) migrating in a "V" when I was teaching an outdoor class at the end of September 2006. Often they can be heard before they are seen, but I didn't hear these. The Sandhill Cranes stop over at the wetlands along the Hiwassee River in southeast Tennessee. These birds fly south in the fall from their homes in the northern states to be able to find food throughout the winter.
This white Whooping Crane was among the thousands of Sandhill cranes at the Hiwassee Wildlife Management Area. Whoopers are an endangered species, there are less than 530 wild and captive birds. It is very easy to tell the difference between the two types of cranes, the Whoopers' have pure white plumage (the flight feathers on the lower wings are black, but only noticable in flight and when the wings are raised) and they have different facial markings. This one caused a great deal of excitement from the viewers on the observation deck when it walked up from the grain field. Note the numerous bands on the Whooper's legs. I wonder if the other birds are jealous of its "jewelry"? Unfortunately, the "Focus Fairy" fooled around with my camera at this point and I was unable to get any real good shots at this distance! When we returned 2 weeks later we didn't see the whooping cranes, so I'm stuck with this lousy photo. ***A sad update*** On Feb. 3, 2007 a devastating tornado struck central Florida. Unfortunately, 20 people lost their lives and the 17 captive whooping cranes at a breeding program were killed when the storm struck their compound. The more individuals lost, the less genetic diversity left in the population.
This is a tightly cropped shot of the kingfisher. They are nervous birds and I was not able to get close enough for a clear shot before it took off. I enjoy watching them and hearing their unique call.
