AMAZING SANDHILLS

 I was lucky to spot two pairs of Sandhill Cranes at one of the four-corner farmland ponds where I take pictures.  The foursome hung close together the whole time. They walked back and forth, displayed, and bugled.  They were amazing to watch.

EARLY SPRING BLOOMS

 

The first spring blossoms have chased some of the drabness of winter.  I especially love the combination of yellows and purples.

FIRST BIG ADVENTURE OF 2024

 

My friends Don, Diana and I headed to the Grass River Natural Area.  The 1,492 acre nature preserve is located in Antrim Country.  Home to northern fen and cedar wetlands, the area is full of birds and other critters.  Boardwalks make the trails navigable in all kinds of weather.  Yesterday was perfect.  We watched two mallards as birdsong filled the air.  We hiked to the river’s mouth, hoping to see loons but it was too early in the season.  We did see a bald eagle, migrating swans and a turkey vulture.  Among the three of us, we had three new knees, a bum ankle, and a bad case of sciatica but we still managed to walk 6000 steps, according to Diana’s watch.  Can’t wait for the next big adventure.

WHOA!! WHAT WAS THAT?

 

I had just left M-37 and was heading into farm country when I passed a group of strange-looking birds.  At first glance I thought they were turkeys but their spots made me turn around for a second look.  I had no clue what they were until I got home and googled one of my pictures.  Turns out they were helmeted guineafowl, a bird native to South Africa that had been introduced as a domesticated species in North America.

DESOLATE DUNE

 

After I’d seen the cranes atop the Dune Climb and in the nearby wetlands, I returned a few days later to try photographing them again.  But the weather had turned cold and the pond was mostly frozen.  No cranes.  In fact, I didn’t see a single person or critter.  It gave me time to explore the dune from different roads and all angles.  The solitude with her was nice.