Sandhill Cranes with Chicks

[Second Hand Pat]

The Sandhill Cranes were nesting in the front pond on the property and the chicks finally hatched.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8705/17279978512_39d54d2c0b_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sjYpA1)DSC_8317 (https://flic.kr/p/sjYpA1) (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)

Cute little buggers.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7660/17281779545_013f3d5447_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sk8CYi)DSC_8318 (https://flic.kr/p/sk8CYi)

[Second Hand Pat]

So I decided to follow them around a bit. I could get no closer then about 100 feet without upsetting the parents.

Crossing the driveway.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8730/17255810486_65a2f6751a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/shQxgU)DSC_8320 (https://flic.kr/p/shQxgU)[/url]

The parents

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7718/17279965872_49653cffd1_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)DSC_8324 (https://flic.kr/p/sjYkQ5)[url=https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/]

[Second Hand Pat]

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7656/17279961102_2b599409f6_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sjYjpQ)DSC_8326 (https://flic.kr/p/sjYjpQ)[/url]

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7692/16659305094_eca07d1a0d_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)DSC_8328 (https://flic.kr/p/ro8i1b)[url=https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/],

[Second Hand Pat]

Hot day

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Wait for me

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8792/17095550999_8a638806a0_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)DSC_8347 (https://flic.kr/p/s3FaHi)[url=https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/]

[Second Hand Pat]

Where is it mom

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Right here. I will hand it to you.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8805/16659362274_b00d043a84_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)DSC_8374 (https://flic.kr/p/ro8A13)[url=https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/]

[Second Hand Pat]

Look, dad give me a grub

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7677/17093965508_5ba2ac012e_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s3x3pf)DSC_8390 (https://flic.kr/p/s3x3pf)[/url]
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Darn, it is stuck on my beak

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[Second Hand Pat]

Help mom

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All better.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8764/17279910392_35730ff6e3_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)DSC_8400 (https://flic.kr/p/sjY4kw)[url=https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/]

[brewmaster15]

AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME! did I SAY THATS AWESOME ?

One of my favorite birds and just so neat to see them with chicks.I have only been able to see adults. Beautiful!

Al

[Second Hand Pat]

AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME! did I SAY THATS AWESOME ?

One of my favorite birds and just so neat to see them with chicks.I have only been able to see adults. Beautiful!

Al

I hope to get more photo ops with them Al but note. Generally only one chick makes it but some pairs get lucky. :D
Pat

[blueluv]

Great photos ! I hope both chicks make to adulthood

[Second Hand Pat]

Great photos ! I hope both chicks make to adulthood

Me too Chris :D

[Keith Perkins]

Thanks for sharing Pat.

[Second Hand Pat]

Thanks for sharing Pat.

You are welcome Keith :)
Pat

[dagray]

Very nice Pat. What focal length?

We should have Sandhill Cranes here in a month or three. I just saw my first Curlew on Friday which means summer is officially here :)

[Second Hand Pat]

Thanks Dave, we have Sandhills here all year. They have made a huge comeback over the last 20 years. I was used a AF-S Nikkor 18-200mm 1:3.5-5.6GII ED if that answers your question. I was zoomed all the way out for the most part and many of the pictures were a bit out of focus. Still very much a beginner at photography. :)
Pat

[dagray]

Thanks Dave, we have Sandhills here all year. They have made a huge comeback over the last 20 years. I was used a AF-S Nikkor 18-200mm 1:3.5-5.6GII ED if that answers your question. I was zoomed all the way out for the most part and many of the pictures were a bit out of focus. Still very much a beginner at photography. :)
Pat

It does, if you were zoomed all the way out you would have been at the 200mm focal length as that lens is an 18mm-200mm focal length super zoom lens (super because of the huge range from wide angle to a telephoto) Pat, you can't fool me, you are no beginner, you have an eye for composition, you make your camera work for you, and while you are still learning so are the rest of us :)

[Second Hand Pat]

Aw, thanks Dave :D. I have drawn and played in different media since I was a kid so to some degree composition cames a bit natural to me. With these birds I followed them around for quite a while waiting for some nice shots but I was at the limit of my lens. Did manage to get some ok shots :)
Pat

[SMB2]

Great series. An awesome thing to be able to see. I have never seen them with chicks but I have had a chance to see them wintering in NM.
Hopefully you will get to spend some more time with them.

[Second Hand Pat]

Thanks Stan, I too hope they hang around for a while. Saw another pair yesterday with two very large chicks so this pair is a bit late but may have better chances of keeping both chicks with warmer weather.
Pat

[rickztahone]

I missed this earlier. Very nice set Pat. I'm so jealous that I couldn't photograph these beautiful birds!

[Second Hand Pat]

I missed this earlier. Very nice set Pat. I'm so jealous that I couldn't photograph these beautiful birds!

Need a telephoto lens Ricardo to do this justice. :(
Pat

[rickztahone]

Need a telephoto lens Ricardo to do this justice. :(
Pat
Tamron 70-300 4-5.6 would serve you well there and it won't break the bank right around $300. But I know you just bought the macro so maybe down the line

[Second Hand Pat]

Tamron 70-300 4-5.6 would serve you well there and it won't break the bank right around $300. But I know you just bought the macro so maybe down the line

Thanks Ricardo, believe Len got that one.

