Taking a Breather …. #Wordless Wednesday #Sandhill Cranes

Wordless Wednesday – allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

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About Linda Schaub

This is my first blog and I enjoy writing each post immensely. I started a walking regimen in 2011 and in 2013 I decided to create a blog as a means of memorializing the people, places and things seen on my daily walks. I have always enjoyed people watching, so my blog is peppered with folks I meet or reflections of characters I have known through the years. Often something piques my interest, or evokes a pleasant memory from my memory bank, so this becomes a “slice o’ life” blog post. I respect and appreciate nature and my interactions with Mother Nature’s gifts is also a common theme. Sometimes the most-ordinary items become fodder for points to ponder over and touch upon. I retired in March 2024 after a career in the legal field. I was a legal secretary for almost 45 years, primarily working in downtown Detroit, then working from my home. I graduated from Wayne State University with a degree in Mass Communications (print journalism) in 1978, though I’ve never worked in that field. I would like to think this blog is the writer in me finally emerging!! Walking and writing have met, shaken hands and the creative juices are flowing in Walkin’, Writin’, Wit & Whimsy. I hope you think so too. - Linda Schaub
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77 Responses to Taking a Breather …. #Wordless Wednesday #Sandhill Cranes

  1. rajkkhoja's avatar rajkkhoja says:

    Beautiful capture the natural picture.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Wonderful shots!

    Liked by 1 person

  3. I wonder If this is a nesting place for them? I remember you mentioning that you saw them as you were driving away.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      I was wondering that too Wayne – in fact I wondered if the one on the ground was sitting on a nest? I should have gone back a few weeks later – maybe they were walking around with their colt – of course, if they were still far away I couldn’t get close and probably wouldn’t have been able to see it in all the brush and high grass. I didn’t see them there when I was there in June (Father’s Day).

      Like

  4. Dave's avatar Dave says:

    One watching over the other…

    Liked by 1 person

  5. A bird I would love to see. No a bird we have here.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      I saw my first Sandhill Crane just last year Andy – three of them landed and grazed for about an hour – I was ecstatic. I thought it was odd as I’ve never seen them in this park or in my area before. So it was great seeing more this year. They are beautiful with the red heart-shaped feathers on their head.

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Rebecca's avatar Rebecca says:

    What a treat for you! These cranes show up in the late fall/winter here. I love to see them.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      Yes it was a real treat Rebecca. I was wondering if the one on the ground was sitting on a nest – I was too far away to tell. I hope they will be regularly stopping by this park – I never saw them before last year.

      Liked by 1 person

  7. trumstravels's avatar trumstravels says:

    Ah I love Sandhill Cranes, so prehistoric looking and it looks like one is watching out for the other one.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      This is only the second time I’ve seen them here Susan – maybe they’re hanging out here more often which I am happy about. I wondered if the one on the ground might be sitting on a nest? I like how it mate (or friend) is standing guard too.

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  8. Nice shots of the cranes, Linda. Is that a baby one I spy in the last pic? What are they called? Chicks, cranelings?

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    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      Thank you Terri – If only they had been closer to me. I wish it was a baby in the last picture, but I was moving around trying to find the best angle to take the photo and so it is just another photo of the crane on the ground, which I wondered if it was sitting on a nest – too far away to tell. The baby cranes are called colts. I am always amazed and amused by the names of baby birds and animals or names when they are in groups. I follow a photographer here in Michigan (Jocelyn Anderson) – she takes a lot of bird photos. A few years ago, a Sandhill Crane family had one colt hatch and a few days later another egg in the same nest hatched – it was a Canada Goose gosling. The cranes raised the gosling as their own – Jocelyn had some great photos of the two of them discovering the world around them and a photo of the youngsters walking together with the adults, where all you saw were two pair of long legs, walking on either side. She did near-daily shots of the pair as they grew up.

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  9. Yay, you got to see a couple of cranes!! They’re so loud when they fly in for landings around here. I hope you got to eventually see one of their colts!?!

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    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      When I saw the trio of cranes last Summer that was a first sighting – I heard them long before I saw them. What an odd noise they were making! I thought the Great Blue Herons were loud! I wish I could have been closer to these cranes, but there was too much brush and tall grass to traipse thru … tick issues, so I was not as close as I would have liked. I now think I should have gone back a few weeks later to see if there was a colt. I didn’t see any cranes when I went back on Father’s Day unfortunately. Maybe I need to put a colt on my Birdie Bucket List. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      • I’ve only seen a couple of colts one time – we were walking around the pond area that my youngest lives by. The colt and mom and pop were actually in one of the yards of the people who live near the park. You never know where you’ll see them – yes, add them to your Birdie Bucket List!

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      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        Lucky you! I will keep my eyes peeled for them and definitely add them to my Birdie Bucket List!

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      • I saw geese and goslings this morning and I told Mr. “Linda would love seeing them here!”

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      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        I actually didn’t see any geese today at Lake Erie Metropark. I didn’t stay too long – we were SUPPOSED to have a beautiful day, maybe a late day shower. It got darker and darker, went to the car, poured raining all the way home. Sigh. Poured and stormed yesterday too. I did, however, see the same Sandhill Cranes, same location but this time they had wandered over near a parking lot … I parked (pretty quickly and crooked) to jump out and take a photo (to which they lingered another half hour after that). Anyway, no colt, just them. I was excited to see them, plus a Mute Swan family with three cygnets, Barn Swallows and a Moorhen (first time for that one). No deer today. Too bad it had to rain – who knows what else I might have seen?

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      • When you luck out seeing critters, you luck out well!
        As we’ve said to each other many times, the weather predictions aren’t reliable!! 🙄😂

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      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        Yes, I feel lucky I saw them again Shelley and I was hurrying out of the car to take pics before they moved, then they really didn’t move far. The weather this week is pretty bad … rain/storms every day this week and as of right now, a rainy weekend. Oh well – I’ll do more clutter control then. And, severe weather tomorrow after 4:00 p.m. – not looking forward to that either.

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      • Yuck…your weather is so crazy. We got a little rain overnight, I think. They predict it and by the end of the day they say, “Just kidding.” 😂

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      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        We have had a couple of rounds of rain since I left work … a storm is rolling in shortly. A lot of storms tomorrow – just crazy weather.

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      • Wow…more rain! Hopefully it doesn’t keep raining and flood like in Vermont!

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      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        I know it – it’s pouring now and will for hours. There are flood alerts everywhere. Those pics of Vermont are incredible. I know Michigan sent some flood/underwater rescue teams to help them out.

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      • WOW! We were supposed to get rain again and we didn’t. 🤨

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      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        I was worried because this was the tail end of the batch of eight tornadoes that went thru Chicago, (four touched down), so when I got the weather radio alert for tornado watch, I decided to stay up until they gave an “all clear” which they never did. It must have weakened as there were no reports after 1:30-2:00 a.m., so I went to bed. We have severe weather Saturday and a storm tomorrow and Sunday as well. Enough already with the severe weather. Last night, though we never went to “warning” status was still nerve wracking as a county one way from here we where a minor tornado touched down.

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      • We had a pop up storm for a brief 20 minutes other than that, it’s been cool and odd too. I’m glad you’re okay and that the storms missed you!

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      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        Thank you Shelley … we had a torrential rain at 4:00 and lost power … supposed to be back at 8:30 tonight. It was very windy and the lights were flickering for a while, like the other night. Dare I say it, that I’m ready for Fall. We have severe weather tomorrow as well and more rain Sunday. The Summer that was forgettable.

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      • Wow, I’m glad you’re okay – we had a pop-up storm with winds, hail, downpours of rain and I thought to myself, “This is what Linda has been experiencing.” It was intense. Completely out of nowhere it seemed. This summer is for the birds! 😫

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      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        Our street didn’t get power back until 2:00 a.m. – lost internet at 9:15 in the middle of writing a comment so came on here now to finish it – now behind in Reader but we have a stormy day ahead mostly in my area today. Going to work in the house today due to storms so not online.

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      • Man, you’re a saint for dealing with all the wacky weather! I hope it wasn’t too hot when the power was out, or did your generator come on?
        We had bad AQI yesterday so we spent more time in house than we wanted to.

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      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        Thankfully the generator came on, 4:00 p.m. Friday to 2:00 a.m. Saturday. Internet finally was back when I got up on Saturday morning. SMH. But we were supposed to have severe weather Saturday afternoon, just in my area. I didn’t want to do much as I wanted to be ready to run downstairs if need be, or monitor the weather online , so that messed things up Saturday afternoon, then we never got a storm, nor any rain. I’m not complaining about that, but how are they that far off. We had the bad AQI today – it was gray like it was going to pour when I walked. Was going to work outside, but just got my walk in and came inside – supposed to have a storm this afternoon which never happened. Michigan had two tornadoes last week.

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      • Thank goodness your generator came to the rescue again! I bet you’re so happy you invested in it.
        I agree – the weather predictions seem to be less accurate than ever before this summer. How do they get to collect paychecks we’ll never understand.
        We had the gray look here too – we couldn’t stand it so went back inside. We had high winds yesterday that knocked our garbage cans and some wood over. We’ll see if anything else happened overnight when it’s a bit brighter outside.
        I’m glad you’re okay – hope the weather gets better soon!

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      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        Hi Shelley – yes, it is turning out to be worth its weight in gold after all its fits and starts the first four months – whew. With the tree cutting job done and the burned Lilac tree and bushes removed, I can see where the power line landed on the fence … the chain link fence is bent in spots and also burned in spots. I feel more grateful all the time that nothing affected the house or me.

        And, as to the weather, I do “get” they can be off a little sometimes, but specifically pinpointing the severe weather for our area on Saturday afternoon and it doesn’t happen was unnecessary angst, though I am happy we had no more weather issues … three days in a row would have been too much but we did have more rain Saturday morning. The grass is green, almost like Spring. We’re supposed to have two nice days now, then two stormy days, but thankfully just in the afternoon. Thank goodness for that – maybe a decent weekend which would be nice as well.

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      • I’m grateful that you and your home were not harmed by that fire and that your generator is functioning properly. The recent weather would’ve been quite unbearable to deal with without the generator!
        I hope the nice days get you out and walking and seeing more sights to blog about! 🥰

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      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        Today was a gorgeous day Shelley. Unfortunately, I had some errands to run but still got a good walk in. But unbelievably we have severe weather setting up for Thursday afternoon, similar to what we had last Wednesday night, complete with tornado threats … great, just great.

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      • I’m glad you had a great day! Oh, my, yikes. Your weather is just so GRRR. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that the predictions are way off and that the weather stays calm.

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      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        I’m really worried about it Shelley … and now a two-part storm, one mid-day and another later in the day. Sigh. And storms for an 8-hour time frame, noon to 8:00 p.m. is awful. I am so ready for Fall.

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      • Oh, dear! I hope they’re wrong about the predictions. And, I hope that Fall is better, this summer has been disappointing for sure!

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      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        I’m telling you that I lost a year off my life today … by the time the storm was expected to arrive in my area (4:30 p.m.) they were forecasting possibly two tornadoes, 70-80 mph winds and tennis ball-sized hail. Whew! We got hail, but not that extreme – pics posted on Twitter from other cities did show that huge hail. A car dealership got hit with the tennis ball-sized hail and damaged all their cars on the lot. We got 60+ mph wind at the airport about 12 miles from me. No tornadoes near me – some rotation, but they have not confirmed it right now. I feel lucky.

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      • Wow – yes, you’re lucky THANKFULLY! We were missed by the storm that had hail like that – Rice Lake Walmart was hit by the huge hail and every window in their roof shattered! Imagine being in the store when that happened?
        Again, I’m glad you’re okay!!!

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      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        I am so grateful we did not get that big hail Shelley. We had small hail as I heard it – didn’t see any damage outside this morning thankfully. Lots of bark off trees, clumps of leaves off trees, nothing more … I’m happy and grateful but a meteorologist said the rest of the Summer is going to be stormy and end of next week we are going to 90, so you know it will be bad weather after it hits 90. There were pics of the hail – just incredible and also many people going to Urgent Care or the ER for head trauma from getting clunked with the tennis ball-sized hail. A car dealership had that big hail shatter glass and dent all the vehicles in their dealership lot. Unbelievable! How scary for those Walmart customers!

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      • Man…that’s so scary and so bizarre to have that many storms in a row?! We’re going to get the heat this week and likely storms.
        That size hail is scary and very damaging. I can’t imagine being outside in it and getting hit in the head. YIKES! Those poor people and the car dealership! 😭😱
        Oddly, there was a farmer’s market near the Walmart where people working there were posting on FB that they were still open 🙄🤔

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      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        There was also a mechanic and he was interviewed by a local news station. He said people were calling him who had dropped off their cars for service to see their car had been inside the shop or outside the shop. Amazing that the Walmart would require those people to stay. SMH.

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      • Our local dealership made sure to move in all the newly sold cars that hadn’t been picked up yet!
        It’s truly amazing to see what people do in these situations.
        The storm that went through the Walmart was so fast and so intense. The hail was flying sideways in the sky!

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      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        Well those people that ordered cars were happy to hear that. Sidewise hail does not sound good. Also, not sounding good is Wednesday’s weather. I thought last Wednesday’s forecast with the hail and two tornadoes was bad but that was a “slight” risk which is level 2 on a scale of 1-5. Wednesday’s forecast is level 3 and multiple tornadoes again and the south region (me) and in the evening, partly after dark. Sigh. Also we have conditions ripe for a derecho until August 8th … I didn’t know the forecast could include multiple days, but it can. I thought of you as we have discussed the Derecho of July 1980 in the past. I really am anxious for Summer to be over if volatile weather will continue to persist.

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  10. Laurie's avatar Laurie says:

    Wow!!! You got really CLOSE to those cranes. Congrats on some great pictures and a new bucket list bird.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      I was lucky for spotting them Laurie … I wonder if she was sitting on a nest. Maybe I should put a “colt” on my Birdie Bucket List for next year?

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  11. AnnMarie R stevens's avatar AnnMarie R stevens says:

    Miss Linda…………………………….I’ve never seen up close a Sandhill Crane……………thanks

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  12. Truly a very beautiful species! Great shots, Linda! 😊

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  13. I’ve heard of Sandhill Cranes but never saw them in real life. Wow, their beaks are long, sharp, and pointy. Great photos!!

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  14. J P's avatar J P says:

    What in the sand hill are those cranes doing? 🙂

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  15. ruthsoaper's avatar ruthsoaper says:

    I thought maybe you were going to take a breather – glad it’s just the cranes. 🙂 Great photos!

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  16. What a lovely pic

    They look peaceful and calm

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  17. I always thought they were white! Are they as large as the blue heron?

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    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      They are larger and taller (very long legs) than the blue heron Diane – the herons only weigh five pounds. They are beautiful with the red heart on their forehead. I went to Lake Erie Metropark last Sunday and saw the same pair walking around. I thought the one crane in this picture might be sitting on a nest, but saw no baby (colt), so I guess not. This time I was able to get up close to them as they were out in the open.

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