Crex Meadows Sandhill Cranes

There were a large number of Sandhill Cranes at Phantom Lake.

 

Sandhill Cranes at Crex Meadows

Usuall a fall trip to Crex Meadows involves an overnight stay so we can watch the evening and morning flights to and from the flowage. With covid we have decided to only make day trips. We usually arrive about 10am so many of the Sandhill Cranes have already left for the surrounding fields. We did find a large number of them around Phantom Lake and were able to get some nice shots.

 

Crex Meadows Sandhill Cranes

Crex Meadows is one of the great places to watch the Greater Sandhill Crane fall migration.

 

Landing Sandhill Cranes

I was lucy to get a sequence of Sandhill Cranes comming in for a landing on a very windy day.

Sandhill Cranes and Colt

These were the last photographs of the season from the Gilbert Creek Wildlife area. We had seen this family of Sandhill Cranes a number of times this spring. As we watched they walked past a Red-winged Blackbird nest and came under attack.

 

Sandhill Crane and Colts

We were driving down to Gilbert Creek Wildlife Area and spotted a pair of Sandhill Cranes and two colts.

 

Sandhill Cranes under attack

A number of times this year I’ve seen Sandhill Cranes being attacked by Red-winged Blackbirds. Apparently they wander into the blackbirds nesting area. The cranes seem to ignore the blackbirds.

 

Another Visit to Gilbert Creek

None of the geese or the sandhill Cranes seem to be nesting.

Another V

Odds and Ends from Hoffman Hills

We have been seeing Sandhill Cranes in the area. More photos from Hoffman Hills can be found on my website.

There was a Wood Duck in the first pond.

Lots of last years Cattails are still around

 

Sandhill Cranes at Gilbert Creek

I have been seeing a couple of pair of Sandhill Cranes at Gilbert Creek. In the first shot there is a Red-winged Blackbird attacking the crane from behind. this is the first time I’ve seen blackbirds go after cranes. I caught the second one dancing for its Mate.