Not too long ago I noticed a swoop of Sandhill cranes flying high above my house. There were about 100 of them and they were circling, diving and changing direction all over the place.
I quickly got the camera to document this craziness and got a few interesting photos. I love changing seasons because we often get to see migrations, awakenings, and other changes. It keeps things interesting.
A few weeks ago I wrote about a nest of Plover eggs that I had been watching for a while. I just happened upon it one day while I was taking one of my early morning walks in the neighborhood. The male and female parents would throw a fit every time I walked by. When I started stopping to take close up pictures of the eggs, they got even crazier. It got to the point where I thought they were going to come try and peck at me.
Every time I came by, one of the birds would fly in front of me and squawk loudly while leading me away. Even after the eggs hatched they’ve kept up this practice. Sometimes, they continue walking with me for about a quarter of a mile until I reach my house. And yes, they seem to know where I live.
It’s always fun when you get a chance to interact with wild animals. It’s almost as if these birds have been scolding me for intruding on their day. They’re telling me they don’t trust me and to show it, they chaperone me to my house, ensuring I don’t make trouble.
When this first started happening, my kids were convinced I was in the middle of a fantasy story. They told me to follow the Plover wherever it went because it could lead to a magical portal into a different dimension or world. So far, I haven’t seen any portals appearing before me. But I still keep my eyes open.