 | Trust me, you’ll hear me! I fuss a lot when I fly. I frequent marshes, and sometimes golf courses. I’m not too afraid of people, but that doesn’t mean you should try to feed me. Most Likely Found: In a pond, In the marsh, In the open fields When: Year-Round Where I've photographed: Circle B Bar Reserve, Joe Overstreet Road, Sandhill Crane Nest, Viera Wetlands Read more: Sandhill Crane at Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ebird: Sandhill Crane eBird range |
I have written 101 posts including a photo of a Sandhill Crane
March 29, 2012 - The weather forecasters had it all wrong last weekend. They said it would be partially cloudy on Saturday, rainy on Sunday. Try it the other way around, guys. So I went to Circle B on Saturday hoping for partial cloudcover, and I got thick fog until around 10:00. But that…... Read more
March 23, 2012 - Last weekend I stopped by a local park to photograph the Sandhill Crane colts that were born at the park a few weeks ago. Some friends had mentioned that there were great photo opportunities with this family, who are so friendly that the colts practically walk right up to you. …... Read more
March 17, 2012 - Yesterday I took advantage of my off-Friday morning to visit the Circle B Bar Reserve, where a pair of Sandhill Cranes has been incubating a nest for the last four weeks or so. I knew the colts were due to be born any time, and I hoped to photograph them…... Read more
March 3, 2012 - The most talked-about nest at Circle B right now is probably the Sandhill Crane nets, located not too far from the Marsh Rabbit Run trail. The cranes nest near water, counting on the water to protect them from predators. I got to watch the "changing of the guard" as Mom…... Read more
February 9, 2012 - I was going through old pictures today and came across this Sandhill Crane.... Read more
January 7, 2012 - I haven't seen many Sandhill Cranes at Circle B this winter, but today I did.... Bird Species List (31 total): American Coot, American White Pelican, Anhinga, Belted Kingfisher, Black-Bellied Whistling Duck, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Blue-Winged Teal, Boat-tailed Grackle, Brown Pelican, Caspian Tern, Common Gallinule, Eastern Phoebe (heard), Gadwall, Glossy Ibis, Great…... Read more
January 5, 2012 - It worked pretty well!) One of our neighbordhood Sandhill Crane pairs flew in as we photographed the ducks.... Read more
November 28, 2011 - What was unexpected and really cool was that the neighborhood Sandhill Cranes were also out, and let me photograph them with the fountain.... Read more
November 16, 2011 - I got home from work last week to find four Sandhill Cranes hanging out in my front yard.... Read more
September 20, 2011 - Lots of people at the Circle B Bar Reserve this weekend commented that the famous baby Limpkins look a lot like baby Sandhill Cranes. They do! The colors are different, but the size, beak size, and general shapes of the babies are quite similar. I hunted up some Sandhill colt…... Read more
July 30, 2011 - There were at least fifty Sandhill Cranes roosting at the ponds when I arrived. (According to Michael Libbe, I just missed the four Roseate Spoonbills and the Egyptian Goose.... Read more
July 9, 2011 - I went to Viera Wetlands on Saturday morning. After all the rain on Friday, I wasn’t optimistic about the light level (I actually didn’t decide to make the drive until Saturday morning at 5am!) There was virtually no sun till the very end of the morning, but the babies were cute and…... Read more
June 4, 2011 - https://vimeo.com/338486843 As we took the Heron Hideout trail back to the parking lot, we found Tiny Tim and his parents feeding on the side of the trail. Tiny Tim is the baby Sandhill Crane that we first saw back at the end of April, as a tiny less-than-one-week-old colt. "Tiny"…... Read more
June 2, 2011 - When I looked up through the white cloud, I spotted a pair of Sandhill Cranes feeding on my right.... Sandhill Crane I started to hear Eastern Meadowlarks, but at first they stayed low in the fields. Their calls carry well, and you'll think they are right next to you…... Read more
May 14, 2011 - Black-Crowned Night Heron There was a controlled burn in the Eagle Roost area last week, on the side of the trail with the eagle's nest. The area was black and sad as we walked by. We found the second family of Sandhill Cranes out with their two babies. (We did…... Read more
May 8, 2011 - Black-Necked Stilt As we left, we spotted the Sandhill Crane family in the Otter parking area. The colt has grown so much in the last few weeks! He was stretching his wings big time this morning, making me wonder how long it's going to be before he takes flight. Despite…... Read more
April 30, 2011 - We started out just after sunrise on the Heron Hideout trail, hoping to see the Sandhill Crane colt that the volunteers have dubbed "Tiny Tim." But Tiny Tim and his family were nowhere to be seen. Herman reports that the Osprey nest on the palm tree has hatched, but the…... Read more
