Sandhill Crane
The Sandhill Cranes returned to Northeastern California late this Winter. I have been fortunate enough to see them on several occasions.
A lone crane feeding at Poison Lake.
Sandhill Cranes
Poison Lake
Cranes with friends.
Which way do we go?
Solitude
Ruffled feathers
I think Big Bird must have been a crane.
Poison Lake
Sandhill Cranes of Ash Creek Wildlife Area.
THE FORESTER ARTIST 
Reblogged this on Ann Novek–With the Sky as the Ceiling and the Heart Outdoors.
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I love this. We had them build a nest in a tree in our yard once…. We learned on major thing… They were down in numbers and we think we know why. They are the worst next builders. It was at the very top of the tree… And they did use big long sticks to build the nest. But there were huge gaping holes in it and yes the eggs are large but still the holes were larger. When they sat on the next we heard sticks breaking. It was awful. We were nervous wrecks. We went on vacation and they all were gone… So we have no idea is the babies actually survived. There were two.
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Oh my! That is a great story. I’ve never seen one of their nests. How fun to watch them. I guess if you didn’t find a crane omlett under the tree, they probably made it.
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These are fantastic. Love the reflections, especially, of the cranes and clouds in the lake.
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Thank you Scott.
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Beautiful scenic photography, but love your painting the best! The cranes are wonderful creatures.
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Thank you Mary. This sketch was actually done with pen and ink, and color pencils. I almost never use color pencils.
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Great drawing! Since Cranes are not something we see here I enjoyed your photos. We do get Blue Herons but they are camera shy.
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Thank you Susan. The cranes are a rare treat for me since they are only here for a short time, but I love those Blue Herons.
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We have Sandhill cranes too, I just love their weird song. Your photos are beautiful, I like Poison Lake and the cranes are awkward and gangly just as they are.
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Thank you Annerose. It is fun to get the chance to photograph them. It isn’t every year I’m in the area when they are. In about a month Poison Lake will be a gigantic marsh and in three months it will be completely dry. It is always beautiful when it is full.
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They are regal. Love the sketch.
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Thanks Elena. When I see them I want to paint them in Chinese style watercolor.
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Beautiful post, photos and art. Thank you. 🙂 Helen
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Thank you Helen.
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I enjoyed these pics a loit. Very nice. Sandhills are some of my favorite birds, I listen for their call in flight as they move to the south of Texas in the fall. Some people think they are hearing Canadian geese but they are really sandhills. The geese fly over too but I didn’t hear any this past fall. The geese and cranes visit the rice fields. There are some nice wildlife sanctuaries in south Texas. On a bit of a different note- rice farmers have not been having good years of late. Drought played a big part plus I think prices went down as well.
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I’m glad you enjoyed the photo Yvonne. There is a lot of rice grown here too. In the valley they grow the white rice and in the Northeast part of the state it’s wild rice. The rice field are flooded now. I don’t know how it will be for next year, because we are at about 30% for our rainfall this year. It will be a drought for us this year for sure. Not as bad as Texas yet.
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Thanks Tim for the reply. I was not aware that wild rice is grown in Northern California. I like wild rice and buy a mix of wild rice and brown rice. Sometimes just the wild by itself though. I like the taste very much.
It seems that lots of places are short of rain. It sure is a sad situation when farmers can’t grow a decent crop because wildlife suffers as well- no grazing or other food. the aquifers are being depleted in some areas and the rivers/lakes don’t have enough water. The land and its resouces simply can not support over-population.
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Drought really changes the carrying capacity of the land, that is for sure. I believe in many cases the farmers and ranchers irrigating actual help the wildlife here, because there would be no water in some areas were it not for that. Here in California it is a constant battle over water. I just hope the farmers can continue to get an adequate supply. Since we don’t irrigate in forestry, we don’t have that problem, but during the drought many trees become weak and die. Then we go into salvage logging mode to try to harvest them while the wood is still good.
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I do like your drawing – such a strange twisted neck these cranes have! And Poison Lake is very beautiful – is it poisonous?
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Thank you so much Anna. They are such interesting birds. The lake isn’t poisonous and is full of wildlife. I dries up in the Summer. I don’t know the origin of the name.
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I love your drawing of the sand hill crane. I have been lucky to see these beautiful birds several times when I visit Wisconsin.
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Thank you so much Annie. They are such impressive birds. I always feel lucky when I get to see them. It still looks a bit chilly in Minnesota. We are feeling like summer here in Northern California, already highs in the mid 90’s.
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These pictures are so beautiful!
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Thank you so much!
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I love your crane drawing. The pictures are fun and interesting, too. We have sandhill cranes in the area, but I have never seen them. We do get great blue herons here regularly on the lake. I saw two today. Fishing must be good.
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Thank you Ruth. I’ve been lucky this year to see them so much. They are such large birds. They are impressive to see.
Love those herons too.
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Love the ‘Solitude’ pic, wow. The birds are interesting; they look like a cross between cranes and some herons 🙂
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Thank you Zest. They are striking in person because they are so big.
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Wow, your pictures are so wonderful and I discover birds which are unknown to me. Thanks, I love your pics! your drawing is great to.
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Thank you so much. I am happy to show off my little corner of the world.
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Simply wonderful, thanx for these amazing pix, Mr Forestartist… 🙂 these elegants birds have reminded me of the gracious red cap cranes from Hokkaido, Japan… Merci beaucoup for dropping by our international playground! 🙂 Friendly greetings from Toulouse, France, my very best and have a great weekend! Respectful regards, Mélanie
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Thank you Melanie from Toulouse. The cranes make me think of a Chinese watercolor. I always enjoy seeing them. Tim from California.
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Awesome drawing of the crane, Tim. These are beautiful birds. I always look for our blue heron when down by the pond. I can sit and watch him forever. I never see the pair together. They are so graceful… fragile.
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Thanks Leslie. The herons are so beautiful. I have some heron pictures to post sometime. Mary I returned from Nevada yesterday and drove past Poison Lake. The cranes were out and the sun was shining so we stopped and took a bunch of pictures. Great fun!
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Awesome drawing and pics of the sandhill cranes – were fortunate to see a few while down in Florida recently. They are beautiful birds!
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Thank you. My wife and I stopped on our way back from Nevada last weekend at Poison Lake and took a bunch more pictures. Such fun!
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They are beautiful! I adore cranes!
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They are a treat when we get them here, since we don’t see them most of the time.
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Basically wildlife in action – great.
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Just doin’ what comes naturally.
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And you do it well.
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🙂
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Your art is beautiful. You are a beautiful, delicate artist. Just lovely.
The cover of your book I really liked, too – great stuff.
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Thank you so much Noeleen. You make me blush!
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フルラ マガシーク
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So beautiful!!!
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Thank you Gigi!
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