Friday Foto Friends: The Baby Cranes "Colts" Have Arrived!

Greetings from Still Waters Pond!  We've some real excitement around here the past two days! If you've been keeping up with the Sand Hill Crane story over the past month, you will remember that Mom and Dad Crane built a nest out in the middle of the pond, and on President's Day (February 19th, 2024), the first egg appeared on the nest! Here is the link to that day: Link to the day the first egg appeared

And then, on George Washington's birthday day, (Feb. 22, 2024),egg number #2 appeared in the nest: Link to the day the 2nd egg appeared    And if you recall I said that I would be naming these babies "Lincoln and Washington" in honor of our Presidents.  Later I decided that Abe and George would probably sound better and be easier to say.

Well, yesterday, just a little over a month later, March 21st, 2024, egg #1 hatched, and so this baby became "Abe"  or maybe it is "Abby".  I really don't know and probably never will know for sure if it is a boy or a girl as they all look so much alike.  Anyway, here are the pictures from yesterday morning when Abe first appeared:

You can see his little orange body under the mother. And you can also see that the other egg is still right there intact.

Baby Abe stayed close to Mama while she tended to the nest and also probably was checking the other egg for sounds of the little chick inside the egg.

I wish these photos were clearer, but they are quite a ways out in the middle of Still Waters Pond, and on this day the sun was quite bright, which makes it hard to get a good clear photo.

I love how Mama is tenderly caring for her newborn chick. (they babies are chicks until about 2 months, and then they are called "colts" as they get taller and much more active).

After a while Mama laid back  down on the nest to keep the other egg nice and warm as it was a chilly morning.  Baby Abe stayed close by her side and stayed nice and warm:

Daddy Crane also stayed close by Mama and the baby all day, watching for intruders and curious neighbors.  The Canada Geese did hang around for awhile, but Daddy Crane did not make them feel too welcome so they soon flew away.

Throughout the day little Abe got braver and braver and moved farther away from Mama while she still had to keep an eye on egg#2.

I think Mama was whispering to the baby in the egg to hurry along and "get cracking". LOL.

After a while she sat back down on the nest and let little Abe play in the mud along the shore of the nesting area.

And that was yesterday.  Well, this morning we woke up to heavy rain and very cloudy skies, but through the rain I was able to see an amazing event taking place. I wonder if you can see what is happening here:

Yes, Little Abe is watching as his baby brother George is breaking his way out of his egg!!!

And in a few minutes there he was!  Baby George made his appearance exactly one month after his egg first appeared!!

Little Abe is saying hello to Little George and welcoming him to their new world!

Mama is checking out Baby George and Daddy Crane is keeping a close watch on Little Abe and the whole family.

I apologize again for the blurriness of these photos, but it was very cloudy and rainy and so we are fortunate to get these pictures at all!

Mama tends to Baby George and Daddy tends to Little Abe....

And soon the two siblings are united and getting acquainted while Mama tidies up the nest and starts disposing of the egg shell.

The two chicks were literally poking their beaks at each other and tussling about like any two siblings would do.

I can tell they are going to be very good playmates. They are already so happy to be there together!

You can see Mama is picking up the egg shell with her beak and I guess she just disposes of it according to what I read.

The two chicks continue to play together and toddle around while Mama keeps a close watch.

Aren't they adorable????

Awww, they are kissing each other on the beaks! I wish these photos were clearer, but you get the idea!

They are so cute!!!  I will never be able to get anything done now!!!

Later on Mama covered the chicks under her wings and they all took a nice nap.  

Psalm 91:3-5  NKJV

3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler

And from the perilous pestilence.

4 He shall cover you with His feathers,

And under His wings you shall take refuge;

His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,

Nor of the arrow that flies by day,

A little later they woke up and the family began foraging together for food.

They stayed close to the nesting area for a while...

And then they ventured a little farther away to find some good food...

Again, both Mama and Daddy stayed right with them while they explored their new surroundings:

And after a while they started heading back to the nesting area to stay for the night:

They will continue to sleep at the nest site for a long time as that is where they feel safest.

And so, that is the excitement here on Still Waters Pond for this week!  As you can imagine I won't be able to get much work done around here because it seems like every minute they are doing something else and I hate to miss it! I apologize for so many pictures, and I promise not to drive you crazy with this, well, maybe I will! LOL.  Feel free to tune in or out if this is too much nature for you! LOL.  Meanwhile, I just want to thank you all for visiting, and I am really trying to get around to visit you as well, I promise!

Here's a favorite old hymn to sing along with:  Under His Wings:

Under His wings I am safely abiding;

Though the night deepens and tempests are wild,

Still I can trust Him, I know He will keep me;

He has redeemed me, and I am His child.

Refrain:

Under His wings, under His wings,

Who from His love can sever?

Under His wings my soul shall abide,

Safely abide forever.

2Under His wings—what a refuge in sorrow!

