Crane Ranch - 12-25-22 - 12-31-22

It was a great start to the week on this cold Christmas Day.  This year's cohort group was hanging around HQ when we headed out for a refuge tour.

We usually turn off the radio when we are touring around.  Not today.  We listened to Christmas Carols, and maybe sang a few while we were out and about.

We may not have had a White Christmas, but we did have white feathers floating in the icy Elbert's Pond.

We had a great tour of the Gautier Units with lots of Sandhill sightings, along with some other critters.  Nothing like Christmas, Cranes, and Critters.

Late afternoon, Barnie was barking and the Cranes were calling.  We found the HQ 10 scattered under the oaks and at the feeder.  The Cranes were calling, jumping, throwing sticks and Spanish moss up in the air in response to the barking.  The mistletoe that had fallen out of the oak tree added some Christmas decor.

We had a total of 35 Sandhill Crane sightings.  Not only has it been a Sunday Fun-day, but a great Christmas Day!

Merry Christmas:

We took Monday off to go to Clyde's son's funeral in Raleigh. When we returned, the HQ 10 were foraging in the back yard.

 

Monday Pics: 

Tuesday, was back to work day.  We went on a mission to repair a handle on a blind at Woodlake.  We took a wrong turn and winded up rerouting through the Ocean Springs Unit.  It was a very enjoyable ride seeing 7 cranes, a few deer, and other critters.

We took the scenic route back home through Browns Trail.  We saw bunches of cranes, an Eagle, and some other critters. 

This afternoon, we cleaned up the feeder and the water bucket at HQ.  As we were leaving the parking lot, the HQ 10 flew over and landed by the pen.  After a bit, they came sashaying through the grass to the backyard.  They thoroughly enjoyed the easy pickens of the corn that had spilled out on the ground.  We watched them from the road with a lot of nice folks, before calling it a day.

Tuesday Pics:

We had another great Crane Tour on Wednesday.  We were supposed to have 6 people, only 4 showed up. The 2 that missed the tour missed out.  We had 21 Sandhill Crane sightings while driving around.  Plus the 9 cranes that were present when we opened the visitor center.  A 30-crane day!

Sometimes, we have to think of things to talk about while we are riding around, but not on this 2-hour tour.  The folks were very engaging.  

After the tour we did a few measly chores for the refuge, hiked the Dees Trail, then called it a day.  Another great day at the Sandhill Crane Ranch. 

Wednesday Pics:

While riding around the North Gautier Unit evaluating refuge boundary signs for replacement, we saw a bunch of cranes.  They were having a good ole time jumping around in the savanna.

We also saw a juvenile and adult Bald Eagle hanging around Valentine Pond.

The HQ gang was hanging around HQ again today.  They are so entertaining to watch.

Thursday Pics:

Friday was a rainy day.  For our entertainment, we watched the cranes from inside the visitor center.  It looked like a lake in the backyard.  They didn't seem to mind.  They continued with their usual foraging and chasing each other in the downpours.  The only thing that startled them was when it thundered.

 Friday Pics:

Saturday, we worked in the visitor center until noon.  Although, it doesn't feel like work when you have nice folks to talk to and 10 cranes to watch outside the back door.  

After we closed, we took a stroll along the Dees Trail.  Our plans to build a campfire changed when it started to rain.  Not a problem, we pulled out the awning and enjoyed a fire by the  propane firepit.  The last day of 2022 has been great!

Saturday Pics:

Crane Ranch - 12-18-22 - 12-24-22

Sunday we went to Crossroads to winterize the house.  We had a marvelous time at Erica's for the Williams Family Christmas get together.  We had to use the gate code for our gated community when we returned Sunday night.

Monday morning, a Hispid Cotton Rat joined the Doves, Red-winged Blackbirds, American Goldfinches, Blue Jays, and Towhees at the feeder.

The HQ 10 hung around the visitor center for most of the day.  They are quite entertaining.

We were finally able to get some photos of the 2022 cohorts with the Crane Crossing sign in the background. 

 

We got the mileage and checked fire extinguishers at the visitor center.  We took some brochures to the Fontainebleau Trail taking the scenic route through Browns Trail.  Banana and Coconut were chomping down at the Browns Trail Pasture.  We always know it is them when they don't fly away.

After we returned, we wrapped pipes at Camp Crane in preparation for the upcoming cold weather.

Monday Pics:

Tuesday, we took Jake's Mom, Dad, and Brother on a tour of the refuge on this cold, rainy day.  They were greeted by the HQ crew when they arrived at the visitor center.

Banana and Coconut were right on cue, hanging out at North Valentine Savanna with cranes 2002, Milhouse, and 2005.

We saw a full bellied Cottonmouth on our way out of the refuge. 

The Power Family were a lot of fun and were very engaging on this 2-hour tour.

Tuesday Pics:

Wednesday, the Crane Tour fun continues.  We had 6 people on the tour.  Of course, the pressure to see cranes was off when the HQ 10 were present in the backyard when they arrived.

The cloudy day did not dampen the mood.  We had 31 crane sightings after we left the visitor center, along with a few other critters.

We saw what appeared to be our first Greater Sandhill Cranes of the season.  They were foraging along with a couple of Mississippi Sandhill Cranes.

Dougie and Family were foraging in Brights Pasture along with the cows.

