Sandhill Crane family visits Eagle Optics

As a kid, when our family took car trips, my 3 siblings and I always played The Horse and Cow Game. It was a game we devised to keep us amused while the miles rolled away, and it kept my parents sane–at least temporarily. Once the game was declared, we’d scan the landscape with deep intensity, calling out animals as we saw them. A herd of cows was worth 5 points, horses 10, pigs and sheep 15, and the rare deer sighting earned 50. The winner was declared when we arrived.  If the destination was home, I could always count on 10 points when we passed a pony farm two miles from our house. It was my ace in the hole and, often, it was just enough to win.

Nowadays when I drive in the country and see Sandhill Cranes, I sometimes smile and ponder how many points they’d be worth in the Horse and Cow Game.  We do see cranes with a fair amount of regularity in the midwest, standing in pairs or family groups in farm fields, foraging for plants and grains, snails, amphibians, small rodents, and reptiles. It’s always a pleasure to spot them, especially the young ones, called colts.  Recently, we were fortunate to have a crane family visit the field across the street from Eagle Optics.  We all grabbed bins to observe them, and I digiscoped the photos below. Their elegance and beauty were mesmerizing. I’d say any time you spot these birds, you’re an automatic winner!

Originally published on October 29, 2011