How the heart yearningly turns to His rest!

Often when earth has no balm for my healing,

There I find comfort, and there I am blest.

Refrain:

Under His wings, under His wings,

Who from His love can sever?

Under His wings my soul shall abide,

Safely abide forever.

3Under His wings—oh, what precious enjoyment!

There will I hide till life’s trials are o’er;

Sheltered, protected, no evil can harm me;

Resting in Jesus I’m safe evermore.

Refrain:

Under His wings, under His wings,

Who from His love can sever?

Under His wings my soul shall abide,

Safely abide forever.

Link to more facts about Florida Sand Hill Cranes

Link to Crane nesting facts, although this is from Colorado. The information is still very good and should be pretty accurate for our Florida cranes as well for the most part.

Have a wonderful weekend!!! I know where I'll be! LOL.

Today, Saturday, March 23rd, I am linking this post up with https://viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com/2024/03/saturdays-critters-536.html

This is my first time to visit here, and I hope to join in more often! Thank you, Eileen!

Friday Foto Friends Birds, Bees, Blooms, and Reflections

Spring is definitely busting out all over here in Florida! Even though the official arrival of the Vernal Equinox is not until next Wednesday, March 20th, someone forgot to tell the flowers, birds, and bees that they needed to wait!

This fat bumblebee was making his rounds around the wild blackberry bushes blooming along the road.  I had to be careful while taking his picture to make sure he wasn't coming in my face to give me a "buzz"...

I love the natural beauty of these blossoms...

And then we have apple blossoms on the little tree in our yard...even though we never get apples, it is nice to see the blossoms...

The azaleas have been putting on quite a show this year! This particular mass of blossoms is better than I've ever seen it in all the years we've lived here!  What is amazing, I don't have to do anything to these hardy old bushes...they just keep coming back year after year.  I wonder what would have happened if I had taken care of them???

Talk about perfection! This Pink Perfection Camellia is doubly perfect!!!

And here's some more getting ready to bloom...

Now, on to the birds:  This is the Female Eastern Towhee coming by for a quick drink of water...

Isn't she pretty?

I love how she is showing off her colors for me.

Here is her mate...this picture was from a few weeks ago. I've never managed to see them both together, but aren't their colors interesting?

Now back to the flowers again...the purple wisteria is opening up and showing off all over our back fence around the Memorial Garden...

Aren't they beautiful?

Here again, I really don't have to do much for these flowering vines to come back every year...we've cut them back a few times, but they grow right back...so lovely...

I paid a little visit to the neighborhood pond to check on the Sand Hill Crane Family.  Here they are on the island where they have their nest.  The two babies are apparently sleeping under the wing of the mama bird, and the father is standing guard over his family...

I wouldn't have known the babies (colts) had already hatched if I hadn't seen them out walking around last week.  I love how they come back to the island every night to sleep, tucked safely under their mother's wings...

Psalm 91:4 (NKJV)

"He shall cover you with His feathers,

And under His wings you shall take refuge;

His truth shall be your shield and buckler"

.

Reminds me of this old hymn:

"Under His Wings"

As I sat there looking around the pond, my heart was a bit heavy for one of our neighbors who lives over on that side of the pond:

My friend has lived here on this little cove for quite a few years, and dearly loves this place. She has been a protector of the wildlife as well as all the neighborhood pets and animals, flora and fauna.

A wonderful neighbor and friend.

She has been battling cancer for quite a while, and has now been

taken to a Hospice House.  We know that once a person reaches this stage, they most

likely don't return home to their earthly house again, unless there is an unexpected rally and change of condition.  

So my heart was a bit heavy, thinking about how she loves this place, and I sat there on the little dock and lifted her up in prayer...praying that her remaining days will be sweet and comfortable, and that when the angels are dispatched to carry her home, she will truly be ready and waiting.

 Such an interesting reflection of the clouds on the water...

reminds me of the circle of life..

heaven really isn't that far away,

and we should all be sure that we are ready to go to our heavenly home.

We may not have the opportunity to prepare for our last days...the Lord could come at any moment...or He could send His angels to call us homeward when we least expect it.

So during this time of Lent, it is a good time to reflect on the condition of our own hearts and be sure that we are ready to "go home" when the Lord calls.

Personally, I am eagerly looking forward to that day. I just pray that all my family and friends are ready as well.

Okay...moving on...I do pray that you will have a wonderful day and weekend. Thank you for visiting here today.  We don't currently have a "Friday Foto Friends" linkup, but I imagine that many of our friends are still posting some lovely pictures about their week today...so why not go visiting around and see?

I know I promised that I will be posting updates on "Pamela's Victorian Cottage"...and I intend to do  that soon....believe me, it is still quite a work in progress, and you will be surprised to see all the "home improvements" that have been made this week...but I wanted to get a few more things done before I posted any more pictures. So stay tuned for the next episode. I know you don't want to miss it!  :)   Bye Bye for now folks!!