4.11.10 Sand Hill Cranes and 2 little ones!!

When we dropped the hook (anchor)  last night we couldn’t find the Sand Hill Cranes. We decided to stay here anyways and it was a good decision….when I was on deck with Raisin and her “magic carpet” this morning……there they were!

Once we had our coffee cups full…we took the dingy up near the floating mat of water plants and I started taking pictures.

A few days ago my pictures only showed one…now there are two…

They look about the same size so perhaps there were hatched at same  time and I just didn’t see the other one…..I wouldn’t have known there was a little one if it weren’t for the pictures.

They aren't the best pictures but I was standing in an inflatable dingy while taking them

Jim thought I would get some better shots from the deck of the Albin…..so we got the dingy loaded on the swim platform for travel and headed up this narrow channel. Kind of made me think of the African Queen….unfortunately they had already moved to another area farther away.

It is only a bit wider than the boat and there is a shallow bar at the entrance but Jim wanted to give it a try…

We made it over the bar…the depth gauge read 2.7 for a quick flash and then we were over…..must have been scrubbing the bottom with the keel.

Lots of boats again today…..

We made a slow cruise to G109 Butchers Bend.  A couple of gators kept us company…but the real surprise was this Immature Little Blue Heron. I have been trying to get pictures of one but they always fly away…..this one let us drift right up to it.  It’s mostly white but you can see patches of blue where it is molting to it mature color.

It was really much prettier than these pictures show it.

We are anchored for the night. Weather was again perfect. We’ll be up early…and heading home….What a great week….