Here’s mom with a dirty beak. Always keeping her eye out for any birds of prey flying around in the sky.
Yummy bug for breakfast!
Taking turns eating.
“I get the next bug.” “No, it’s mine.”
“Mom, there’s not a bug under my butt.”
“I hate being wet, don’t you?”
“This stick does not taste good.”
Coming back down the trail later, I saw this. It feels like these people are too close. I know the birds are pretty tame and use to people being on the trail but can they get too tame? Most people were across the trail from the babies and the babies were running around being curious and walking right up to people. I heard later that one of the babies sat down on a person’s foot. I know the guy above in the middle had a 500mm lens but chose to use his short lens and sit really close to them. Families were walking right up to them and taking pictures with their camera phones. The cranes could just leave and head out into the marsh but that marsh is full of mean and hungry alligators so I think it’s better if they stay on the trails but I felt a little off that people were getting so close. I only had my fixed 300mm so I kept having to get up and move back. Maybe the crowds of people will keep the hawks and eagles away. Anyway, they were so cute and fuzzy. And funny and curious. They picked up every stick and checked out every bug. I took a ton of pictures so I’ll post more later.
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oh dear. good luck,, tiny babies.
beautiful, fun images!! it’s amazing how close you can get, i also wonder if it’s crossing the line?? confusing the babies>>
They really are wonderfully cute, Dina. Maybe you’re right, maybe the presence of people will keep the predators away. It would be wonderful if you could chronicle both of these little fellows from babyhood to adulthood, but the survival rate for wild birds isn’t very high, is it?
I must look at the photos again now.
K
They are adorable! It’s a tough line – too much people interference and it harms the birds; too little people interest and it harms the birds.
Lovely images. The chicks are so tiny and cute!
These photos are so cute!
Truly awesome pics!!! I think they should stay back a little more too!
Beautiful!! Yes those people are too close. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
Sso sweet! I want to go to Circle B…it’s on my list of places that are ‘all your fault’ (thank you — really!!). But I am surprised that there aren’t signs asking people to give the birds space. Your pictures are wonderful as always!!
These are amazing photos and the babies are soooo cute! I’m thinking the people got too close. Sometimes nature photographers feel that their desire to get a shot is more important then the animal’s right to live it’s life in some amount peace.
Lovely shots Dina. I have to wonder sometimes what I would feel like if I was an animal and people were poking big black objects in my face.
Just goes to prove that most babies are just as cute as can be! These guys are adorable and I’m sure it was fun to just watch them.
So cute! I love the “my bug next” shot. It certainly captures the feeling of the frequent little sibling squabbles! I agree with you about being uncomfortable with the babies being so close to people. The parents are obviously adjusted to people, and the babies are learning to be too trusting. You saw the pictures of how they ran up to me! I froze because I wasn’t sure how Mama and Papa would feel about it. Other people respond by petting them. 🙁 I wish I knew how to improve the situation. The birds were here first, people should respect them…
GREAT SANDHILLS!
They are so cute. Hope they can stay safe.
What precious babies!
Love photo of babies! Seeing the world through their eyes. Yummy bug!
Congrats on these close-ups. Those chicks are just so cute!
Your photos are so amazing, and so enjoyable. Thank you for sharing.
Cool captures. Happy MOM. Hope you could drop by my Orange take.
Your photos are amazing as always. It is difficult to know what impact human curiosity will have on the birds.
Dina, the chicks are so cute. Awesome photos!
Your photos are wonderful! In one aspect it’s nice that you can get so close to these birds, on the other hand it’s not so good for the birds.
Great post, lovely photos!
Happy WBW!
beautiful images, the babies are adorable…but it isn’t right for folks to get so close to their territory, it is disrespectful.
Very cute babies but I agree that those people are too close!
How can something that small turn into something that big! Like the picture of the photographers even if they are too close.
Cheers and thanks for linking to WBW.
Stewart M – Melbourne
great shots. And the photographers are too close in my opionion.
Yes they are too close.
Those gentlemen were on the 6 o’clock news because they decided it was ok to touch the babies…So wrong. Why do people think this is ok? I will never understand …Lovely shots