Warning! Sandhill Cranes

Cranes on Derexa pond berm this morning were being aggressively warned by the Black-Necked Stilts to stay clear of their chicks. Odd to me that this couple (they are monogamous) has no chicks. Other sandhill crane in the surrounding neighborhoods have chicks half as tall as them already. Much of their habitat is being taken from the 23,000 acres being developed all around us so they roam in our subdivision and neighborhood like one of us. They are just gorgeous to look at and take a great pic too.

The sandhill cranes in Florida are listed as a threatened species, and it is illegal to feed them because they will become aggressive (toward people and children), develop other bad habits, and it is not good for them. Read more here.
http://myfwc.com/conservation/you-conserve/wildlife/sandhill-cranes/

Click to enlarge into a gallery.

Mr. & Mrs. Sandhill Crane

Mr. and Mrs. were back this morning in a better mood. Together at least. They were on the east side of Derexa Pond.  I am surprised these two cranes don't have babies with them. All the other Sandhill cranes I see around the neighborhood have 1-2 babies that are half their size already. They should have some but maybe they are at the point where they leave them a little bit to go eat as their babies cannot fly yet. I have seen them do this before, not these ones but others over the years. You see the babies alone without parents.

flying on the left is a black-necked stilt per the consensus at whatbird.com.