JUL 15, 25.. OUR WILD CRANES HAVE RETURNED FOR A SECOND YEAR 2025 VISIT..

 On June the 28th, we published a Post showing the Cranes first visit with us this Summer of 2025. In case you haven't see this prior Post, clicking on the below link will enable you to look at it.

https://bobbacaps.blogspot.com/2025/06/jun-28-25-our-wild-cranes-have-returned.html

Now we will share with you photos of their second visit on July the 7th.

Patti was just relaxing, looking out across the street from our bedroom when suddenly she called to me.. "Cap! Come quick! The Cranes are back!"

So out I dashed with my Smart Phone to shoot some more photos.

During their first visit, the Cranes were out in our backyard.

During this visit, they were out in front of our Condo.

As they were out crossing the street in front of our Condo, they calmly ignored and paid no attention to several passing vehicles. 

The vehicle drivers were very aware of them as they drove past very slowly and did not honk their horns at the Cranes.

Below is a link to our June 11, 2024, visit from the Cranes.

https://bobbacaps.blogspot.com/2024/06/jun-11-24-our-wild-cranes-have-returned.html

Smiling..

Cap and Patti

JUN 28, 25.. OUR WILD CRANES HAVE RETURNED FOR A YEAR 2025 VISIT..

 I was literally sitting here at our laptop, mentally "wringing my hands" and sad and frustrated because, so far, we have not published any Posts on Google Blogspot yet in June 2025.

Then (Who knows why? A nudge from a Guardian Angel?) I casually glanced outside and there they were. Two wild Sandhill Cranes en route North! 

Our personal, very first ever sighting of the Cranes here at our Condo, occurred two years ago on Saturday, June the 10th, 2023, when the below two cranes just casually wandered into our lives out in front of our Condo.

They seemed to have absolutely no fear of us!

Two photos showing last years Crane visit on May the 26th, 2024.

Voila! Our visit on June 28th, 2025.

In Early Spring, sandhill cranes migrate north and can be seen in a variety of states in the West and Midwest, including Colorado, New Mexico, Nebraska, Montana, Illinois and Indiana. 80 percent of all sandhill cranes in North America use a 75-mile stretch of Nebraska’s Platte River during spring migration. From March to April, more than 500,000 birds spend time in the area preparing for the long journey north to their breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska.

As summer approaches sandhill cranes are usually spotted in the most northern regions of the contiguous U.S. and in Canada and Alaska. About one-third of the entire North American population of sandhill cranes breeds in the boreal forest of Canada and Alaska. Outside of the Americas, they can be found as far north as Siberia.

As fall approaches, the cranes then reverse this treacherous journey and start to head South again.

We are just thrilled to have seen the Cranes again.

Out in our back yard area.

The Cranes "were on the move" so I had to race out back to photograph them the best I was able to accomplish.

And off they strolled!

Not that they can hear us but.. 

"Cranes. Thanks so very much for your third visit with us!"

Cap and Patti

JUN 11, 24 .. OUR WILD CRANES HAVE RETURNED FOR A YEAR 2024 VISIT..

One year ago, last June the 10th, 2023, Patti and I, along with all of our neighbors, were visited by migrating (sandhill) cranes.

We published two Posts about their visit. If you would like to step back a year in time, and see last years posts, you may do so by clicking onto the two below links.

https://bobbacaps.blogspot.com/2023/06/jun-16-23-12-when-what-to-our-wondering.html

https://bobbacaps.blogspot.com/2023/06/jun-16-23-22-when-what-to-our-wondering.html

Last year, it was June the 10th, 2023, Patti and I were sitting out in front of our condominium in our truck getting ready to back out and do some shopping, when Patti very animatedly said..

"Cap! Quick! Look at the lawn!"

I immediately looked up and Patti and I saw two, wild cranes.

For much more, please click onto the above two links.

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Below is our June 2024, migrating (sandhill) cranes visit.

Deja vu is the feeling that you have already experienced something that is actually happening for the first time.

Can one have Deja vu revisited?

A few weeks ago (May the 26th) we were sitting in our condo living room, looking out at our green strip. 

I saw something out to our right, near some utility cabinets in the far distance, and asked Patti was it a large dog that I was seeing.

Patti looked out and said .. "Cap it's a wild crane!"

I grabbed my smart phone and out running I went. 

The crane on the right below, flapped its wings and looked like it was going to fly away but then changed its mind.

The cranes that visited us last year were not at all intimidated by my presence. This pair were not "spooked" by me but were decidedly "cautious" about my presence and did not approach me as did last years two visitors.

Below is a partial photo of the front page of todays June 11th Anchorage Daily News (ADN). 

As you can see in the above and below photos, our wild cranes remain front page news.

As you can see the above parents now have two young cranes. 

So they sure are NOT migrating!

Baby sandhill cranes are called colts, because of their long strong legs. Sandhill cranes mate for life and lay two eggs that incubate for about a month.

Well, at least for now, "there you have it" for our 2024 sandhill crane visit.

Cap and Patti

Update : Late Tuesday evening, June the 18th, we had two cranes again visit us. They were "on their way through" and did not stop nor could I catch up to them to shoot more photos.

JUN 16, 23 (1/2) .. WHEN.. WHAT TO OUR WONDERING EYES SHOULD APPEAR.. WILD CRANES..

Prologue : I want to thank two of our friends who greatly helped me with these two Posts. Gullible, who borders on being a  "professional birder" and Linda in Florida, who sent me the link I am including in this Post. Gullible said we were really lucky to see them so closely.

In my "minds eye", a Crane is a very large piece of construction machinery!

In her 60 years of living here in Anchorage, Alaska, this was Patti's very first ever, wild (sandhill) crane sighting.

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Let's start out here with a very common generalization : Where on Earth does the time fly away to?

It seems like "Yesterday" but it was last Saturday, June the 10th, when Patti and I were out in front of our Condo, getting into our truck to do some shopping, when Patti very animatedly said to me.. 

"Cap! Quick! Look at the lawn!"

I did! Then I immediately grabbed my smart phone and began to "capture" two, wild, Sandhill Cranes. One was calmly (and I mean CALMLY) strolling our way. You can see the second Crane in the background.

Onward the "Leader of the Pack of Two Cranes" continued towards me.

These were not long-lens telephoto photos! Oh No! This chap was actually this close to me. I wished that I had something to hold out to him.

The up-close Crane, being far more aggressive (I am assuming the Crane in the background is his female mate) seems very curious about who I am, and what am I doing in his world?

The leader had absolutely, positively, no apparent fear or any discomfort as I was snapping away photographing him. The other Crane was quite happy to remain in the background.

 

Out onto the pavement he strolled.

Rather "brazen" (bold and without shame) of you Mate!

Behind him, his mate was keeping tabs on the surroundings.

Right out into the street his mate strolled.

Then she looped around and very sprightly caught up with him!

And? The time had come for Patti and me to move into our day and take leave of our wild, Sandhill Cranes. 

Below is the link that Linda in Florida sent for us all to enjoy.

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

Thanks so very much Linda.

Again, Gullible, thanks for your coaching me on this adventure.

Smiles,

Cap and Patti and we presume the Sandhill Cranes!

Please continue down to see Part 2 of 2.