MSCNWR - 2-27-22 - 3-5-22

We lazed around until after lunch Sunday.  After the rain stopped, we got out and strolled around the Dees Trail.  We saw the HQ5 foraging in the backyard on our way to the trail.  We enjoyed an afternoon campfire, then called it a day.

On our way to the Dees Trail to figure out where we wanted to put the pedestrian counter, we ran into Mark LaSalle.  He was here to lead an Ecology Class on a trail walk along the Dees Trail.  He invited us to join them.  It was a no brainer.  We love going on a trail walk with Mark.

We got distracted again after lunch, when we found a sweet, little turtle on Camp Crane Drive.

After the walk, we got the Trail Counter installed on the Dees Trail and the tally's off of the FB trail counter and the crane lane vehicle counter.

The HQ5 have had company today.  There were as many as 8 Sandhill Cranes hanging together in the savanna and the VC backyard.

As roosting time neared, the HQ5 and an Unbanded foraged in the backyard.  As usual, when it was time to go to roost they flew off.  There was one strong Crane voice, some almost strong calls, a peeper call, and one Crane that sounded like a goose.

Three of the Cranes split away and came right back over the backyard.  Many clicks of the camera and they headed toward the North Gautier Unit.  A beautiful sight!!

Monday Pics:

We helped the Interns pressure wash and fill the DGF Tanks on Tuesday.  None of us dreamed it would take so long to fill the tanks.  We are so glad it is only 25 tanks, and not the 50 tanks that were used previously.

Tuesday Pics:

Wednesday, we had king cake and coffee with Melissa and Seth.  This is Seth's last week here as acting Project Manager.  

We put up signs on the Dees Trail and a few other piddling jobs around the VC.  When we went to put brochures in the Crane Lane Kiosk, we found someone had shot it.  Dang People!

We checked on the Orange Azaleas at the Escatawpa Trail.  They are much prettier than the last time we were there. 

We sat around a nice campfire then called it a day.

Wednesday Pics:

Thursday was another piddling kind of day.  We got our walk in along Crane Lane and the Dees Trail enjoying the early spring blooms.

We watched a Bluebird battle in the back yard of the VC.  These guys were serious.  It must be nesting season.

We installed the windshield on the Kubota and watered the native plant garden. 

 

We had another great campfire after our productive day.

Thursday Pics:

We piddled around all day Friday.  Our first check was on the Eagle nest at G11.  We still have not seen the first Eaglet in that nest.  Dang It!

We have been seeing a lone Crane flying over the camper heading toward the HQ Savanna Pond every night.  We were suspicious if maybe there was a nest in or near the pond.  After going on a wild crane nest hunt, we are assured there is not.   We did see the HQ5 while we were out there.

We manufactured another Dough Boy Deer Buster prototype.  Something had busted a hole in the netting of the feeder at Green Pond crop unit.  We changed the netting to wire and brought in the new prototype for testing. The battle has begun.

After a nice campfire, we were in for the night.

Friday Pics:

We got up early and took a walk with Janet Wright at the Fontainebleau Trail.  It was great to walk with our Mentor and about 20 other people.  She was a fabulous leader on our walk, as always.

While we were enjoying the nature walk, we had the first sighting of a Swallow-tailed Kite.  Unfortunately, Lauren was on a roll talking about the Sandhill Crane Refuge and missed getting a photo.  Oh well, the first sighting of a Swallow-tailed Kite is always exciting. 

After our walk, we took the short cut home.  We were kind of disappointed that there were only 5 Cranes hanging at the Browns Trail Crop Unit and Valentine Road.  It was not the Crane Circus that we usually see.

We admired the Great Blue Heron Rookery and the Geese in Valentine Pond.  When we got to East Valentine Savanna there were 3 Cranes hanging in the road.  That quickly changed to 9 Sandhill Cranes that flushed, circled, and called.  The Crane Circus is still live.

We got back, fixed a couple more Doughboy Deer Buster prototypes, and got a Dees Trail walk in.  The blooms are getting more interesting every day.

HQ5 were at the HQ feeder until a family of 4 decided to get a closer look, and away they went.

It was too humid for a campfire this afternoon, so away we went inside, to relax and get out of the wind.  

Saturday Pics:

 One more thing happened this week, the March issue of South Mississippi Living was published.

MSCNWR - 2-20-20- 2-26-22

We did a lot of walking and riding on Sunday.  Our first hike was the Escatawpa Trail.  It is not open yet, but is almost ready for the public.  We saw a lot of butterflies and found the Orange Azaleas beginning to bloom.  Spring must be around the corner.

Nana and Coco came for a visit at HQ and stayed most of the day.  They know where the yellow gold stash is.

We decided to continue our trail walks by walking the Fontainebleau Trail.  We checked on the trail counter, (which is still working), then walked the trail.

On our way back, we took the Browns Trail shortcut enjoying the Crane Circus.  Before we got to the big tent, (aka savanna), we saw a beautiful Bald Eagle perched in a tree at the Brown's Trail Pen.

The Circus was on when we were on our way out of the unit, (just this time it was people).  We saw 2 people that had stepped over the gate into the refuge and were looking for cranes at the fire break.  They said they didn't see the sign. then they said they thought the sign was meant for vehicles, then they went to their vehicle that was blocking the gate and thanked us for the information.  

Nana and Coco were still hanging around HQ when we got back.

A Gray Catbird enjoyed the suet at Camp Crane this afternoon.  It has been awhile since we have seen one.

We heard the Crane commotion going on at HQ late afternoon.  The HQ5 and RH20 were flushed by an overly zealous cell phone guru.  People need to realize these Cranes are not interested in human interactions.

