Sunday, November 14, 2010

Sandhill Crane Fascination

I adore Sandhill Cranes. They never cease to make me smile. Living in sunny Florida, I see them quite frequently. Some things I've learned about Sandhill's over the years:
* Cranes mate for life (I think this is one of the reasons I love them so much!). I am an extremely empathetic person, and I have literally cried when I passed a dead Sandhill as I know that it very well may have left a mate. I actually witnessed one get hit before in front of it's mate and it broke my heart. I had just passed both birds, alive, and as I looked back to watch them in my rearview mirror, I saw one jumping around frantically and crazily and I wondered why, until I looked right near the area it was jumping and noticed its mate had just got smashed by a car. :( That was actually the same day I found out they mated for life (a friend of mine told me after I told him the sad scene I had just witnessed).
* Sandhills have lived up to 25 years in the wild, and some in captivity have doubled that life span.
* They are omnivorous, eating insects, aquatic plants and animals, rodents, seeds and berries.
* The Florida Sandhill Crane has about 5,000 individuals remaining. They are most threatened by habitat destruction and will probably depend on human management in the long run. In Florida, it is protected, and if killed, carries a very high monetary penalty.
* Many Sandhills are hit by cars as motorists see a bird and assume it can easily fly away if a vehicle is approaching. Sandhills are gliders. They don't have a quick take off and this makes it hard for them to escape an oncoming car. With their long legs, they are more inclined to try to "hop" away than fly away.
* The Sandhill "call of the wild" a trumpeting sound, can be heard miles away.

NOT MY PICTURES:





Wish I would see more of these crossing signs




My Pictures:



Video





Day 14: I can't accurately answer/participate in today's 30 days of truth as I truly don't have people that I idolize as a hero. And in that case,  I have not been let down by said hero. I can say that God is my hero. And he will never let me down.  


Day 1: Something you hate about yourself.
Day 2: Something you love about yourself.
Day 3: Something you have to forgive yourself for.
Day 4: Something you have to forgive someone for.
Day 5: Something you hope to do in your life.
Day 6: Something you hope you never have to do.
Day 7: Someone who has made your life worth living for.
Day 8:
Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like shit.
Day 9: Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.
Day 10: Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
Day 11: Something people seem to compliment you the most on.
Day 12: Something you never get compliments on.
Day 13: A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough ass days. (write a letter.)
Day 14: A hero that has let you down. (letter)

1 comment:

  1. Love these birds!
    Have you ever seen the photos I have of them in my gallery? http://brunettephotographer.deviantart.com/gallery/#_search/crane

    ReplyDelete