Latest Episode of the Sand Hill Crane

Hi everyone, Here is the latest news about the poor Sandhill Crane who was sitting out in the ditch/pond on her little nest. A very bad storm and lots of rain covered her nest. I don't know if she was able to move the eggs or what, but after the night time storm, I drove by there and the nest was completely covered with water and there was no mother bird...no male either in the neighborhood. So I assumed the worst and was very saddened that her nest was probably destroyed. 

And where was she????

The next day, two days after the storm, I was by there again. This pond is in front of a busy grocery store off a busy highway. In the photo, you can see a car sales lot behind the highway. The pond is actually a drainage pond, as you can see by the equipment there in front of it.There has been some recent construction, which wasn't finished, probably because of these birds! Look closely and you can see her on the hillside on the nest. I saw her with the two eggs building this nest! How did she get them out of the pond? Are they really going to hatch? Were they damaged in the water? I wish I knew! All we can do is watch and wait and see if they hatch. 

You can see that the father bird is standing guard down the bank in the edge of the water. You would not believe the amount of people who drive up, park and watch these birds. The whole town is talking about them! I will keep you posted as to what happens. I think she has been on the nest at least 3 weeks, first in the water a couple of weeks and now here.