Homeless Trespassers Caught on Film [Archive]

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Santa

31st July 2011, 12:52 PM

This Sandhill Crane, his bitch and their two shiftless offspring have been landing on my property and eating the chicken scratch I throw down for the hens every morning.

Should I report them?

http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac358/jackconrad/5086c3e3.jpg

http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac358/jackconrad/0dfc32f1.jpg

Dogman

31st July 2011, 12:54 PM

solid

31st July 2011, 01:07 PM

You should put out a big ol' bird bath for them too. Welcome them to the neighborhood. Nice photos!

Santa

31st July 2011, 01:23 PM

You should put out a big ol' bird bath for them too. Welcome them to the neighborhood. Nice photos!
Thanks, Solid.

Yesterday, I was feeding them all some scratch when one of the hens got jealous and rushed the male crane to try to scare it away.. Startled, the crane jumped about four feet in the air. It came back down lunging with its sword like beak. The little old hen in a puff of flapping feathers ran squawking back to the hen house. Very funny. I wished I'd had a camera on me at the moment.

http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac358/jackconrad/7f5e5e04.jpg

willie pete

31st July 2011, 01:45 PM

they're pretty birds, if it were me, I'd throw out extra feed, I think I might WANT them to come back

Santa

31st July 2011, 01:55 PM

they're pretty birds, if it were me, I'd throw out extra feed, I think I might WANT them to come back

Yeah, definitely a lot of neck meat to pick at. :) I've never heard of eating these kinds of birds, though.

freespirit

31st July 2011, 02:14 PM

Yeah, definitely a lot of neck meat to pick at. :) I've never heard of eating these kinds of birds, though.

doesn't mean it can't be done! lol
;D

Dogman

31st July 2011, 02:19 PM

After some thought, those birds are not "homeless" they "own" the sky. And anywhere under the sky is their home. Can you say the same? ;D

Santa

31st July 2011, 02:22 PM

doesn't mean it can't be done! lol
;D

True. :)

I'm not sure about today, but for the longest time I believe these Sandhill Cranes were on the endangered species list and now they're everywhere,
flying in formations like Canada Geese, honking and shitting on everything.

banjo

31st July 2011, 08:59 PM

Yeah, definitely a lot of neck meat to pick at. :) I've never heard of eating these kinds of birds, though.

Some call them "flying t-bones"!

muffin

31st July 2011, 11:59 PM

Don't tell any homeless people about them.

osoab

1st August 2011, 03:39 PM

http://www.remingtonmilitary.com/%7E/media/Images/RemingtonMilitary/product_photos/ammo/birdshot_wingmaster.ashx

Santa

1st August 2011, 09:34 PM

I'm telling ya, these creatures are brazen. The adult male chases the chickens and the hens are scared of them now.
I think I could take him in a hand to beak fight though...

http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac358/jackconrad/a443d4f8.jpg

http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac358/jackconrad/4a48d5e1.jpg

solid

1st August 2011, 09:44 PM

They do appear to be quite bold of a family...

Santa, I may be the GSUS bird 'hugger' of the group, but I'd suggest not eating them just yet. They are quite beautiful birds. We have the white cranes here, I really enjoy watching them walk about in their slow drunken way they do.

I know they look tasty, ready for the cooker, but it would be really cool if you gave them names and adopted them into the Santa family. The little ones would appreciate it. :)

osoab

2nd August 2011, 12:32 AM

but it would be really cool if you gave them names and adopted them into the Santa family. The little ones would appreciate it. :)

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, and Blizten?

Santa

2nd August 2011, 08:52 AM

I just realized, or at least postulate that I had photographed this same family a year or more ago when the little cranelings? were mere fuzzballs. These shots were taken from quite a distance and heavily cropped, so they aren't as sharp and detailed.

http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac358/jackconrad/5b239128.jpg

http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac358/jackconrad/f4b331a3.jpg

http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac358/jackconrad/3f6fd405.jpg

http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac358/jackconrad/c1fa5b1f.jpg

Santa

2nd August 2011, 09:01 AM

I guess I shouldn't tell you how they have made viewing those birds a big business here and charge plenty for the chance of seeing them way off in the distance ;D

http://www.othellosandhillcranefestival.org/

Cool... Maybe I should net em, stick em in a screened aviary and sell tickets to view the beautiful Sandhill Cranes close up. :)

Oh, and Solid, here's a shot I took of a White Heron or perhaps a Snowy Egret a little while ago...

http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac358/jackconrad/a24b55cf.jpg