Whooping Crane (Grus americana): International Crane Foundation

Whooping Crane (Grus americana) at the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, WI.

Whooping Crane (Grus americana) at the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, WI.

Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) at the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, WI.

Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) at the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, WI.

Whooping Crane (Grus americana) at the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, WI.

Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) at the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, WI.

Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) at the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, WI.

 I saw these cranes at the International Crane Foundation (ICF) in Baraboo, WI in the fall of 2011. The ICF has pairs of all the cranes there are in the world (there are 15 species). Whooping cranes are endangered species, and the ICF has successfully helped with the conservation efforts. The ICF had a viewing area where visitors to the center could observe the whooping cranes, and the cranes did not disappoint. As soon as we entered into the viewing area they started running back and fort, dancing. I took all these pictures with my iPhone, and I think that they look really good because the viewing area was designed spectacularly. I have a video of them doing their dance, but I am having trouble uploading it. Updates later. In the meantime, you can read more about these cranes here and here. You can read more about the ICF here, and see the other posts from my visit here.

Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis)

Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis)

Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis)

I saw this flock of sandhill cranes in Albuquerque, New Mexico twice- once on Saturday, February 4th, and once on Sunday, February 5th, 2012. They were at the Rio Grande Nature Center. I had gone there both times looking for a greater roadrunner with no success (reminiscent of the wood duck incident of 2011). The flock of cranes was a nice surprise. I had only seen these birds one other time, in a field near the Ski-Hi Fruit Farm in Baraboo, Wisconsin last year. I had just left the International Crane Foundation, and it was nice to have seen a flock in the wild, but it was too far away for any close observation. While this sighting didn't add any birds to my life list, it did add a photo op and some video footage of them to my collection.

The sandhill crane is one of two cranes we have in North America, the other being the whooping crane. Sandhill cranes like to winter in New Mexico, and they can often be found in large numbers there during the winter. You can read more about these cranes here, and more about the Rio Grande Nature Center here.