Help Save the Red Knot! Plus Frannie the Sandhill Crane and a Buddy Across the Road (More Hawk News When Blogger Cooperates Again)

Photo courtesy of  Walker Golder / Audubon North Carolina
HELP SAVE THE RED KNOT

AUDUBON ALERT TO  TAKE ACTION


The rufa Red Knot's migration nearly spans the globe. But habitat destruction and disappearing food sources threaten to ground these far-flyers for good.
The Red Knot's Atlantic flyway population has declined by 75 percent since the 1980s.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has proposed listing the Red Knot under the Endangered Species Act. FWS is taking public comments until May 19th.

 Tell US Fish and Wildlife Service you support listing the Red Knot under the protection of the Endangered Species Act!

https://secure3.convio.net/nasaud/site/Advocacy;jsessionid=755AD2EF139C096C51C09B156E93DC3F.app338a?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=1539&autologin=true&s_src=May14_ATD1

Did you do it?  Okay you can scroll down now.
 Today I decided it was time to head down the Rustic Road and go check on Frannie, the Sandhill Crane with the nest in the middle of a pond. 

As usual Frannie, the Sandhill Crane, was alert to my presence and eyeballed me the entire time I watched which wasn't more than two or three minutes.  I didn't want to disturb her.

    I'm always a little worried that she's dead, she always looks so limp when I first glimpse her each visit, until I get a good look at her eyes. 


I'd gotten a call earlier in the day from another watcher, that Frannie was up and eating while her mate sat the nest.

As I'd seen cranes feeding earlier in the season in an adjacent field, I decided to cross the road and give it closer scrutiny in case there was a nest there as well.

What is that?  A deer in the grass?  Maybe a crane.   I start pushing through the grass toward a more open spot. 

 Still on my side of the fence of course.

                                            Crane!

 Not only a different head position for stealth from this crane but while Franny looks nervous at being observed this crane has more of a "just try it"  look.

Different crane disposition?  Or is this a male taking his turn on the nest?  I don't know but even if I had the rudeness to walk up to a crane on the nest, I wouldn't pick this one to walk up to.

(DRAT!!!!  Blogger not cooperating.  Be back as soon as it will.)