Grus Floridia

Florida Sandhill Crane, very watchful but he waited so I got the photo of him. These are unique to Florida and do not migrate, a little smaller the the migrating Sandhills. I like all cranes and grab a photo whenever I see a chance. Shirley

Nice photo Shirley Like Cranes too although they are not a resident bird in the UK, only see them in captivity usually

nice one Shirley ...........I also take pictures of cranes hahahaha

What a lovely bird, you are so lucky

Very beautiful Shirley

A migrant was seen earlier in the year here in the UK by some lucky birders, only seen one in captivity myself, did not know Florida has its own non migrants.

There is a movement on going to have cranes back in the UK...I think it is Sandhills that are being raised and released...all cloudy in my head now. I have seen a video about them and having school children there to increase awareness of them and develope protection for them and the habitat they need..Probably saw it on the International Crane Foundation website...it's home is in Wis and keeps pairs of every kind of crane there, They also raise some whooping cranes and release them in the fall near adult ones to get them to follow the older cranes on migration. I follow the Operation Migration daily to watch that going on...they raise whooping cranes and train them to follow ultralight aircraft from Wis to Fl to teach then a safe migration route. They are currantly in Ala...the past 3 years I have been able to see them fly over a town about 20 miles away on their last leg to winter refuge. Hope to see them again this year! The area where the Whooping Cranes winter is not far away but there is no access at all, even by boat there is restrictions. The young cranes never see or hear a human or human activity..they wear white costumes while near the birds and use puppet heads of adult cranes to imitate parents while raising these colts from hatching to finale release and goodby in Fl in March. Every whooping crane in the Eastern Migration group has a leg band and most have radio transponders. Flyovers by planes check on them weekly all year long. When nesting time is on in Wis the nests are observed daily and should the parents abandon the nest the eggs are rescued immediately and go to the National Reserve in Maryland for hatching and go to either the OM or ICF for raising and release. The zoo in Calgary, Canada has a large captive flock and enough space for them to breed and send the eggs laid there to Maryland also. By the most recent count there are 97 birds in the Eastern group...the Western group is at 290, ( they had a remarkable nesting success last year, bringing 75 young colts south with them) they winter in Texas and nest in Canada..a small group has been released in La for a non migratory flock establishment..started a year ago but not doing very well, already 4 have been shot...and weather has not been kind to that area causing the loss of two more...just 12 birds remain in that group...about 19 are in a non migratory group in Fl and they didn't raise even one colt this past year...all the colts lost to predators. The National Zoo in WA DC has 3 birds, none that will ever reproduce. The Zoo in Tampa has 2 males and the Wildlife Park near me at Homossassa Springs has a pair but no space for nesting. The birds require about a 3 acre space for nesting activity to even start.That is all there is in the whole world. A Whooping Crane is about 6 foot tall with a 8 foot wing span, nearly all white at maturity, red featherless head patch and black feathers at the leading edge of the wings. They roamed the earth with dinosaurs and I hope they will be here for eons yet. Yes, I am a Craniac! Shirley

Much better climate over in FLA for them Shirley, i really do not think we will see any over here than the odd summer migrant and of course those that are in captivity. We have to make do with Herons i think

I tried to find the video and story I referred to above...I found one about Germany trying to reintroduce European Cranes there but nothing about a effort in the UK..Space might be right and it is Great Blue Herons that the UK is working with...but Herons, Egrets and Cranes are all first cousins...and I like all of them.
As for climate being better here..Sandhills live in Alaska too. They don't mind cold at all nor rain either. They like the areas near a marsh but forage under trees and all over pastures here...they even visit bird feeders in yards. I have met them walking down a city street too.
Thank you all for commenting on my photos...this old lady appreciates that..Shirley

We do get Egrets too, but again not as many as in FLA