[Second Hand Pat]

Took two videos of the parents with chicks. I wasn't sure it I would find them but they were right where I left them yesterday. In this first video you will see one of the parents defend the family against a cat. It was my cat. Blaze would not have bothered the birds but the parents do not know that. They only want the cat out of their space. The cat followed me and I did not know that until I saw one of the parents become alert.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgDWubtCURc

[dagray]

Pat, here is another option Sigma 70-300 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/549301-REG/Sigma_5A9306_70_300mm_f_4_5_6_DG_Macro.html $169.00

I had the Tamron and now have the Sigma as I killed the Tamron.

Also Keh.com has a few old 600mm f8 mirror lenses (manual focus) that are fun for birding and they have a strange bokeh (around $150.00).

[Second Hand Pat]

In this video the parents are feeding the chicks. You will see the parents pick grubs and offer it to the chicks.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0cKl7yleWo

[Second Hand Pat]

Pat, here is another option Sigma 70-300 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/549301-REG/Sigma_5A9306_70_300mm_f_4_5_6_DG_Macro.html $169.00

I had the Tamron and now have the Sigma as I killed the Tamron.

Also Keh.com has a few old 600mm f8 mirror lenses (manual focus) that are fun for birding and they have a strange bokeh (around $150.00).

Thanks Dave, I will check that out.
Pat

[Ryan]

There is a pair of these along a rural highway in my county and for some reason they nested about 10 feet from the edge of the pavement. Every day when I drive by they're standing there with their chick. I'm afraid it's going to get hit. :(

Funny, my family has incorrectly called these whooping cranes for years, probably since my grandpa was a kid. Unfortunately the whooping crane numbers are critically low here and I don't think I've ever seen a real one alive in the wild.

[Second Hand Pat]

I have not seem one either Ryan but understand they do have a population of them in Osceola county.
Pat

[brewmaster15]

My best hunting grounds for these have always been Myakka River State Park and surrounding areas in FL. ..I have taken many pics of them over the years..but thats the only place I ever could get close.Beautiful birds.

[Second Hand Pat]

Al, did you see the videos a couple of posts up?
Pat

[Second Hand Pat]

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8700/16684560784_699c62b37c_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rqmJD7)DSC_8430 (https://flic.kr/p/rqmJD7) [/url]

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8781/16686742883_5cebfd5ef5_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)DSC_8433 (https://flic.kr/p/rqxViv) [url=https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/]

[scribbes]

wonderful pics and video! My kids spent the morning trying to walk around the house like these guys!

[Second Hand Pat]

wonderful pics and video! My kids spent the morning trying to walk around the house like these guys!

I have the walk perfected but fun for the kids. :D
Pat

[Second Hand Pat]

Found the cranes late in the day and only had my iphone...

Kids are at the waters edge being kids :)
86874

86875

[brewmaster15]

Those chicks are growing fast... amazing how quickly birds fledge and fly away!!

al

[Second Hand Pat]

Those chicks are growing fast... amazing how quickly birds fledge and fly away!!

al

Oh boy Al, you have that right and the parents and chicks are ranging further too. Needed of course with larger food needs for the chicks. Cool thing is both chicks are doing very well.
Pat

[Second Hand Pat]

Found them close today...

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8697/17183644780_dc79552ff6_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sbsEVA)DSC_8732 (https://flic.kr/p/sbsEVA) [/url]

Tough being the little guy
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I'm going to be just like my daddy some day.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8811/16750940923_291c04c27d_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)DSC_8765 (https://flic.kr/p/rwdX9g)

Hey mom, wait for us
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Where's that grub
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My family
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7778/17185028469_0ce6be7984_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)DSC_8805 (https://flic.kr/p/sbzLfi)

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7763/16748743834_c422aa4895_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/)DSC_8814 (https://flic.kr/p/rw2G2q) [url=https://www.flickr.com/people/129594174@N08/]

[rickztahone]

Very beautiful birds. TFS Pat. I hope you can watch them progress while they are in your area :)

[brewmaster15]

From the photos, I get the impression one chick is distinctly bigger then the other?

al

[Second Hand Pat]

Very beautiful birds. TFS Pat. I hope you can watch them progress while they are in your area :)

Thanks Ricardo, they are letting me get a little closer so the photos are getting better. I hope I can too.
Pat

[Second Hand Pat]

From the photos, I get the impression one chick is distinctly bigger then the other?

al

Very true Al and I notice that the larger one gets the lion's share of the food. :(
Pat

[brewmaster15]

Very true Al and I notice that the larger one gets the lion's share of the food. :(
Pat

Pat its hard to watch sometimes but nature is very pragmatic. If the year is a very lean one, the smaller chick will not survive as the larger stronger one will get the food. If the year is a good one with lots of available food, The smaller weaker one will probably have a better chance of surviving.

al

[Second Hand Pat]

Pat its hard to watch sometimes but nature is very pragmatic. If the year is a very lean one, the smaller chick will not survive as the larger stronger one will get the food. If the year is a good one with lots of available food, The smaller weaker one will probably have a better chance of surviving.

al

Al, in my experience with these birds (over the years) it is rare for a pair to raise two chicks but this seems to be a good year as I have seen quite a few pairs with two chicks where the chicks are quite a bit older then the chicks in these pictures. So I am hopeful both chicks will make it. :)
Pat

[brewmaster15]

So Am I .:) cranes are not exactly thriving as habitat shrinks. They could use a boost in population.
al