The Cranes must have been hungry, they circled back and went back to the HQ feeder.  A couple went running toward them to get pictures with their dog off  leash.  Lauren told them to stay back and to put the dog on a leash.  They put the dog on a leash and sat on the back porch while the Cranes complained, but ate at the feeder, until the couple and their dog finally left.  After they left, the Cranes settled down, enjoying the corn and foraging in the back yard until it was time to go.  A little bit of Crane talk and away they went. 

Sunday Pics:

We met Angie for a walk at the FB Trail then had lunch at the Rib Crib.  It was a nice walk and a great lunch.  

On our way to the trail, we saw 16 cranes in Brights Pasture. It looked like they may have been Greater Sandhill Cranes.

We walked Crane Lane and the Dees Trail when we returned.  The Chipping Sparrows were very entertaining, getting their bath in the slough near the curve of Crane Lane.

We also saw a couple of Red-tailed Hawks and an American Kestrel gliding over the HQ savanna.

We were pleasantly surprised to find several Southern Coastal Violets blooming along the Dees Trail.  It is so nice to see a purple color with all the dormant plants.

Late afternoon, the HQ 5 and RH 20 Crew were feasting on the corn.  RH 20 has been hanging with the HQ5 on a regular basis.  We have renamed them the HQ Crew. 

Monday Pics:

Tuesday, we got some gardening chores done at the VC.  We cut back the Muhly Grass around the flagpole and cut back the dormant plants in the native plant garden.   Bring on the spring blooms!!

Banana, Coconut, and 2002 hung out at the VC for most of the day.  They were admired by the many that were visiting today.

We rewarded ourselves afterwards with daiquiris from Killer Crab.  A nice, cool drink on this hot, humid day.

The HQ Crew hung around in the savanna for most of the day.  They finally made a backyard appearance right before roost time.

Tuesday Pics:

Wednesday, we watched the HQ Crew in the backyard, while waiting for the fog to lift to do a grassland bird survey.  Scott, the Interns, and Us walked 2 quadrants.  Each quadrant was 15 acres.  The first quadrant walk was on a 4 year burn.  The second quadrant was on a 1 year burn.  Needles to say, it is a lot easier to walk in the newer burn. 

 

The fog may have lifted, but the hot, humidity did not.  It was brutal walking in this syrupy air.  Our mission was accomplished flushing 15 different species of birds on each quadrant.

We also saw 5 Sandhill Cranes in the savanna during the survey.

On our drive to the second quadrant, one of the parent Eagles was standing in the G15 nest.  The Eaglets were standing tall as well.

  

We came back to camp and rested and rehydrated for the rest of the day.   We heard what we thought was an Eastern Towhee.  We played his call on the phone to verify.  It was definitely, a Towhee, he flew up in a bush looking for the intruder.

The Pileated Woodpecker checked out the dead tree late afternoon.  Maybe he will nest here this spring.

Wednesday Pics: 

Thursday we got our walk in along Crane Lane and the Dees Trail.  We are seeing more and more bees and butterflies in this warm weather.  We are also seeing more blooms.

The Cranes were calling and jumping out in the savanna while we walked along Crane Lane.  A Northern Harrier was flying above the Toothache Grass hunting for his next meal.

We got a few chores done then settled in to Camp Crane for the evening.

Thursday Pics:

We had a very unique experience Friday.  We were guests of the Crane Recovery Microsoft Teams meeting. This is the second time that we have attended the recovery meeting, and our first web meeting. Scott introduced us to the Crane World as, "Super Volunteers".  Scott used several of Lauren's photos in his presentation.  One of which, was the 16 Cranes flying at North Valentine which is the background for the 2021 Mississippi Sandhill Crane Count. 

 

Andrew at White Oak Conservation. (our tour guide when we visited White Oak last year), also used one of Lauren's photos in his presentation.  It is a picture he took of Cranes in the North Valentine Savanna, that includes the 2020 and 2021 White Oak Cohorts.  He said more than once, that he loves this photo, seeing his cranes in their natural habitat.

The Audubon Species Survival Staff were able to identify a couple of their Cranes by the eye color in Lauren's picture of the HQ 5 walking through the Toothache Grass. 

 

It is awesome for a couple of rednecks to be acknowledged in the Crane World and to be invited to attend the 2021 Crane Recovery meeting.   Who would have thought that the last day of our 39th Anniversary Year we would be doing this when we got married.  Not us!!

After staring at the computer for 5 hours, we went for a walk along the Dees Trail, finding a very photogenic Brown-headed Nuthatch and finding some more Southern Butterworts in bloom.

The HQ5 made an appearance at HQ this afternoon.

Friday Pics:

Saturday, was our 40th Wedding Anniversary!!  We had a great day checking on the Cranes and the Eaglets.  Banana and Coconut were front row and center at the Crane Circus.

Valentine Pond is turning into a GBH rookery.  We saw 5 Great Blue Herons in the area.  Three of them were sitting in their nest.

The Eaglets at G15 have grown even more than the last time we saw them.  They had a little sibling rivalry going on today.  The older one, would flap his wings standing at the edge of the nest, then the 2 of them had a beak duel.  They were fun to watch.  Although, the limbs are in the way for a great photo.

When we turned around and came back by the nest, we couldn't see them.  They must have gotten worn out and went to sleep.

The only thing we saw at the G11 Eagle nest was an adult soar over.  Hopefully, the babies are in the nest, napping.

We wrapped up the day with a  nice campfire in our gated community.  It don't get much better than this!

Saturday Pics: