, which I've heard happens occasionally.
How cool about the 2 bald eagles you saw! I wish I could see them more often. I'm thinking the one we saw was flying low because it had probably just taken off from a big creek that runs through our property.
I think I'm starting to see some birding changes, due to climate change.?? Some aren't showing up as much, while some others are appearing that aren't usually here.
On a birding forum I'm on, we've been talking about the curious decrease in the total number of birds we see. Hopefully, they're just somewhere else and not declining in numbers.
Same goes true for butterflies. We used to have tons of them, and now hardly any.
But.......I'm holding on to the joy I get with these sandhills and the bald eagle!
I have a friend in southern Illinois who put up a Barn owl nest box and got a family of them! I've never seen one in person.
You're getting me started on bird talk! I love them......
Same goes true for butterflies. We used to have tons of them, and now hardly any.
I agree totally with that, sadly.
Yes! We used to have tons of butterflies, but the last 2 years it's only been a handful. We even have tons of milkweed on our property and only a couple monarchs. We also have lots of other host and nectar plants for just about any butterfly........but they just aren't here.
I had a bumper crop of Eastern Tiger Swallow Tails butterflies this past summer. I have butterfly plants galore as they seem to reseed to the hilt in the garden. I grew assorted nectar flowers for the butterflies and milkweed too( though I have to tell myself it is not a weed growing wild in my garden, it has a purpose). Maybe next season will be better for Monarchs I hope.
Gosh it is just starting winter and now I am excited for the growing season already!!!
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