All in all, we had 41 Sandhill Crane sightings.  Not a bad way to spend a cloudy day.

Wednesday Pics:

Thursday, we were pleasantly surprised when Mayong, one of the FB recently released cranes, was hanging out in the backyard with the HQ 10.

                                       

  We went to FB pen to see if we could get a visual on Wyaluigi, her last remaining cohort. We climbed up in the blind and saw 5 cranes foraging in the savanna.  About a 150 yards from them were 2 coyotes.  Thankfully, the coyotes and the cranes were walking in opposite directions from each other.

  

We have a new claim to fame at the refuge, our first sighting of a live coyote on the refuge.

We made a ride through Browns Trail hoping to find Wyaluigi.  We found a bunch of cranes, but not the one we were looking for.

We went back to the FB pen with a spotting scope and verified that the cranes were the 2021 cohorts.  

We won't be able to find out where Wyaluigi is until Scott gets settled in over seas.

This afternoon, we loped limbs around HQ.  After a couple of loads, we called it quits and will work on it again another day.

Thursday Pics:

We received a message from Robin Friday morning, that Ember, one 2022 cohorts was limping and the other cranes were bullying her.  After watching her for a while, her gait improved. 
She got better as the day progressed.

Mayong is still hanging with the HQ 10.  We are hopeful that Wyalugi is ok wherever he is.

The high temperature for the day happened this morning.  We are dripping water in the hopes of preventing busted water pipes.  It has been in the 20's since this afternoon.

Saturday, we woke up with temps in the lower 20s on this Christmas Eve morning.  When the temperature got up to the mid 30's we took a quick walk.  We saw cranes walking toward the pen.  We realized why when we saw 8 people on the back porch watching them through spotting scopes.  

Crane Ranch - 12-11-22 - 12-17-22

It was a foggy start to the morning on Sunday, then the rain started.  When we went to get the keys for the truck, the HQ 10 were hanging around the building.  When we came back, they were still hanging around.  They have made this place home.

We didn't see the first crane on the South Gautier Unit, just a few deer and a few other birds. The critters must be hunkered down on this rainy day.

The North Gautier Unit was a little bit more active.  We saw several cranes out in the savanna.  We only took a few pics while we were out and about.  

Sunday Pics:

Monday morning, we had a smorgasbord of birds at Camp Crane. 

On our way to HQ the HQ 10 were hanging around.  It is so good to see these guys on a daily basis.

We did a little bit of piddling, getting the new bench installed on the Dees Trail.

After a Walmart run, we took a stroll along Crane Lane and the Dees Trail.  We found Pineland Daisies adorning Crane Lane.  Something we look forward to every year.

We also found a bunch of different mushrooms, some of them were along Crane Lane, but most of them were along the Dees Trail.

On the walk back to Camp Crane, we saw the 10-some still hanging around.  A couple of them were foraging on corn that was spilled from the bio truck, 2 were at the HQ feeder, and the others were foraging at the end of the building.  They are definitely making themselves home at the HQ.

A late afternoon crane fly bye and they were gone to roost for the night.  This never gets old!!

Monday Pics:

Tuesday I woke up hearing what I thought was the crane ring tone on my phone.  Instead, it was the sound of the HQ 10 in the backyard of HQ.  A great sound to wake up to.

We did a little bit of piddling, walked Crane Lane and the Dees Trail, then relaxed at Camp Crane.

Tuesday Pics:

The HQ 10 hung around all day again Wednesday.  They sure do fill up the back yard.

We got a little wet when we updated the plant markers on the Dees Trail, luckily the shower didn't last very long.

We made a few more deer buster feeders.  Our new design had to be modified again.  They changed the way they are making the duct caps.  We will have to figure something else out.

We stayed outside for most of the day, enjoying this warm, December day.  Tomorrow the weather turns cooler.

Thursday, on our way to HQ, some of the HQ 10 were crossing Crane Lane.  It took a few years, but Crane Lane is living up to it's name.

We had one person on the first Fall 2022 Crane Tour this morning.  Which is a great way to ease back into the tours.

We saw a few cranes and a few other species of birds during the tour.

One of the highlights of the tour was when one Eagle flew in and the other flew out swapping out nest sitting duties.

After we got back, Lauren got ole Billy Goat out and blew off Crane Lane while I made Christmas Candy. 

Thursday Pics:

Friday, we thought the cranes were not around when we went in to work.  We thought wrong.  They were near the front door, so to the backdoor we went.

While manning the visitor center, we worked in the native plant garden, taking plenty of breaks to talk with the nice folks that stopped by to visit.

Friday Pics:

Saturday morning we had a temperature of 50 when we woke up.  When we got back from the Crane Tour, the temperature had dropped to 47 with cloudy skies and a breeze.  Old man winter is back.

The 5 folks on the tour were greeted by the HQ 10 when they arrived.  

We saw a few cranes and a few other bird species during the tour.  One of the visitors asked how many different species of woodpeckers are on the refuge.  She had never heard of  the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.  All of the sudden, what shall appear, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker on a nearby tree.  He was right on cue.

After we returned, we did a fast walk on the Dees Trail collecting the phenology data, then hunkered inside for the rest of the day.  

On a very sad note, Samus, one of the recently released cranes at Fontainebleu was found dead.  RIP Samus.

Saturday Pics: