So just a quick note today. I had hoped to make it up to the Paddle America event in Manitowoc but the morning did not play out that way. The next choice was to go out on Mirror Lake near Wisconsin Dells. This turned out to be a lucky break. Out in the slough Sandhill Cranes are nesting so I just slid my boat up unto a mudflat and watched the cranes for awhile. What a great morning!Cranes are spectacularly big birds. There are just 15 species globally and only two, Whooping Cranes and Sandhills are native to North America. Sandhill cranes can stand anywhere from 4 to 5 feet tall and have nearly a seven foot wingspan which you can imagine is pretty imposing from the seat of a kayak as you can see from the shot. I actually have a bit of an “inside” knowledge of cranes being that Baraboo is home to the International Crane Foundation and I worked as a tour guide & chick parent there for a time. Yeah, I know, “Chick Parent” is not a manly title. But, considering I’ve never been a chick magnet, “Parent” will have to do!

Also out on the slough were a few Great Blue Herons as well. Another big local bird. In fact Heron are often confused with cranes. That’s not really too surprising considering Sandhills come in shades anywhere from reddish brown to silver much like a Heron. In the air however, it’s pretty easy to tell the difference. A crane flies with it’s neck out and a Heron tucks it’s head back. There’s your ‘tid-bit’ of the day!

In addition the air was also filled with Canada geese who also nest in this part of the lake and a myriad other ducks and birds of many stripes and colors. In all it made for some very busy airspace. Much like plane spotting in a busy airport you could just sit back and note the many species and distinguishing marks within species as they buzzed over head or landed often just yards away. The crane in this picture was guarding a nest only 30 feet or so from my boat!

TTFN~

-dm