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Post by bowbum on Aug 4, 2015 8:55:10 GMT -5
We've been seeing increasing numbers of visits by sandhill cranes and it now appears some have established our area as their territory. They are noisy buggers but pretty neat to see:
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Post by dennyf on Aug 4, 2015 9:52:00 GMT -5
Weren't they on the verge of extinction just a few decades ago? Guess it's a good thing they're still around, even if they make too much noise? You needed to be up anyway. Ain't gonna conquer many "honey dos" staying in bed all morning. popcorn Around here we have oodles of ospreys, eagles and herons. Many of which have found our gunclub's feesh pond and seem to have it on their daily visitation schedules. The guys that run our club's co-op trout operation are not amused to hear about large goldens and rainbows being scooped out of the pond. First time I was taking a break from mowing and watched an osprey snatch a large golden from the pond, thought it was pretty neat. An opinion not universally shared.  |
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Post by buzz on Aug 4, 2015 9:58:49 GMT -5
Cool pic's !!
Reminds me of a funny story that happened to me about 5 years ago. I was out mowing the lawn, I mow about 8 acres, so one can imagine how much beer that takes.....  Part way through mowing, and a few beers ...several beers into mowing, I look up toward my house, and there is a peacock standing by my house........
As you can imagine, I did a double take, and questioned just how many beers I drank. I drove back to the house and got the wife to come out and confirm I wasn't loosing my mind........well, at least for that moment........
It wandered off about 15 minutes later. Near as I can figure it wandered over here from a hobby farmer a few miles away who usually has a few of them running around free range on his farm, although he denies it could have been one of his. Them buggers are noisy in the mornings to, so I am glad it wandered off............... |
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Post by bowbum on Aug 4, 2015 16:22:10 GMT -5
Weren't they on the verge of extinction just a few decades ago? Guess it's a good thing they're still around, even if they make too much noise? You needed to be up anyway. Ain't gonna conquer many "honey dos" staying in bed all morning. popcorn Around here we have oodles of ospreys, eagles and herons. Many of which have found our gunclub's feesh pond and seem to have it on their daily visitation schedules. The guys that run our club's co-op trout operation are not amused to hear about large goldens and rainbows being scooped out of the pond. First time I was taking a break from mowing and watched an osprey snatch a large golden from the pond, thought it was pretty neat. An opinion not universally shared. I'm thinking you're right Denny....at least about some concern over their dwindling numbers. I never hunted them but they are a popular game bird in Canada. Enjoyed watching the mating ritual, (always have), while fishing in Sask.
As for getting up early and "honey dos"....if you only knew. Our summer has been completely trashed by trusting a remodel job to someone with "impeccable credentials" and vetted by Lowes. Our 1-1/2 week job is now a full two months behind schedule and has at least this week before completion. And there are 'again" problems and miscommunications, even after several meetings. It's almost "lawyer time."
So, I'm keeping real busy to burn down the stress level. Plus a neighbor called DEP when she saw we were cleaning out the creek with an excavator......but we got a clean go-ahead from DEP. Sheesh!
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Post by Dutch on Aug 4, 2015 20:01:44 GMT -5
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Post by dennyf on Aug 4, 2015 21:49:39 GMT -5
Nah, ev'r-bo-dy knows Whoopin' Cranes were in trouble. Though some species of Sandhill Cranes were too?
Found dis here on that thar Wikipedia:
Though sandhill cranes are not considered threatened as a species, the three southernmost subspecies are quite rare. Resident populations, not migratory birds, cannot choose secure breeding habitat. Many subpopulations were destroyed by hunting or habitat change.
The greater sandhill crane proper initially suffered most; by 1940, probably fewer than 1,000 birds remained. Populations have since increased greatly again. At nearly 100,000, they are still fewer than the lesser sandhill crane, which, at about 400,000 individuals, is the most plentiful crane alive today.
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Post by bowbum on Aug 5, 2015 7:35:13 GMT -5
Nah, ev'r-bo-dy knows Whoopin' Cranes were in trouble. Though some species of Sandhill Cranes were too? Found dis here on that thar Wikipedia: Though sandhill cranes are not considered threatened as a species, the three southernmost subspecies are quite rare. Resident populations, not migratory birds, cannot choose secure breeding habitat. Many subpopulations were destroyed by hunting or habitat change. The greater sandhill crane proper initially suffered most; by 1940, probably fewer than 1,000 birds remained. Populations have since increased greatly again. At nearly 100,000, they are still fewer than the lesser sandhill crane, which, at about 400,000 individuals, is the most plentiful crane alive today. Yeah, I haven't seen a whooping crane since the first and only one I ever saw, in the 1950's in Sullivan County.
" the three southernmost subspecies are quite rare. Resident populations, not migratory birds, cannot choose secure breeding habitat. Many subpopulations were destroyed by hunting or habitat change."
You got it right Denny!
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Post by Dutch on Aug 5, 2015 19:20:31 GMT -5
In 1941, there were 21 whoopers left.
Only about 400 now.
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