Sandhill Cranes!!

On July 17, while on vacation with my husband, we headed out to meet with a local birding group at the Waterloo Recreation Area (WRA).  According to our guide from the Dahlem Conservancy, the WRA is the best birding area in southern Michigan.  On our way there, through many back country roads, I noticed some cranes off in back of a field, mentioned it to my husband, and he kept going!!  The nerve!!  Thankfully, a few minutes later, I saw more, close to the edge of road and he pulled over...lucky for him!  Here are some pictures of them...this is a life bird for me :)

Sandhill Cranes :)

Seeing these birds made my day!  When we arrived at the WRA, we met up with the birding/naturalist group and headed on a hike....on the hottest day of the week!  We learned a lot about the trees and plant species we saw, as well as learning about the differences between a fen and a bog.  I had never heard of a fen before that day.  Due to the heat of the day, we didn't see one, single bird.  Someone commented on hearing a Red-eyed Vireo singing and another man referred to it as a "Bob Seeger Bird", making reference to a song Bob Seeger sings that reminds him of the song of the Red-eyed Vireo.  The landscape was beautiful!  I did manage to get a picture of a Pitcher Plant...

Pitcher Plant

Despite not seeing any birds, it was a wonderful morning!  I will definitely meet up with this group again...maybe for Crane Fest :)