Sandhills in 2010

In 2010 I found two Sandhill cranes nesting and visited them many times to get pictures of them. Last year the nests were flooded when we had 18" of rain in 3 days when eggs were in the nests. Yesterday I saw both pairs of Sandhills in that area and they seemed to be looking over the old nesting site. Right now the little lake is very low as it was last year. They build their nest at the ege of the water by using twigs, cat tail stems, marsh grasses and spanish moss to build a mound above the water level. I am hoping they are successful this year...not only can a flood ruin the nests but predators get so many of the babies...birds of prey are most likely to get them when they are tiny but bobcat, racoons, possums, gators and coyotes also like crane snacks. I think turtles also like crane eggs and babies but the parents never leave the nest with eggs in it, they switch so both can go feed. If not hungry both parents are at the nest, one sitting on the eggs and the other standing watching all around it. When they start building their nests, I will be watching...from the raod that goes around the lake and will be no threat to them...the laws on threatened species says I can be no closer then 300 feet from them if I am in a car on a road. I can make no noise tha they can hear...I can not hunt, trap, stalk, catch or cause them harm in any way. Can you imagine me wanting to do any of those things?

Baby Sandhill is cute Shirley Nice images

What lovely looking birds they are.

300 feet - should test your photography !