East Tennessee Sandhill Cranes

[skeet3t 0]

We are on the eastern migration route for these magnificent birds.

 

[Meeshka 0]

Wow Skeet,

I see these birds lots on migration flying in massive flocks and very high.  They often land in the field next to my farm but I've never been able to get that close for a good pic, even with a 400mm telephoto.  Nice Job.

 

Doug

[skeet3t 0]

I believe the wife took this photo. Writing an article on them. Will get a couple of links for your research as Canada is a major nesting site and migration route.

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/sandhill-crane

https://www.tn.gov/twra/hunting/migratory-birds/sandhill-crane.html

[mikechell 0]

This is from a few years ago ... but we can get kind of close to our Sandhills down here!

 

[The Mad Duck 0]

I see a few every year in NC, down towards the coast on a NWR where I photograph. They are pretty rare in NC.

[skeet3t 0]

Feeding wildlife makes them dependent on humans and they avoid natural foods. This is a problem with bears in the Great Smoky Mountains NP and the surrounding area. Gatlinburg requires bear-proof trash containers.

[mikechell 0]

We're not too concerned about the Cranes becoming dependent on a few pieces of bread once in a while.  They wander the neighborhood their entire lives, picking bugs and stuff out of the ground.  As you can see in the first photo, they even bring their young near.

I suppose they might attack if we stop feeding them.  😆

[skeet3t 0]

"We're not too concerned about the Cranes becoming dependent on a few pieces of bread once in a while."

Sort of like relatives? There are resident sandhill cranes in FL, MS and AL that don't migrate.

[BHouk 0]

We go every fall to the Jasper-Pulaski FWA in northern Indiana.  We have seen thousands of these as they congregate for their fall migration  DNR: Sandhill Cranes Fall Migration (in.gov)

Once you have seen them and heard them you will never forget them.  Twenty years ago we would see 15,000+ in late October.  Now the count is down to 5,000 or so in early December.  This is because they have found other places to congregate not because the population count has fallen.  They are a conservation success story here.  I understand they hunt them along the Mississippi flyway and are called the "tenderloin of the sky".  Not sure I could eat one... Beautiful birds.

[Meeshka 0]

2 hours ago, BHouk said:

Not sure I could eat one

Apparently pretty good eating.  Season just opened in Alberta for them last fall.  I'll stick to ducks and geese - all I need is another 700 decoys.