We will often have as many as a dozen sandhill cranes at the lake, but this couple never migrates and has lived here for years. This is the first year we've been able to see the actual nest. They have 2 eggs and the first one hatched today. The other egg should hatch soon. The nest is about 1,000 feet away, so not easy to see. Using a 400mm lens on the Canon, then doing 10x digital zoom we can watch pretty well. The baby is a big ball of yellow and orange fluff. It obviously has really long legs as it keeps falling down. Mom and Dad are not leaving.
to the funny side. A large flock of whistler ducks (actually they are geese), but they've been here for several months. About 3 weeks ago they all decided it would be great fun to start hanging out where the crane's have their nest. These whistlers have NEVER stayed on that side of the lake in the past. For the first week it drove the cranes crazy. Finally they just gave up. Then the ibis decided it must be the place to hang out, then the herons, and every other water bird in the area. The two ospreys are not welcome by the cranes, but the ospreys like to stand in the water and beat the crap out of sticks they find. Not sure what that is all about.
dave