mbdaines Loc: Sarasota FL

In case you folks have not seen this yet:

I found this very recent and beautiful post on DP Review documenting a sandhill crane family filmed in Vero Beach. I hope you all enjoy, I certainly did. It is beautiful, but has a sad ending...

This is the direct link to the YouTube video by stitchlips

"Take a small peek inside the incredible life of these awesome birds."

https://youtu.be/Obc2-SmlZV8

Sherry1222 Loc: Palm Coast, Florida

Thank you so much for sharing this. What a great way to start a Sunday morning.
It was just a beautiful video story.

Sherry

jgm

Appreciate you posting the link.

Mile Loc: Crescent City Calif

happy and sad all at once really enjoyed the video thanks for posting

denwin580 Loc: Kettering, Ohio

I too have lived in Florida and photographed these beautiful birds. I lived across from a lake and have witnessed one of the parents being eaten by a bobcat. That night , and for two weeks that other parent, cried incessantly for the lost mate. It especially cried at night, and drove us crazy. The pictures of the flying lessons are very similar to the mating dances of the adults, which is a hoot to watch.

bookman Loc: Southeast Michigan

Not trying to hijack your post but the video reminded me that there can be beauty even in death.

About thirty years ago while driving home from I noticed a Mallard duck pair swimming lazily in the roadside ditch that was filled with water, only about eight feet off the side of a very busy highway. I live in an area of Michigan that abounds in lakes and rivers and I wondered why they would take up residence in a water-filled ditch. I looked for them every night on the way home and there they were in the same ditch, which seemed perpetually wet and even had some cattails growing out of one side. But still, too close to the 50 mph traffic; not a good place to start a family.

I saw them there for several days and looked forward to seeing them on my long drive home from work and then, tragically, one evening, I saw the drake lying dead beside the highway. Beside him, next to her fallen mate, was the female, sitting less than two feet off the side of the road. The next night she was sitting in the same spot, keeping vigil over her lost companion...and the next day, a Friday evening. I couldn't tell if she had even moved from her spot.

Driving past the ditch on the following Monday evening I saw the body of the drake lying in the same place...and the body of his mate about ten feet down the shoulder of the road where she must have wandered too close to the traffic or was the victim of some ignorant asshole who thought to get his kicks by swerving over and hitting her. After all this time I can still see the scene with that brave little duck trying, and losing in the end, to guard the body of her fallen companion. The grief emanating from her was palpable but so was her determination to stay with her fallen mate.

Thanks for posting the video about the cranes.

Howard5252 Loc: New York / Florida (now)

Excellent video.

lenscape

THANKS