April 17, 2011 - We came across the Viera Sandhill Crane family on the trail. The colt is a few weeks older than the colt at the Circle B Bar Reserve. This guy is starting to get his flight feathers. He's still happy to accept a handout from his parents! I was glad that…... Read more
April 15, 2011 - I spent a quiet off-Friday morning at the Circle B Bar Reserve this morning. It's always a treat to be on the trails without the weekend crowds. I started off on the Heron Hideout trail to say hello to the little Sandhill Crane, then I turned left onto the Alligator…... Read more
April 10, 2011 - Dyeyo and I went to the Circle B Bar Reserve this morning on a quest to find baby birds. The adorable Sandhill Crane colt that met us on the Heron Hideout trail was just the first. We figured that the Barred Owlet had already fledged, so we headed out to…... Read more
April 9, 2011 - Purple Martins Rich told me to turn around, and when I did, he showed me a family of Sandhill Cranes that was walking along the golf course. Despite the harsh mid-day light, it was a great time to be outside!! The little family moved closer to us, unfortunately behind the…... Read more
April 2, 2011 - This winter the American Bittern and the King Rail were the stars at the Circle B Bar Reserve. This spring, the Sandhill Crane colt that frequents the Heron Hideout trail is quickly becoming the newest celebrity at the park.... This morning I met Michael Libbe at sunrise and we found…... Read more
March 29, 2011 - Rich spotted our neighborhood Sandhill Cranes by the Lakehurst pond -- with a baby! He's a pretty big baby already, almost half as tall as his parents already. He's starting to get his flight feathers, although he still has some of that adorable baby fuzz to him.... Sandhill Crane family... Read more
March 27, 2011 - Red-Winged Blackbird To kill time until the fog lifted, we walked around the Eagle Roost Trail out to Wading Bird Way to look for the Sandhill Crane family that has been reported there. It was so foggy! We couldn't see the Bald Eagle's nest. We could hear Eastern Meadowlarks, but…... Read more
March 26, 2011 - American Bittern We found the best treat of the morning on Heron Hideout as we headed back to the parking lot. A new family of Sandhill Cranes was hanging out on the side of the trail, within an arm's distance. Everybody had the opportunity to get frame-filling photos (and those…... Read more
February 28, 2011 - The Sandhill Cranes have been more active in our neighborhood in the last week or so. We've also started to see the pair at work regularly.... Sandhill Crane... Read more
February 20, 2011 - You know it's springtime at Circle B Bar Reserve if you see the following: Trees are getting their leaves back Sandhill Cranes start sitting on nests!... https://vimeo.com/341438827 Dyeyo and I were ecstatic when we saw a Sandhill Crane sitting on what appeared to be a nest, on the north side…... Read more
January 29, 2011 - Great Blue Heron with Snake On the way back to the car, we saw the usual Sandhill Cranes in their spot on the north side of Marsh Rabbit Run.... https://vimeo.com/341231911 Species List: American Bittern, American Coot, American Robin, American White Pelican, American Wigeon, Anhinga, Bald Eagle, Belted Kingfisher, Black-Bellied Whistling…... Read more
January 15, 2011 - Red-Winged Blackbirds in Treasure Tree (HDR) The Sandhill Cranes were doing their early morning take-off as I arrived.... Sandhill Crane I walked past the "Four Corners" intersection of the Marsh Rabbit Run and Heron Hideout trails, keeping an eye out for the Wilson's Snipes that have been hanging out there…... Read more
January 8, 2011 - American Coots I was really excited when we saw two Sandhill Cranes out on Wading Bird Way poking their beaks into little "grass islands" and seeming as if they were thinking about building a nest. One sat down as if incubating an egg. This is the same place where a…... Read more
December 23, 2010 - The marshes were full of roosting birds at sunrise. We moved quickly to the south end of Heron Hideout (beyond Marsh Rabbit Run) to see hundreds of Wood Storks and Sandhill Cranes sleeping in a group. They almost reminded me of the pelicans -- there were that many birds!... Otters…... Read more
December 22, 2010 - Juvenile Wood Stork with Nesting Material Dozens of Sandhill Cranes that roosted in the marsh overnight took to the skies, honking like crazy. According to my bird CD, the call of the Sandhill Crane can be heard up to a mile away. I believe it! It's fun to get the…... Read more
December 21, 2010 - On Thursday afternoon I took two fun pictures at Circle B: one of Sandhill Cranes flying against the sunset sky, and another of the sunset landscape. Then I combined the two pictures in Photoshop Elements. I think the composition is fun...as long as I admit to the Photoshopping!... Sandhill Crane…... Read more
December 11, 2010 - Flock of White Ibis coming to roost I spotted a flock of at least 10 Sandhill Cranes flying in to roost.... Sandhill Crane Roost As I was taking my panorama shots, Dyeyo was counting -- there were at least 25 additional Sandhill Cranes roosting in the distance behind us, too!...…... Read more
