House of Feathers - Episode 8
Let me start by saying that I just couldn’t share you with you the angst I felt after I left the crane family on the morning of Episode 7. There is too much going on in this country and in the world that is creating way too much anxiety for all of us - the last thing that I want to do is to add to anyone’s anxiety. What I didn’t share with you was this… After the family left the swamp and made their way through the woods to that neighboring field I made my way back through the woods as well. I have to go in the exact opposite direction of the cranes and go the long way around as I don’t have permission to follow the cranes into that field. It took me about 30 minutes walking as quickly as I could to get to the side of the road where I can see them in that field.
I arrived at the spot and I set up and I could immediately see the parents in the back corner of the field - they were quite a few yards apart from one another. The grass in the field at that time was very high as we had had tons of rain. I kept scanning the field between the parents looking to see the little heads of the chicks (let me correct myself - young sandhill cranes are known as colts, not chicks!) or any kind of movement in the grasses. Thankfully there was no wind which always make spotting birds easier… until that morning.
I scanned that field intently for 30 minutes… and NEVER saw the colts… I thought, how could this be??? Could a hawk or a snapping turtle have snatched them during the 30 minutes I was hustling to get to my spot?? I certainly never heard any commotion by the parents who would have fiercely defended the colts - so where could they be?? I stayed longer and watched the parents pace…. and pace…. and still no sighting of the colts. I could not believe that I had to leave as I had an appt. I needed to get home for and I had already cut my time short - ugh!.
I packed up and left and absolutely could not get the missing colts out of my mind. I knew that I would be changing my plans for the next day - I would be back at the nest first thing in the morning…. I kept hoping that somehow those little colts were just hiding and that they were fine and that I would spot them first thing the next morning…
I was up very early the next morning - no surprise at all. It was another foggy morning and off I went.
As soon as I parked I hustled as quickly as I could through the woods to my spot alongside the tree looking into the swamp. . I waited until the parent stood up before I began shooting - no colt was visible while the parent was resting…..
I am so happy to report to you that those two perfect little colts were on the nest and I could exhale!!
I can’t tell you the relief that I felt.. and I know that you are all relieved as well. I so appreciate knowing how much you also care about this incredible family of birds - they are such a gift. They show me each day what resilience is all about…
This was so interesting to me…. this parent began belting out its call and kept at it! The other adult was on the other side of the swamp when all of this started and immediately started to make its way back towards the nest. This was just incredible. And as you can see - the colts sure took notice of all of this calling! Was something lurking in the swamp that prompted this? I’ll never know…. I’ll also never know how I didn’t spot movement or spot the little ones the day before. I always remind myself no matter how many hours and days I spend observing and noticing, I only understand and see just a drop in the bucket of what is truly happening all around me while I am out in nature.
It took no time for the other parent to arrive and right after this shot the family was off of the nest and headed out for the day! This was approximately 25 minutes after sunrise… these parents are sure getting these young ones out into the world very early in the morning to start their days. I just love that -
Once again I hustled as quickly as could (seems like no matter how quickly I feel like I am going it takes me about 30 minutes to make my way around to that field) and I immediately spotted the little ones!
I just absolutely love this moment -
And then something happened that I have never seen before - One of the parents hustled over to where the little ones were and they all went into even deeper grass - I hope that you can see the eye of one of the little ones to the right of the parent.
I know that I have remarked countless times on how so many birds line up perfectly for the first rays of sunshine… when here it is again. One beam of sunshine filtered through the trees onto the field and that is exactly where the parent is standing - absolutely amazing.
And then in a blink of an eye the parent sat in the field on top of the little ones!!! Over the years I have observed cranes in these fields for countless hours and have never seen this happen. Instantly I thought - is there something lurking in or near or above the fields that is causing this parent to sit on and protect the little ones??
If I had just come across this field and had been scanning it with my camera - never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that this is actually a very tall bird sitting in the field on top of two young colts!
Both adults in this shot…. the standing adult was like a statue for longer than I can estimate while all of this was happening…. and look at that beautiful red and white head of the sitting adult - in that perfect sunbeam.
Then the standing adult turned and the sitting adult ducked its head totally out of view…. This all occurred over about 25 minutes!
Finally whatever had caused all of this alert behavior had passed… phew…
I absolutely love when the parent is giving wing flapping lessons while the little one(s) watch intently… it is so heartwarming.
Bonding is so beautiful to witness
The tall grasses got in the way - but as always happens - now the little one is trying to mimic what the parent had just showed her - standing tall and moving her wings.
Then in the most brilliant and intense sunlight of the morning my last two shots for you…. Parent assuming the tall standing position looking right into the sunlight -
And once again the little one mimicking the parent.
Attention is the beginning of devotion.
-Mary Oliver