House of Feathers - Episode 7
Between a lot of bad weather and my schedule I didn’t get back to the nest until exactly 2 weeks after the first little one was born - it seemed like forever!. I could only imagine how much they had grown since I had last seen them - I was very excited to be headed back to the nest. The morning was very, very foggy with nice cool temperatures.
Because of the fog I was fighting with my camera trying to get my first shots at the nest - it took quite some time to figure out how to deal with this much fog. Finally I was able to get the following series. I have to say as much as I love great light with lots of contrast I also absolutely love very moody lighting like this particular morning.
Thankfully both little ones were accounted for which is always a huge relief!
Look how much bigger they are!
It seemed to me that both parents were anxious to leave the nest as neither one was resting and there was more activity at the nest than usual.. Once the little ones are born they continue to spend their nights in the swamp on the nest but they do not stay in the swamp during the day. From previous years watching them I learned that within an hour after sunrise they would all leave the nest and go to a neighboring field for the day - eating grubs, night crawlers, and worms all day long. These cranes are so incredibly smart - they go through the woods to the neighboring field so that they don’t have to cross a busy road to get to the other field on the other side of the swamp! Later in the summer they will cross the road together to get to the other field. This other field is where I have been very generously given permission to wander around to observe and photograph the cranes. Once they are old enough to be over there I will be spending lots of time in that field - likely beginning in August…
For just a few moments some sunlight filtered through the fog -
I love the little show this one put on! The little ones are constantly repeating behavior that they have watched their parents do…got to spread and move those little wings…
Very thick fog rolled in again -
Generally when both parents are this close together with young ones they are getting ready to head out for the day
And sure enough the first parent made its way off the nest to our right. I knew they would not be all heading out that way - the field is through the woods to our left…
These faces are so adorable….
Just as I expected the other parent came back and then in no time at all they were all too deep into the tall grasses of the swamp for me to photograph them as they made their way out for the day… I immediately looked at my watch. It was exactly 20 minutes after sunrise - the shortest time that I had ever seen them on the nest.
My last shot of the morning. While I was walking back through the woods (the opposite direction that the cranes go) I saw these two gorgeous lady slippers… I happen to know that there are some of you that just love these beauties! :)