November 16, 2010 - Sandhill Crane Then they flew off into the setting sun...... Sandhill Crane... Read more
November 10, 2010 - Our MFC Spirit magazine at work is having another photography contest and so I am entering a picture of the famous Circle B Sandhill Crane colt.... Sandhill Crane colt... Read more
October 17, 2010 - ...Things are certainly picking up at the Circle B Bar Reserve. Besides seeing the first American Coots of the season, this morning we saw a juvenile Bald Eagle doing some nice close fly-bys, three Roseate Spoonbills, and plenty of Gray Catbirds and Eastern Phoebes. Last night when we left at sunset, we said good night […] Read more
October 15, 2010 - ...The clear cooler days make for some beautiful sunsets. This oak tree was gorgeous with the orange sun backlight. Then I saw the neighborhood Sand Hill Cranes drinking of a pond, which was illuminated by the reflection of the sunset. I didn’t have my split neutral density filters with me, so I adjusted the picture […] Read more
September 18, 2010 - ...The sky was clear and the winds were northeast and there were not many migrants at the Circle B Bar Reserve this morning. It was a bit cooler, though, and a walk through the marsh at dawn is always pleasant. Thankfully I didn’t see any alligators, either! I started out on Heron Hideout and checked […] Read more
September 15, 2010 - ...It’s starting to feel a little like fall. The temperatures have cooled a few degrees, there’s a nice breeze in the evening, and the sun is shifting in the sky, causing the evening light to be great. Tonight we saw a total of five Sand Hill Cranes on our walk. Read more
September 12, 2010 - ...I keep running into photographers at the Circle B Bar Reserve who complain that nothing is happening. They remember the thousands of pelicans and myriad of other species seen last November through April. There isn’t as much activity now, but there’s still plenty to photograph, especially if you know where to look! The plan this […] Read more
September 10, 2010 - ...Tonight on our walk we came across these two Sand Hill Cranes. They were pretty close to the path and I started to photograph them. Then they moved off on the golf course, and I followed a few steps. I was glad I did, because they started to dance. I had just my 400mm prime […] Read more
August 15, 2010 - ...Dyeyo and I spent another great morning at the Circle B Bar Reserve today. We went with hopes of seeing some migratory warblers or wading birds. Dyeyo did see a Northern Parula, but our major excitements today were the Yellow-Crowned Night Warbler and the baby Black-Bellied Whistling Ducks! The sunrise was slow this morning. Dyeyo […] Read more
August 8, 2010 - Great-Crested Flycatcher We started to head out the Eagle Roost around to Wading Bird Way, but turned back when we started to feel raindrops. The rain kindly held off as we made our way back. On Heron Hideout, close to the parking lot trail, we ran into "Dyeyo's baby" Sandhill…... Read more
July 31, 2010 - ...Dyeyo and I spent a fun, but hot, morning at the Circle B Bar Reserve today. We got there just before sunrise, and watching the sun come up over Lake Hancock was spectacular. Then the sun went behind some clouds. We saw a juvenile Green Heron down at the start of the Alligator Alley trail, […] Read more
June 27, 2010 - ...Dyeyo and I enjoyed our hike around the Circle B Bar Reserve again this morning. We saw our usual assortment of birds and babies, plus a few surprises… The Black-Bellied Whistling Ducks continue to make Circle B their summer home. Their calls can be heard all over the marshes at all hours of the morning. […] Read more
June 20, 2010 - ...The beautiful sunrise this morning was just the start of a happy Father’s Day hike with Dyeyo at the Circle B Bar Reserve. We saw lots of baby birds! Sand Hill Cranes, Purple Gallinules, Common Moorhens, Grackles and Red-Winged Blackbirds, a Red-Bellied Woodpecker… The Black-necked Stilt babies that we have been watching for the past […] Read more
May 29, 2010 - ...The increasingly hot temperatures drove Dyeyo and me to the Circle B Bar Reserve at 6:30 this morning, to allow us time for birding before the heat set in. I was amazed to see the marsh at sunrise. It was like a whole other world, with dewdrops glistening in the rising sun, and the grasses […] Read more
May 16, 2010 - ...It was very hot but very fun to be back at the Circle B Bar Reserve this morning. Dyeyo and I took a nice long hike and saw some neat birds. I saw my first Eastern Meadowlark! I’ll wait until I have a better picture to post one, though. When we first arrived, we saw […] Read more
April 3, 2010 - ...When Dyeyo called to say that he’d seen a baby sand hill crane hatch at the Circle B Bar Reserve, I was very jealous. Then a few weeks later he reported seeing the new family at the same place several times in a row. So I had to go and see if I could get […] Read more